Winter salt

[EL3CTRA1]

Anyone have a recommends for ice melting salt that is safer to use and non-corrosive?

 

[Shelburne]

If it contains salt, it's corrosive. I spread ashes from my fireplace mixed with dark sand in our parking area. Because the the mixture is kind of dark, it absorbs more sun (heat) and will do a fairly decent job of melting snow/ice. It's not as good as salt but it's way more environmentally friendly than salt which can wreak havoc with some grasses and trees.

 

[Chisale]

Any product with the active ingredient of calcium chloride (of which there are lots) works well, isn't as corrosive, better for pets and for your plants around your sidewalks. It's much more expensive so I use it in moderation; mostly the sidewalk and front porch. Mainly the walk areas and not the entire driveway.

 

[rpiotro]

Any product with the active ingredient of calcium chloride (of which there are lots) works well, isn't as corrosive, better for pets and for your plants around your sidewalks. It's much more expensive so I use it in moderation; mostly the sidewalk and front porch. Mainly the walk areas and not the entire driveway.

^^^ This. Ditto here.

 

[XCare EV]

The pet safe ice melt is a great option! For the cars, pets and environment!
Enjoy winter driving fellow Tesla owners!

 

[afadeev]

Anyone have a recommends for ice melting salt that is safer to use and non-corrosive?

All calcium is corrosive. You can't avoid it.
Use what you can to ensure save driveway at your home. Then take your car(s) in for under-carriage wash throughout the winter. Especially after driving through slush.

Any product with the active ingredient of calcium chloride (of which there are lots) works well, isn't as corrosive, better for pets and for your plants around your sidewalks.

To be clear - your pets will be more or less irritated by various chemicals throughout the winter. Some maybe more allergic to certain chemicals over others, but there is more exposure to crap throughout the winter. So wash their paws!

Also - all chlorides (magnesium chloride, calcium chloride, sodium chloride) can be significant irritants to dogs paws. None of these are good for them, in the concentrations that will be deposited on driveways and sidewalks to have the desired de-icing effect.

It's much more expensive so I use it in moderation; mostly the sidewalk and front porch. Mainly the walk areas and not the entire driveway.

There are a few urea-based products in the market, at ~4x the price of chlorides, that is marketed under "Just For Pets" brand.
We tried one season. At $25/gallon jut of pallets, and our driveway required 2-3 jugs, it didn't scale all that well for us. Also, it did not work once temps dropped below 25F.

HTH,
a

P.S.: We wash our dogs paws in the winter regardless of what deicer we use on our driveway. You have zero control over what de-icer your neighbors are using on their portion of the sidewalks.[/QUOTE]