How to Deice Concrete Stairs

Concrete stairs can become a serious safety hazard during cold spells, when they become coated in ice and snow. Many commonly used deicers, such as rock salt, are actually corrosive and can damage concrete. This is especially true if the concrete is of poor quality, because it will corrode faster. There are less common chemicals you can apply to concrete stairs to remove the ice, or you can mix your own nontoxic deicer for small steps.

Magnesium chloride
Warm water
Table salt
Cat litter

Instructions

- 1
  Pour magnesium chloride pellets over the concrete stairs in a thin, even layer, according to the manufacturer's instructions. Magnesium chloride is the fastest working deicer, works up to minus-13 degrees Fahrenheit and does little if any damage to concrete.
- 2
  Mix 1 gallon of warm water with enough table salt to make the water salty to the taste. Pour it over the ice on the concrete steps, if you do not want to use the chemical deicer.
- 3
  Sprinkle an even layer of cat litter on the steps once the ice melts. This will soak up the water from the melting ice, prevent it from refreezing and improve traction on the steps.

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