How to Dig Out a Driveway After an Ice Storm

The sooner you start to dig out after a storm, the easier it will be.

When an ice storm blows through, it sends freezing rain down on everything, leaving a slippery crust of ice on your driveway. To dig out after an ice storm, use calcium chloride that you have already purchased and stored at home. These ice melt pellets trigger a chemical reaction that lowers the freezing point of water, and they work in as low as -25 degree F weather.

Things You'll Need

• Calcium chloride ice melter
• Bucket
• Work gloves
• Metal shovel
• Snow shovel
• Sand

Instructions

1. Start at the top of the driveway with a bucket full of ice melt. Use a gloved hand to grab a handful of granules and spread them out a few feet from you. Concentrate on even coverage and avoid tossing big clumps of ice melt.

2. Walk very carefully across the top of the driveway, spreading calcium chloride ice melt as you go. Move back and forth across the driveway, working your way down to the end where it meets the road. Spread ice melt in front of you and then walk onto it to give your boots more traction as you travel across the ice.

3. Return to the top of the driveway with the metal shovel, after you've given the ice melt about 15 minutes to work. Push the tip of the shovel down into the ice, where the ice melt has had a chance to work. Pry up pieces of ice, loosening them from the concrete below.

4. Shovel up all the loose pieces of ice and slush with a snow shovel and toss the pieces aside. Once you've finished a section, alternating between the metal shovel and the snow shovel, move to a new area of the driveway. Work your way down to the end of the driveway. Stand on cleared areas when working on icy patches.

5. Scatter sand lightly across the newly cleared driveway. This will help prevent the melted ice from refreezing and it will also provide traction for foot and car traffic.

Tips & Warnings

• If you know an ice storm is on the way, spread some ice melt on problem areas before the storm hits. That way, the chemicals will start working from underneath the ice as soon as it forms.

• Heaping more calcium chloride onto the driveway doesn't melt ice faster. A light scatter will do the job just fine as long as you give the calcium chloride enough time to work, which is about 15 minutes.

• Use as little of the calcium chloride as needed because it can be slightly toxic to pets and the environment.

• If you are extremely nervous about falling on the ice, clear away one spot at the top of the driveway, and then move to another spot, rather than spreading ice melt across the driveway all at once.

• Wear boots with good traction when you de-ice your driveway to prevent falls.

• Calcium chloride may leave a slightly oily residue.

References

• Reader's Digest: De-icing Your Driveway the Right Way
• Clean Link: Ice Melt Do's and Dont's