What's the easiest way to avoid having so much ice in my driveway after a snowfall?

Question

Location: Milwaukee, WI
Our house is on a position that gets more sun in the back and not in the front so that means snow turns into ice quickly especially if it's very cold out. I heard rock/sand salt is the best to use, but where can I purchase this? It's very hard to find. Should I use rock/sand salt before a snowfall or after I use my shovel or use my snowblower to avoid having so much ice in our driveway?

Answer 1

you can probably get this salt at your grocery store and most likely at a home depot like store o-o; or you could just put a huge tarp out and let the snow fall... then move it all somewhere else so it doesn't ice up? then add salt anyway i guess o-o;

Answer 2

If you are having a continuing problem with ice building up each day, don't bother with the salt. Just use sand or ashes. The salt will just melt and mix with the water until it's thin enough to freeze again. Use the sand on top of the ice. On warm days it will sink down into the ice and you should add more as its cooling off so that it will stick to the ice better.
When its really cold, mix some table salt into your sand so that it will melt just enough to make the sand stick.
If possible you can dig drainage ditches next year to try to keep the water from running in your driveway.
Using a lot of salt on your driveway can end up killing the grass and other plants growing near it.

Answer 3

If you can get the frozen tarp loose and can move the 4000 pounds of snow and it aside, that would be the quickest. Rock salt is used to make home made ice cream. sand is available at building supply stores. Put the sand and salt down before a storm.

Answer 4

put the rock/sand salt on before it snows, or as its just beginning to snow.. lay it on thickly so it covers the ground... and then when u are shoveling, put more down...

Answer 5

keep your driveway shoveled and there will be nothing to turn to ice...i wouldnt put the salt down before cause then you will just be shoveling it up and then putting more down when you are done...

Answer 6

buy water softner salt, crushed or pellets spread it out BEFORE it snows, sand can be purchased at most hardware stores or like lowes, in bags use it also,

Answer 7

maybe you can get those things in a store that sells home supplies like home depot I forgot what those stores are called but anyway I think you should put it on after and before