Well we finally have winter with snow! This makes some of us happy, and some of us who like warm weather. . . not so much. But it is cozy inside, and nice when you don’t need to go out. Have a cup of hot chocolate! I (Phyllis) have posted before about importance of not putting salt on your concrete. Why is this so important? It will ‘eat’ away at the surface, and over time this causes the surface to develop little chips that gradually become potholes in your driveway or sidewalk. The same precaution goes for fertilizer. There are a number of alternatives; here in Virginia you can wait a day or two and snow will melt! 😉 If you really must go out, used coffee grounds, sand or kitty litter (do NOT use clay based) are good options to put out after shoveling, and to keep from slipping on ice.
One thing you may not think about is that after driving your car on roads that are treated for winter weather, you drive your car into the driveway and the residue melts off of your car, causing damage to your concrete driveway. Try to find a day to wash the car, and also the driveway so that you can clear this residue away.
If you’re still concerned about getting rid of your ice here’s a homemade de-icer that’s also environmentally friendly! There are 3 ingredients for making this ice melt solution:
- One quart of lukewarm water
- Three drops of dish washing detergent – we recommend Dawn!
- One ounce of rubbing alcohol
Just mix and pour into a spray container for easy application! And of course this is easily doubled.
There are also protective sealers that can be applied early in the fall to keep decorative concrete looking great AND protect from the winter elements. Salt is still not recommended but the right sealer applied correctly will help.
Be safe and enjoy the beauty of the season ~ it will be gone before we know it!
Guest Post by Phyllis Friesen
Director of Marketing
540-383-2982
