How do you handle the ice on your front porch and driveway?

For my own wellness and the wellness of my family, I recently did some research into sand vs. salt to de-ice our front entry way. 

Although safety was my primary concern, I found some useful information to help me make the decision about the safest way to melt ice.  Chemical deicers are convenient but they don’t always work.  Sand makes things less slippery, but it takes a lot to work. 

Here’s the scoop on the two:

Salt-based chemical deicers: These form a brine when they come into contact with moisture – that is what melts some ice/snow and prevents it from bonding to the pavement.  All that salt can be damaging to plants, pets and concrete.  Chemical deicers can pull moisture from plants, sicken pets who lick it off their paws and cause concrete surfaces to crack.   Salt can also stain the carpets and floors as it is tracked inside.

Sand: Sand is an abrasive, used to create friction between the icy/snowy surface and your shoes or car tires.  Sand can work at lower temperatures than chemical deicers.  However, sand can build up in the soil, also causing trouble for plants in the springtime and it can lead to a huge mess in your hallway floor as it is tracked inside.

So what should you do?

Try mixing the two!  That way you get the pros and cons of each.  Just be sure to also wipe their paws when pets come inside to prevent them from becoming sick.

Have you found a better way?  I’m interested to know what works!  Post a comment below.

Stay warm,

Dr. Mudge-Riley