How to Handle an Icy Driveway

Remove as much snow as possible from on top of the ice before addressing the ice.

Ice on a driveway or sidewalk is a common issue for many homeowners. Whether the ice is the result of a single freezing rain event or has developed following a snowfall and subsequent freeze-thaw cycles, certain methods and supplies will allow prompt treatment. Handle driveway ice using a combination of manual removal and applications of a deicing compounds and abrasives.

Things You'll Need

• Snow shovel or push broom
• Ice chipper
• Deicing compound
• Abrasive (sand, kitty litter, etc.)

Instructions

1. Remove as much snow from on top of the ice layer as possible. Use a snow shovel, or if the snow layer is thin enough, a push broom. Make sure to pile the snow where it will not be able to melt back onto the driveway and refreeze. The less snow there is on the driveway, the more effective deicing compounds will be.

2. Chip the ice loose and into smaller, manageable pieces. Use short, vertical strikes with an ice chipper. This method is only suitable if the ice layer is thick enough to crack into pieces and the driveway surface will not be damaged.

3. Shovel off any dislodged ice pieces. If they are too large to handle, break them into smaller pieces with the ice chipper.

4. Apply a deicing compound. Sprinkle it across the driveway thinly, focusing on areas of thick ice or portions of the driveway that see heavy foot traffic. There are several deicers that can be used for home driveways. Options range from the traditional and inexpensive rock salt, or sodium chloride, to calcium magnesium acetate, a less corrosive but more expensive deicing selection. Note that rock salt can damage some driveway materials and may harm vegetation.

5. Apply an abrasive. Abrasives include materials like kitty litter, sand or ash, which do not directly melt the ice but instead provide traction. These materials can be applied by themselves or with some deicing compound mixed in. Combining deicers and abrasives provides immediate relief by increasing traction.

6. Check on the driveway several hours after the initial deicing compound application. Remove loosened ice and apply additional deicer or abrasive as needed.

Tips & Warnings

• Utilize daytime high temperatures to make ice removal more efficient. Clear as much snow and ice as possible in the morning, then return in the late afternoon or early evening before temperatures begin to drop to remove any loosened or partially-melted ice.

• Use caution when working on a slippery surface.

• When chipping ice with an ice chipper, be aware that ice pieces may become dislodged and go flying.

References

• University of Maryland Cooperative Extension: Melting Ice Safely
• Mother Earth News: Better Options to De-ice Your Driveway
• Vermont Agency of Natural Resources: Deicing Strategies for Safeguarding Both Guests and the Environment
• Utah State University Cooperative Extension: Deicing Compounds and Utah Landscapes