Home Garden

How to Remove Salt From a Driveway

Rock salt, or halite, is an inexpensive, effective method to melt ice on paved surfaces, including your sideways and driveways. The product isn’t intended to melt the ice and snow completely to a liquid form, but rather soften it enough to manually remove it from the surface. This is a crucial piece of knowledge for any novice rock salt users because repeated, improper application of the product can damage paved surfaces. Learn the correct way to apply and transport rock salt to avoid damaging your driveway.

Things You'll Need

  • Work gloves
  • Dust mask
  • Safety glasses
  • Shovel
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Instructions

    • 1

      Slip on a pair of sturdy work gloves, dust mask and safety glasses to protect yourself from flying rock salt. Sprinkle a 1/4-inch layer of rock salt over the driveway and allow it to remain there for five minutes.

    • 2

      Examine the driveway and attempt to lift the snow and ice with a shovel. If the snow and ice are not sufficiently melted, add an additional 1/4-inch layer of rock salt to the entire surface.

    • 3

      Allow an additional five minutes to pass before once again examining the driveway and attempting to remove the melted ice and snow. Continue to add additional 1/4-inch layers of the product until a sufficient amount of rock salt is applied to remove the snow and ice.

    • 4

      Shovel the snow and ice off the driveway and onto an adjacent piece of property immediately. Do not allow the product to remain for longer than 30 minutes to prevent damaging the driveway.