Eco Friendly Deicers
Ice is so much more difficult that snow to remove from our sidewalks and driveways that it’s convenient to have deicer. There are so many deicers available that it can often be hard to choose which ones are safe for the environment and our payment. Here are some great deicers that will get rid of that dangerous ice while still being friendly towards the environment.
Natural De-icers
One of the easiest and cost effective ways to fight off ice is to use a natural deicer. There are many to choose from, but one of the most common is alfalfa meal. It works effectively by not only providing better traction to walk on, but it also melts the ice since it contains nitrogen. What’s even better is that alfalfa meal is safe for the environment and can be found at most local nurseries. Sand can also work to help gain better traction on the ice, but it does not have any melting properties.
Ice Chopper
One of the best ways to get rid of that ice is to avoid a deicer all together and use a ice chopper. All it requires is a little muscle and some determination to get all that ice up. Most ice choppers are safe for your concrete and should not crack your concrete. Ice chopper can be used in coordination with a deicer to be even more effective. A great chopper I found was the Bully Heavy Duty Ice Chopper that is made from high quality steel and made in America.
Eco-Friendly Deicer
Many stores are now marketing eco-friendly de-icers that provide a great product without the great risk of environmental damage. Here is a great resource that goes through many of the common chemicals used to combat ice and their pros and cons in terms of price, effectiveness and danger to the environment. Just be wary as many of the store bought deicers have proprietary that some companies do not disclose what is contained. They may just be blends that many be just a combination of the chemicals mentioned. If you go down this route, do some research to make sure are getting the product that is being advertised.
Hopefully these deicers will help make this winter a little more safe and green.
So far, I’ve only tried the usual natural ways but has anyone tried the new ecofriendly deicers yet? How has it worked for you?
It’s so wonderful not to forget about the environment when trying to improve the sidewalks in winter. These are the safest ways not just for the environment but for our purse either