They don't exactly work that way :-) Your choices are a broad spectrum weed killer (like glyphosate) that can kill anything; a targeted herbicide for broadleafed weeds (which would include the clover) or one that targets just monocots or grass-like plants. Herbicides can not differentiate between a desired plant and a weedy plant - YOU have to do that.

The best suggestion would be to use a hand-held liquid lawn weed killer (like Bayer Advanced All in One Lawn Weed Killer) but only apply to the species you wish to remove. Or remove them manually

Please just remember that weed killer chemicals and herbicides harm WAY more than the weeds you wish to eradicate. I have a very large area and keep the weeds out the old fashioned natural way...and no harm done to anything but the weed. Removing them manually (or in this case womanually) is like a free workout, and a chance to get dirty and talk to nature :)

One of the reasons many consider clover to be a weed is that the manufacturers of plant poisons have not been able to find one that will kill dandelions and plantain and not clover.

Some gardeners have found that these "weed" killers will inhibit plant growth even if they are sprayed on the ground so a plants roots uptake them.

kimmq is kimmsr

I have not used a herbicide on my lawn in at least 10 years because I do not really like to put chemicals right at my doorstep, and also my children were of the ages where they wanted to be outside playing in the yard. In that timespan, the undesirable plants grew too numerous and interspersed with the turf grass to be manually removed. I need to do a couple of applications of a herbicide to at least get ahead of the weeds. I suppose I can always seed in more clover once the lawn is more grass than weeds.

Thanks for the ideas everyone.

You could just mow whatever's there, when needed. Aside from anything prickly, many plants make a fine "lawn," soft, green, amenable to being mowed.