How to De-ice Gravel Driveways

Scatter coarse sand or kitty litter over the driveway with a scooper before it snows. This will create traction for cars and draw heat from the sun during the day to melt the ice quicker.

Prevent as much ice from building up as possible. Wear boots with traction and use a leaf blower to blow any loose snow from the driveway. Angle the blower so you don’t scatter gravel out of place in the process.

Skim the top layers of snow with a snow shovel. Removing new snow before it compacts into a heavy wet snow reduces the thick layer of ice that can form over the gravel.

Rake the ice with a metal rake to loosen the ice so it melts easier. Work in small sections over time and rake until you hit the rocks beneath the ice. Rake the ice into small piles and scoop it up with a shovel so it doesn’t refreeze once the sun goes down.

Go over the driveway again with the blower to blow off any loose ice and snow piles.
Scatter a generous amount of sand or kitty litter over the driveway to replace any you removed while raking.