How to Melt a Lot of Ice on the Driveway

Rock Salt

• 1

  Scoop rock salt using the plastic scoop. Rock salt can damage and dry your skin, so always use a scoop when handling.

• 2

  Sprinkle the salt across the surface of the ice at a rate of 16 oz. every square foot. Practice sprinkling the salt until you get good at creating a uniform layer of salt that visually covers the ice.

• 3

  Sprinkle the entire surface of ice with the salt out in front of you as you walk. Sprinkling ahead of you creates a rough surface over which you can more safely walk as you work. Allow the salt to sit on the ice until it melts.

• 4

  Re-salt the surface to remove any remaining patches.

• 5

  Sweep the residual salt into trash bags once the weather improves using the broom and dust pan, so no re-freezing occurs. Sweeping the residue reduces how much you track into your house. Additionally, your car tires can track the salt residue and spray it beneath your wheel wells where it erodes the metal on your car.

Calcium-Chloride Pellets

• 6

  Shovel the loose snow and ice using the snow shovel. Calcium chloride does not work effectively in deep snow. Instead it works best sitting atop the ice and melting downward into it.

• 7

  Scoop the calcium-chloride pellets using the scoop while wearing the gloves. Calcium chloride heats up upon contact with water, so you must use gloves and a scoop.

• 8

  Sprinkle the pellets back and forth across the snow and ice, covering the ice at a rate of 1 lb. of pellets per 50 square feet.

• 9

  Sweep any remaining residue into trash bags when the ice has melted using the broom and dust pan to keep from tracking it inside because calcium chloride can fade floors and carpets.