Don’t Salt Your Steps: Ice Melting Tips

Are you not looking forward to a winter wonderland? Yes, most of us are. But one thing that we often forget is the long list of things we need to do to prepare ourselves for the season. Gearing up against the challenge of keeping ourselves and our families safe in winters is the biggest challenge. Getting rid of snow and ice on steps, driveway, parking lot, and sidewalk is one of the biggest winter woes.

A common way to clear icy pavement is to use rock salt. However, it can lead to big headaches later. Rock salt is corrosive to concrete, asphalt, and bricks as well. Salt traces left on the surface causes stains and streaks. The real problem starts when it gets into the porous concrete and creates holes and cracks that get worse with frequent freeze-thaw cycles of water. 

In this article, we will talk about 5 Ice melting tips to get rid of snow this winter.

Best Ice Melt For Concrete

5 Ice Melting Tips To Get Rid Of Snow This Winter

1- See Ingredients

If you are looking for a safe ice melt this winter, then you must check the ingredients. What makes salt an inappropriate solution is its composition. Rock salt is basically sodium chloride. Most of the ice melt are generally a blend of sodium chloride and other minerals like magnesium and calcium. While both salt and ice melt have chloride in their composition, there are a few salt-free and chemical-free ice melt. These chloride-free ice melts are non-toxic and non-corrosive as they are composed of natural ingredients like urea, which is safe to use around pets, kids, concrete, and plants.

2- Check side effects

As mentioned above, rock salt and most ice melt damage your lawn, driveways, pavements, and steps.

The porous concrete on your driveway and steps absorbs the salty mixture. When the temperature drops below 25 degrees, the water refreezes and puts additional hydraulic pressure on the concrete, thereby damaging it. 

A good ice melt that is safe on concrete is composed of natural ingredients and therefore does not damage your concrete.

3- Pre-treat the surface

Pre-treating your steps with the best ice melt for new concrete prevents the snow from freezing up when it hits the ground. You can shovel away the soft snow as soon as you get the chance.

4- Adding some traction

Another way to fix slippery steps is by using traction. Although traction doesn’t melt ice, it can definitely help you avoid some slip and fall accidents. These are mostly organic items like sand, wood shavings, sawdust, and kitty litter.  

5- Seal the deal

Apart from choosing the right ice melt, you can also seal the cracks with a flexible sealant and prevent moisture from getting into the concrete of your steps. 

Looking for more chemical-free, natural ice melt solutions that are safe and effective to use this winter? Check them out here.

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