The Standard Homemade Ice Melter: Sodium Chloride

• The long-time standard for snow and ice melters is sodium chloride. The most common forms of sodium chloride are table salt and rock salt. Salt water freezes at a lower temperature than plain water. When sodium chloride mixes with the water in ice or snow, it lowers the freezing point of the water to around 15 to 20 degrees F. As long as the air and ground temperature is above that point, the salty ice and snow will revert back to its liquid form.
  
  

Mixed Chemicals Ice Melters

• Untreated ice and snow is unsafe and may damage sidewalks and decks
  
  Look around for a local chemical supplier where you can buy bags of either magnesium chloride, calcium chloride or both. Most commercial ice melters are made from some combination of these two chemicals or may just contain one or the other along with a little sodium chloride. Calcium chloride is the most effective ice melter, lowering the freezing point of water to around -20 degrees F, but it is also expensive.
  
  Another homemade ice melter can be made by mixing one part sodium chloride, one part magnesium sulfate and two parts ammonium chloride. Mix them well in a bucket, then spread on your sidewalk. When the chemicals get wet, the chemical reaction will melt snow or even packed ice.
  
  

Granular Fertilizer as an Ice Melter

• Granular fertilizer is often promoted as a method of melting ice and snow that is better for your lawn and flower beds than rock salt or commercial ice melters. However, the Cooperative Extension office of the University of Maryland reports that the nitrogen and phosphorus in granular fertilizer can be toxic to animal life when the runoff reaches a stream. Also, the ammonium sulfate in many fertilizers may damage a concrete sidewalk and is also harmful to animals. If your pets get it on their feet or if you track it into the house, they may eat it and get sick.
  
  

Homemade Ice Melter for Cars

• When windshield washers were first introduced, it was common for people to mix their own de-icer. The two most common recipes were 1 cup of water mixed with 3 cups of either vinegar or rubbing alcohol. You apply the mixture to all of the car windows and mirrors with a spray bottle before retiring each night. This mixture is also a good lock de-icer. If you use a key to unlock your car doors, spray a little into each door lock. The drawback to using either vinegar or rubbing alcohol is that your car's defroster may draw in the odor until it is completely diluted by your commercial windshield washer fluid.