alternatives to rock salt at home
Most chloride pollution is attributed to non-point source runoff during winter months when roads, driveways, and sidewalks are heavily salted in order to de-ice and ensure safe road conditions. However, this can also be achieved through implementing various rock salt alternatives, while cutting chloride use substantially and improving water quality.
Excess chloride in waterways can effect the overall health and biodiversity of the watershed, leading to short-term or long-term effects, including: inhibiting plant's water absorption, stunting root growth, interfering with the uptake of plant nutrients and inhibiting the plant's growth. Plant degradation can lead to species loss within the watershed. |
Determining which product to use depends upon the situation. It is a balancing act of performance versus cost versus adverse consequences. A low-cost de-icer might do a great job of keeping a walkway open, but it might also compromise local waterways. Use the following alternatives to reduce the amount of salt entering the waterway.
MORE SHOVELING
The first step in avoiding over-application of salt, is to remove as much snow and ice as possible with a shovel, before applying the salt. This less snow and ice, the less salt is needed to melt what remains. Not everyone wants to go outside in the cold and shovel snow, but there are usually neighborhood kids around that could be hired to shovel snow for a modest price. For the rest of us shoveling is good exercise, it builds character and by reducing the need for salt and other de-icing chemicals. |
Traction
After having shoveled the walkway and driveway, we feel compelled to hit it with a layer of rock salt, which also helps with traction. Although this is a little bit easier, the end result is that if everyone uses just 2 pounds of rock salt after a significant snowstorm, then that means that almost 4 tons of salt will wind up in Kiefer Creek. By using the Home Brine recommended below in combination with a good bird seed, we can achieve traction and also provide wildlife with additional winter sustenance. The Missouri Department of Conservation has a great webpage with information about feeding native birds.
Sand can also be used, but use it sparingly and make an effort to clean it up or make sure it winds up in your lawn area. Sand is good for traction, but bad for stormwater infrastructure, it can cause clogs and those can result in great expense to the sewer district which we all wind up paying for. |
Homemade Brine solutions
A homemade brine solution is a more environmentally friendly alternative to traditional rock salt application. Municipalities have been using this method to pre-treat roads knowing that the salt from the brine solution will prevent snow and ice from bonding to concrete, just as effectively as traditional rock salt application. In addition, it's much more cost effective than administering rock salt, while improving water quality drastically. A homemade brine solution can be sprayed for a small-scale snow and ice removal on driveways and sidewalks.
Choose any of the following brine solution formulas at your home, depending on which ingredients are most accessible to you. If you use a different formula than those listed below, feel free to share it in the text box at the bottom of the page! We'd love to hear your feedback on which solution works best for you.
Homemade Brine Solution #1
What you'll need:
Homemade Brine Solution #2
What you'll need:
*This method is to prevent snow and ice from adhering to concrete and won't prevent snow from piling up. Fortunately, this brine solution makes it easier to remove snow and ice - saving time and energy!*
Homemade Brine Solution #3
What you'll need:
*The molasses keeps the salt from scattering, adhering to your walkway or sidewalk better than traditional rock salt application
Choose any of the following brine solution formulas at your home, depending on which ingredients are most accessible to you. If you use a different formula than those listed below, feel free to share it in the text box at the bottom of the page! We'd love to hear your feedback on which solution works best for you.
Homemade Brine Solution #1
What you'll need:
- 2 buckets
- Wood Ashes
- White Vinegar
- Garden Sprayer
- Water
- Fill a bucket with about 2 cups of wood ashes. Pour in a gallon of water and stir well. Let the mixture sit overnight
- Strain the solution of any floating wood or charcoal bits
- Pour only the fluid into a separate bucket, avoiding the wood ash that has settled to the bottom of the first bucket. The liquid mixture contains dissolved potassium and sodium that are needed for de-icing
- Add an equal amount of white vinegar to the solution. The vinegar will react with the sodium and potassium to form a weak sodium acetate and potassium acetate
- Pour the liquid into a garden sprayer and apply before snowfall starts. Do not saturate your driveway- just apply even streaks onto your driveway or sidewalk. A little bit goes a long way!
Homemade Brine Solution #2
What you'll need:
- Warm Water
- Crystallized Salt
- Garden Sprayer
- Bucket
- Pour the proper amount of salt (24-32 ounces/gallon) into a bucket. Usually garden sprayers hold up to 3 gallons, but use as much salt as needed.
- Fill the bucket with as much hot water as needed, depending on how many gallons your garden sprayer can hold. Hot water will help dissolve the salt easier
- Stir the mixture until salt is dissolved completely
- Spray the solution onto your driveway before snowfall starts. Do not saturate your driveway- just apply even streaks onto your driveway or sidewalk. A little bit goes a long way!
*This method is to prevent snow and ice from adhering to concrete and won't prevent snow from piling up. Fortunately, this brine solution makes it easier to remove snow and ice - saving time and energy!*
Homemade Brine Solution #3
What you'll need:
- Spray Bottle
- Crystallized Salt
- Warm Water
- Store bought Molasses or Sugar Beet Juice
- Mix 20% molasses and 80% brine solution into the spray bottle
- Mix until the salt and molasses are dissolved completely
- Spray the solution onto walkways before snowfall starts. Do not saturate your driveway- just apply even streaks onto your walkways. A little bit goes a long way!
*The molasses keeps the salt from scattering, adhering to your walkway or sidewalk better than traditional rock salt application