How to Deice a Long Gravel Driveway

Spread sand over the length of the driveway. Wear winter boots for traction, and use a seed spreader for faster, even coverage. Sand the driveway early in the morning to help melt ice faster once the sun begins to rise.

Rake the ice when the sun is high using a metal rake with wide teeth. Cut into the top layer of ice and rake any loose materials into small piles. Have a helper follow behind to scoop up the piles and shovel them to the side with a snow shovel.

Hit thick patches of ice with a hammer to create cracks. Continue to hammer ice to break it up into smaller chunks. Remove the chunks with a shovel until you can see gravel underneath.

Push a snow blower down the cleared path to remove any loose chunks of ice before they refreeze to the driveway. In areas with exposed gravel, angle the end of the blower so it doesn’t scatter the rocks.

Make two or three passes down the cleared path with the seed spreader and sand.