Salt, fertilizer, kitty litter? What's best for defrosting icy sidewalks in a pinch
Watch as we test some home remedies for melting icy streets
Pickling salt, fertilizer, kitty litter? It seems everyone has a suggestion for what to use on the Lower Mainland's icy streets, now that road salt is in short supply.
In order to figure out which home remedies are worth your while, we decided to test a number of them.
Along with science educator Sam Marriott from Science World in Vancouver, we put road salt up against these recommendations:
- Table salt.
- Fertilizer.
- Cabbage juice.
- Vinegar.
- Kitty litter.
- Sand.
The latter two create traction, and as Marriott points out, their darker colours can also be beneficial for melting ice as they absorb more heat in the sunlight.
Results
After allowing each method an hour to do its work, we found both the table salt and the fertilizer (which was mostly comprised of salts) melted some of the surface of the ice and made it less slippery.
However, the table salt seemed to create the strongest defrosting effect. Marriott says that could be attributed to the fact that table salt is finer in texture than the road salt and fertilizer we tested, allowing more of it to make contact with the ice.
While fertilizer can work, Marriott cautions against relying on it because large amounts can kill vegetation and be toxic when consumed by animals.
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Both of the liquid solutions — cabbage juice and vinegar — did little to nothing to the ice. In fact, those test patches felt even more slippery.
As for creating traction, the kitty litter and the sand both did the job. They gave the ice grip, but the kitty litter could leave clumps of messy clay after the ice melts.
Final Verdict
Marriott says if she had to choose just one method, and time was of the essence, she would go with sand.
It provides immediate traction, is cost effective and is least likely to create environmental damage.
If you can wait for the ice to melt, she says standard road salt is still the most effective method.
But she says the key is to try and lay the salt down before it snows, so it prevents the snow and ice from adhering to your surface. Keep in mind though, too much of it isn't great for concrete or your plants and animals.
