How to get rid of ice without using salt
SPOKANE, Wash. — It’s safe to say the conditions of the streets and sidewalks in the Inland Northwest are not ideal this time of year.
Since the snowstorm hit, ice has been a common obstacle for drivers and pedestrians alike. What’s most annoying is how hard it is to get rid of, as it sticks to the ground more every time it melts and refreezes.
If you don’t have any ice melt, worry not, as there are plenty of solutions to get rid of that pesky ice in your driveway.
Instead of waiting for the sun to take action, you could mix dish soap, rubbing alcohol, and hot water, as using it on the ice would get rid of it faster than salt.
For each gallon of hot water, mix it with 12 drops of dish soap and a half-cup of rubbing alcohol. Then, just pour it on the ice and watch it bubble away, though you might need a shovel to scrape off most of it.
Another unlikely ice-melt option is coffee grounds. Coffee grounds contain nitrogen, which helps lower the melting point of ice. The same goes for fertilizer, as it has several different chemicals that allows ice to melt quicker. Plus, they are both dark in color, meaning they attract more sunlight to the ice.
A last resort option is sand, which provides traction when dumped on top of the slippery ice. Sand also reduces the chance of the ice refreezing, and attracts sunlight like the other solutions.
It’s not recommended to start spreading these compounds all over the pavement, but if you really need the ice to go away, these methods could save you from a slip.
READ: City of Spokane completes full-city plow
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