DIY Driveway De-Icer
Icy driveways are dangerous for new and experienced drivers alike, as well as for those walking on them. De-icing driveways is the best way to prevent people from falling or cars from sliding. While natural de-icing agents help melt and loosen thick patches of ice, do-it-yourselfers can de-ice a driveway with common household items and routine maintenance. With persistent effort and the heat of the sun, you can eliminate ice and maintain a safe driveway. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Cover the icy driveway with alfalfa meal early in the day. Cut open a bag and use a cup as a scooper to spread it generously over the surface. Alfalfa meal is a natural fertilizer available at nurseries and gardening shops. It's loose and gritty so it offers traction while melting ice, and contains smaller amounts of nitrogen than other fertilizers so it’s less corrosive.
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Wait for the high noon sun to melt the ice as much as possible.
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Scoop up loose patches of ice with a rubber-tipped snow shovel and dump them on a snow bank near the street end of the driveway.
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Go over any remaining patches of ice with a metal rake or hit it with the tip of a shovel to break it up.
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Scoop up remaining chunks of ice with a shovel; use a heavy-duty broom to push any melted ice off to the side of the driveway before it refreezes.
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Shake another layer of alfalfa meal over the driveway to help melt any new ice that forms overnight.
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Tips & Warnings
Natural alternatives to alfalfa meal include salt and urea, a natural fertilizer. Both materials are more corrosive to pavement and cars and should be used in moderation.
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