In most places Mother Nature has hit us hard with that wet slippery snow. Sometimes getting rid of it or trying to control it can be difficult. We all know that salt is probably the best way to get our sidewalks and driveways clear. Knowing what kind of salt to use can also be unclear to people. You want to know you're getting the right product for the right price.
There are several different kinds of de-icers out there. You want to check the label for the ingredients also, so you know what your de-icer is mostly made of. The first ingredient is most likely the main ingredient.
The first one I will discuss is what I recommend others to use. It is Calcium Chloride. This is the best de-icer for really cold temperatures. Actually it is the only one rated to work in below zero weather at -25. The price for this is usually a little higher than rock salt, but its really worth it. You only have to use a third of it compared to what you would have to use with others. This works very well. Also it does not contain cyanide.
Next is Magnesium Chloride. The price is good and it is less toxic and slightly better for the environment than Calcium Chloride. This product works down to 5 degrees. Also there is Sodium Chloride, also know as rock salt. For a 50 pound bag of this you will usually pay around 5 dollars. This works down to 15 degree weather and does contain cyanide.
And for a really expensive and less toxic product you can go with Calcium Magnesium for about 20 times the price as rock salt.
The best way to get the best results from any kind of de-icing brand is to use it when the right way. You should always shovel as much snow off of the ice as possible then spread out your de-icer.
