How to Clear Two Inches of Ice From the Driveway

Clearing a driveway protects people and property from serious injury and damage.

No matter how much care you take to prevent ice on your driveway, you eventually face a layer of ice that isn't going to go away until spring. Snow shovels are usually not sturdy enough to handle thick, hard-packed ice. Rock salt alone will not do the job without using enough to poison nearby gardens and lawns. Using both shovels and rock salt will do the job faster and more effectively than either one would do alone.

Things You'll Need

• English shovel (flat edged, rectangular blade)
• Rock salt
• Snow shovel

Instructions

1. Use the snow shovel to clear snow off the ice. Removing the snow will let the ice-melt work on the ice instead of the snow.

2. Sprinkle rock salt over the ice per the instructions on the package. One pound of material is enough to treat 100 to 200 square feet. Be sure to cover the area to be cleared completely.

3. Use the English shovel to chop downward into the ice where the rock salt has had the longest time to work. Starting at an edge, using short, quick chops to break up the ice.

4. Use the snow shovel to quickly clear away the loose ice chunks after breaking up an area of ice.

5. Repeat the process for the rest of the driveway. Particularly thick ice may require several repetitions of rock salt use and chopping.

Tips & Warnings

• This task can be done with two people after the rock salt has had a chance to work. One person can chop ice while another clears the loosened chunks. If one person chops ice while another spreads rock salt, the salt will not have time to loosen the packed ice.

• Rock salt loses effectiveness below a ground temperature of 20 degrees Fahrenheit. At very low temperatures, it may not work at all.

• Avoid using too much rock salt. Salt will eventually leech into nearby gardens, lawns and drains as the ice and snow melt. Using too much salt not only wastes material but can poison plants, animals and the water supply.

• Do not use rock salt on new or damaged concrete. Salt increases the frequency of the freeze-thaw cycle that can break up concrete. New installations, less than a year old, are particularly vulnerable to this damage. Apply sand to improve traction without melting the ice.

• Be sure to wear sturdy shoes while chopping ice. Shovels are not very sharp, but injury can occur if an unprotected toe slips underneath a misplaced chop.

References

• City of Philadelphia: Salting Tips
• Ask The Builder; Deicing Salts and Concrete; Tim Carter
• The Organic Gardener: What Makes Your Garden Spade Do More Work