With winter raging on, it is a tough task to keep your driveways and cars ice-free. But, you needn’t worry as HomeQuicks presents easy homemade ice melt solutions for your snowy driveway and car problems.
Quick Tip
Spread sand, bird seeds, or kitty litter across the driveway. The ice will melt, but sand and seeds won’t. They will help you get a grip on the slippery and icy surface.
There are hundreds of commercial ice melt products and services available in the market today. They can work wonders to clean the ice off the streets, but they may leave residues, chemically attack concrete, and damage vegetation.
Apart from using professional ice melts, many people believe in cleaning the ice off the driveway in the traditional way. Using a snow shovel, the snow buildup can be scrapped off to clear the path. Like the simple shovel, snow blowers and other machines help you remove the ice. However, such ways need more physical energy, and hence, one may not carry out the process again and again.
Now, there is a simple solution to this problem―making homemade snow melts with simple ingredients that can be easily found in your home. They are light on your pocket, and safe to use with pets around.
Homemade Solid Ice Melt
► Salt
Salt is the most basic ice melt that you can find in your house. Spread the plain salt across the snow-covered area. Salt will spread through the ice layer. Ice will melt as salt lowers the freezing point of water. It is a perfect ice melt for your driveway without any added expense.
► Fertilizer
Like salt, you can use fertilizers as an ice melt as well. You won’t need to mix it with anything else. Spread the fertilizer across the snow-covered area. Ammonium sulfate, which is a common ingredient in fertilizers, works to accelerate the melting process. Using fertilizers as the ice melt will prove beneficial for your garden areas. However, they may not be a good idea for your driveways as once mixed with melting ice, it can flow into the sewers.
► Baking Soda
All you need to do is sprinkle baking soda on the snow-covered path generously and wait for the ice to start melting. It contains sodium that lowers the freezing temperature of ice. However, you will need to make sure that you do not use the soda-sprinkled path immediately.
Homemade Liquid Ice Melt
► Rock Salt + Water
You can use rock salt to melt the ice. Pour warm water in a bucket. Add rock salt crystals in it. Stir it occasionally till the salt crystals are completely dissolved. Pour the rock salt and water solution in a sprayer. Spray the solution over the unwanted snow on the driveway. The saturated force of the sprayer will penetrate through all the layers of the snow and melt it.
To prevent the reformation of ice, add calcium chloride in the solution in a 1:3 ratio of water used in the solution. Mix it well till calcium chloride dissolves. Pour the mixture in the sprayer and spray it over the driveway before the next expected snowfall. It will prevent any ice buildup in the sprayed area.
► White Vinegar + Water
Add 1 part of white vinegar and mix it with 1 part of water. Stir the solution well, and pour it in a sprayer. Spray the solution on snow to melt it. However, you can add more vinegar in the solution if the snow is thick or taking a lot of time to melt. If you do not want to use the sprayer, you can directly pour the solution on the snow-covered area. You can use this ice melt for windshields as well.
► Wood Ash + White Vinegar + Water
With these ingredients, you can make an ice melt that proves good for your plants as well. Collect 2 cups of wood ash from your fireplace. Pour it in a gallon of water, and let it sit overnight. Clear all the floating bits and pieces. Pour the mixture into another bucket; however, do not pour the sediment left at the bottom of the bucket. Add 2 cups of white vinegar in the mixture, and stir it well. Pour the mixture in a sprayer and spray it on the snow, which you want to melt. It will help you deice your sidewalks and walkways. Also, it does not allow new buildup of snow.
► Rubbing Alcohol + Water
This one ingredient can be found in commercial ice melts, and in our houses too. Rubbing alcohol has a lower freezing point than water. You can simply pour it on the ice. It will help you break it up. However, you can mix it with water and spray it across the ice-covered area. The mixture is long-lasting that comes in handy in case of an ice-melting emergency. Spray it over your frosted windshield and car to melt the ice away.
► Rubbing Alcohol + Liquid Dishwashing Detergent + Water
Here is a pet-friendly homemade ice melt. Take one quart of warm water and add 2 – 3 drops of dishwashing detergent and 1 ounce of rubbing alcohol to it. Mix the ingredients well, and pour the mixture in a sprayer. Spray it on the icy surface and watch the ice melt away.
► Isopropyl Alcohol + Liquid Dishwashing Detergent
Here is a wondrous ice melt for windshields. Take a bottle of isopropyl alcohol with 70% or higher alcohol purity. Add 2 – 3 drops of liquid dishwashing detergent in it. Spray the mixture on icy windshields to clean them.