Weeding with gloves makes the whole process much easier (via Angi). In addition to brittle stems that allow for easy breakage and regrowth, weed species have developed other methods of protection. Many weeds grow spiky structures, brambles or true thorns that can cut your hands and arms as you work to remove them from the garden. These defense mechanisms exist on plants to prevent predators from eating them, but the function works just as well to keep homeowners from pulling the plants off the ground and throwing them away.

Spiny segments on the weed stem in your lawn can make the experience downright unpleasant. As well, many weeds come armed with compounds that irritate the skin in other ways. It is not unusual to finish weeding the lawn and then deal with itchy and red spots on hands and arms where weed-like material has come into contact with skin.

To defeat both of these problems, it’s best to wear gloves, according to Insider, and maybe even a long-sleeved shirt while weeding the yard. Gloves protect your hands from the worst that weeds can throw at you in an effort to stay rooted in the ground. Likewise, with gloves on your hands, it’s easier to really dig into the soil and get under the aerial structures of the plants to remove them from the root.

Gloves make the weeding process easier and less painful overall.