Stop using salt to clear ice from drives – 1 natural ingredient is much better

January has got off to a bitterly cold start, with snow, ice and frost all blighting the first full week of the year. While milder air moving in from the Atlantic has brought rain and strong winds to large swathes of the country, the wintry conditions haven’t fully passed yet.

A yellow warning for ice is currently in force for parts of Scotland until 10am on Tuesday, with households told to brace for travel disruption and icy surfaces which could lead to slips and falls. Icy conditions are a common occurrence in the winter months, so even if your area isn’t currently affected by a weather warning, it’s worth knowing how to deal with ice so you’re prepared when freezing temperatures strike.

The go-to solution for clearing ice from your driveway is normally to douse the area in salt, as it contains compounds that lower the freezing point of water, causing it to melt. But while it’s handy in the short-term, its widespread use can be harmful to the environment, pets and your driveway, so experts recommend using another natural alternative instead – coffee grounds.

Salt is made of sodium chloride and when mixed with water, it becomes extremely corrosive and can infiltrate the porous structure concrete or brick paving on your driveway, which over time will affect both its structural integrity and appearance.

If salt isn’t washed away from your driveway straight away it can also be harmful to pets, causing irritation to their paws and vomiting and diarrhoea, among other symptoms, if ingested.

Additionally, when salt is washed away it can accumulate in the soil which can affect plants’ ability to absorb nutrients, and cause brown patches to form on your lawn. Plus, salt from the ground can eventually flow into lakes and rivers where it can be damaging to aquatic life.

So to avoid these issues, experts recommend using coffee grounds to tackle ice on your driveway instead. The coarse texture of coffee grounds essentially acts like sand or grit to give you more traction under foot, making icy surfaces much easier and safer to walk on so slips and falls are less likely in icy conditions.

Experts at Pave Stone Brick Paving said: “Instead of discarding or composting coffee grounds, think about preserving them for winter use by de-icing your porch and driveway. 

“Coffee grounds possess nitrogen, which lowers the melting point of ice. The dark hue of coffee grounds also absorbs sunlight, accelerating the thawing process for white snow or transparent ice. 

“By repurposing coffee grounds in this way, you not only reduce waste but also tap into an eco-friendly method that can effectively combat icy conditions around your home. 

“Unlike salt, coffee grounds are gentler on the environment, plants, and concrete surfaces, making them a more sustainable and effective choice.”