If you live in an area prone to freezing temperatures and icy conditions, then you likely have a driveway that becomes covered in frozen ice during the winter. This is not only a frustrating inconvenience but also a potentially hazardous circumstance. If you aren’t careful, that ice can make it difficult for you to exit or enter your home. Even if you have no intention of leaving your house on foot, having an icy driveway can create all kinds of problems; it’s much more difficult to maneuver your vehicle when the ground beneath you is covered in slippery ice. In addition, frozen puddles from melted snow or rain can be especially hazardous when they freeze overnight and cause even more treacherous conditions.! Read on for our 3 simple steps on how to remove ice from your driveway!
How To Remove Ice From Your Driveway?
Start with a shovel
The first thing that you should do when you want to remove ice from your driveway is to get a shovel. If you have a small amount of snow or ice on your driveway, it’s possible to clear it all off with a shovel; however, if there is more than an inch of snow or ice, then you might need to use a snow blower.
Clear away any excess snow:
Once you have your shovel, the next step is to clear away any excess snow that might be covering the surface of your driveway. If the surface of your driveway is already icy, then we recommend starting on one end and then working your way across the entire area. This will allow you to remove as much snow as possible before working on the ice itself. It’s also important that you clear away any additional debris such as leaves or twigs; these items can be very slippery when they are covered in snow and ice
Use salt to remove ice from your driveway
Once you have cleared away the excess snow, it will be much easier to use a shovel or other device to remove the remaining ice. If you have a small area of ice, then we recommend using rock salt (or even just plain table salt) to help loosen up the ice and melt it on contact. However, if you have a larger area of ice, then we recommend using a de-icing product such as calcium chloride or magnesium chloride. These products not only melt away snow and ice but also help prevent future issues by creating an invisible layer that prevents water from seeping into your driveway and refreezing at night!
Step One: Ice Scrapers
- The first step to removing ice from your driveway is to use an ice scraper. You can find these at most hardware and department stores, and they are generally quite affordable. There are several different types of scrapers available, but we recommend choosing one that is made of plastic with a rubber blade. It should have a handle that extends outwards so that you can apply leverage while scraping the ice off of your driveway.
- Once you have your scraper, it’s time to get to work! Start by clearing an area in front of the carport or door of your home; this is where you will park your vehicle once you’ve removed the ice from the driveway. Be careful not to scrape too hard as tempting as it may be, and don’t try to force the ice off! If you scrape too hard, then you run the risk of damaging or scratching up your car tires. If this happens, then it will be much harder for you to get your car out of the driveway.
- Once you’ve cleared a small section of the driveway, move on to another area. Continue this until you’ve cleared the entire driveway! red the ice off of an area, and use your car’s windshield wipers to clear the snow and ice from your windshield.
Step Two: Salt And Sand
Apply Salt
If you want to remove ice from your driveway as quickly and as easily as possible, then the first step that you should take is to apply a generous amount of salt. Not only does salt help to melt ice, but it also prevents more ice from forming. The easiest way to apply salt is by using a handheld spreader or a sidewalk snow blower. You can also use an appropriate sprinkler, but the drawback of this method is that it takes a lot longer than spreading the salt by hand.
Sand
After you’ve applied the salt, you can follow up by applying some extra sand to your driveway. The sand will help to prevent any remaining ice from sticking in place and make it easier for you (or anyone else who parks their vehicle in your driveway) to drive out of your garage or off of your property without sliding or getting stuck. Obviously, this step isn’t absolutely necessary; if you don’t have any sand, then you can simply skip this step and go directly to the next step.
Sweep It Up
If you want to remove ice from your driveway as quickly and as easily as possible, then the final thing that you should do is sweep up any excess sand or salt. You can use a regular broom or a specialized ice scraper, but it’s best to avoid using a leaf blower; high-powered leaf blowers can blow the sand right back into place and make it much more difficult for you (or anybody else) to exit or enter your home.
Step Three: Heat And UV Lights
Heat
If you have an electric garage door opener, all you need to do is turn it on, and then use the remote to close and then open your garage door a few times. The heat from the motor of your garage door opener will warm up the air in your garage, which will help melt the ice that has built up on your driveway.
UV Lights
The second method for removing ice from your driveway is by using a UV light. The ultraviolet rays from the light will cause ice to melt, making it easy for you to scrape it away with a shovel or broom! Keep in mind that this method should only be used as a last resort because UV lights are very expensive and using them can be quite expensive too!
Conclusion
You don’t have to just deal with an icy driveway all winter long. Instead, you can follow these steps to quickly and easily remove ice from your driveway and make it easier for you to get in and out of your home. No matter what steps you choose to follow, be sure to be careful when working around the ice. You don’t want to risk falling and injuring yourself. For maximum safety and protection, wear heavy-duty work gloves and make sure to clear away any ice that falls onto the ground beneath you.
