How to Get Ice Off the Sidewalk Without Salt

Shovel as much snow off the sidwalk as possible. Removing snow from on top of the ice layer will make ice removal easier and energy from the sun will have a greater effect in hastening the melting of the ice.

Chip the ice, if it is thick enough to break into pieces, by making downward strikes with an ice chipper. Use a vertical motion and the minimal amount of effort needed to break the ice into smaller pieces in order to avoid damaging the sidewalk or straining muscles.

Shovel any broken ice off the sidewalk. Make sure to pile it where it will not melt, run off onto the sidewalk and refreeze. If it will not harm the sidewalk surface, a metal snow shovel or flat-edged shovel may be used effectively to scrape ice off the sidewalk.

Apply a salt-free deicer or enhanced solar radiation absorber evenly and lightly to the sidewalk. One salt-free deicer is calcium magnesium acetate, which is more expensive but less harmful to the sidewalk surface and nearby vegetation than traditional rock salt. Enhanced solar radiation absorbers include dark materials like coal, graphite or dark ash. These materials do not directly melt ice but attract additional heat that facilitates faster melting.