Ice

[Willow]

I just asked on facebook but am curious how other actual providers handle it.

I have a dirt driveway, and late last week we got hit with one heck of an rain/sleet storm. It froze almost immediately and everything was glare ice. Was so bad they even ended up closing school because of how dangerous the roads were

I thought using ice melt over the weekend would clear me a big enough patch so parents and kids could get to my front door without slipping and getting hurt, but I'm pretty sure it actually made it WORSE??!

Watching a grandma today try to carry out her infant granddaughter in her carseat carrier out to her vehicle near gave me a heart attack, everyone else, although using extreme caution was almost as bad. The kids....lets just say it was a good thing they were in snowsuits to pad their falls

I don't want to get sued!!!!!


On facebook someone suggested using a propane weed burner to melt it down (we don't have one, and even if we did I sure as heck wouldn't know how to use it ) and one of my parents suggested bar lime. It's cheap and she's going to drop it off midday which I am soooo grateful for but on second thought I don't know anything about it. Is it toxic? Our dogs don't go on that side of the house but it still has me a bit worried. Will it be able to get through ice an inch (or even two in some places) thick?

For those of you in areas where snow and ice are an issue how do you handle if your driveways/walkways/entryways get completely covered in ice?

[Country Kids]

What about old fashion salt or trying to find some cinder to put on it?

[Nickel]

Cinder would probably help a lot. It would at least provide some traction. I grew up in a coal region and we would cinder our roads more than salt. Basically the main roads and highways would get salt, the rest was cinder. It also works if your car is stuck, you can throw some behind the tires.

If you have any in your area, I would definitely try it. no advice otherwise

[Willow]

Salt is what I tried first and when that didn't do anything I moved onto the chemical ice melt stuff.

The ice melt definitely took care of the wood steps but everything beyond that is still horrible. Literally looks just like an ice skating rink and I'm very sure if I strapped skates on the kids I could form my own little hockey team :P I did try a bit of sand too but because the ice is so solid and it's so cold it just adds a layer on top to slip on.


I've never heard of cinder? Please clue me in! Any idea where I'd get it if there was any around here?

[Country Kids]

Salt is what I tried first and when that didn't do anything I moved onto the chemical ice melt stuff.

The ice melt definitely took care of the wood steps but everything beyond that is still horrible. Literally looks just like an ice skating rink and I'm very sure if I strapped skates on the kids I could form my own little hockey team :P I did try a bit of sand too but because the ice is so solid and it's so cold it just adds a layer on top to slip on.


I've never heard of cinder? Please clue me in! Any idea where I'd get it if there was any around here?

Its the red stuff old timey running tracks were made out of (at least ours were).

If my driveway/walkway was that bad I probably wouldn't take kids till it was safer for clients to get up to the house.

[Willow]

Its the red stuff old timey running tracks were made out of (at least ours were).

If my driveway/walkway was that bad I probably wouldn't take kids till it was safer for clients to get up to the house.

I've never seen or heard of anything like that!

Everywhere within about a 30 mile radius is crazy icy like this right now so it just sort of is what it is . Even the sidewalks right in town that are paved aren't much better.

Happens a time or two each year and most native to MN don't like it, but cope with it the best we can.

Although I would love a super extended vacation I can't see closing for what could be weeks before it finally warms up enough to melt it down

[Blackcat31]

Wish I could help but my sidewalk is heated

Our schools all closed too! It was crazy! DH and I used a heavy layer of salt (magnesium chloride) on the driveway immediately that day (Friday) and then it snowed a 1/4-1/2 that night.

The next day it was slushy so we shoveled it away and applied some more salt. When I arrived at daycare on Sunday to drop off groceries, we repeated the process.

This morning when I got here, I re-applied and my driveway is virtually clear of ice. It was a major PAIN and I am still a bit leary of letting the kids play outside for fear of slipping somewhere in the yard now that all the snow is hard as a rock.

I can deal with below zero temps anytime... I can even do tons of snow all at once, but icey rainy crap is the pits!

[LK5kids]

I am in WI. so we have had this kind of ice cover too, tho not this time. I used to work at an agency that had a sloping driveway. We had lots of programs for families with little kids and I was always afraid someone would slip with an infant car seat too.

I used to be the one using ice melt by the truck load! It always worked. I don't understand why it didn't foR you. I know it can take a lot of it to get it slushy.
Best of luck with this issue ;(

[coolconfidentme]

Use sand....

[hgonzalez]

Ugh...I had the same problem last week. I could not even walk on it to spread salt or ice melt out.

I ended up spread an ice melt product over the top half (towards the house) of the driveway. In the morning, I texted parents to let them know our driveway was extremely icy and that they could pull in the driveway up as far as they could to get into the house. I also left my garage door open so they would not have to navigate my sidewalk.

I don't typically let parents drive on my driveway, but did for two days last week. I don't want anyone to get hurt, but figured if I gave them an alternative and advance notice of the driveway condition, then I could not be held liable if I made every effort to keep them safe.

[MamaBearCanada]

I use salt mixed with grit. We have a long sloped driveway and I hate it during winter! I have to use a LOT of salt and apply it frequently.

[itlw8]

lots of deicer and kitty litter for grit. Salt washes down hill and kills your grass. It is bad for cars also. Cinders if you could get them will track in and ruin your rugs. I like kitty litter better than sand because the sand will ruin my hardwood floors.

[Willow]

lots of deicer and kitty litter for grit. Salt washes down hill and kills your grass. It is bad for cars also. Cinders if you could get them will track in and ruin your rugs. I like kitty litter better than sand because the sand will ruin my hardwood floors.

Driveway is flat as a pancake (with the exception of a mild sloping in the center by the curve) so I don't have to worry about run off from the salt.

I did try sand but it was too fine and just made things more slippery. I have loads of kitty litter here though and may try that later today.

I have no clue what's up with my deicer stuff, worked great on my wooden steps but just sat on top the driveway ice and did nothing at all. Mostly just blows around.

My daycare mom was going to get me some barn lime, but when she went to snag it from her work this morning the people suggested lawn and garden "potash?" She came by and dropped it off before lunch but I haven't opened it yet because it sounds terribly messy!

[Play Care]

I live on a hill with a steep driveway. A couple of years ago we had a very icy winter. We live in a cold weather climate and a rurual area that doesn't get plowed first or well We have a commercial plowing company clear the driveway and they have a machine that layers dirt over the ice. We do clear off closer to the house/sidewalks as well as we can so the area the parents actually walk are not that bad. I also have the parents sign a waiver each year releasing me from liability from the use of my drive and walk ways due to winter weather. Maybe a good lawyer could break it, but I think it helps. I used to have a client who would come in really high heels (not quite stillettos but high!) and I would hold my breath every time she would walk from her car to the house