Which is the best (and worst) ice-melt product

When your driveway and walkways are covered in ice, you need to move quickly to remove it for safety’s sake. Applying a de-icer preventively after clearing walkways is an even better course of action. But which should you buy?

Determining which de-icer is “best” requires more thought than simply figuring out which is most effective at melting ice.

It’s best to stay away from sodium chloride. It’s the cheapest rock salt available, but it’s the worst for your pets, plants and the environment. It has the potential to kill plants and trees, and can corrode cars, crack concrete and asphalt, and poison wildlife. Don’t do it.

Calcium chloride is a better option, and is quite effective in cold temperatures, but be aware that while it’s safer than sodium chloride, it still isn’t ideal. You’ll see it marketed as “pet safe” because it isn’t as harsh as sodium chloride, but it still can cause irritation to pets’ paws, so be sure to rinse them off and wipe them down if your pet walked over it. And protect your own paws by wearing gloves when handling it.

Potassium chloride — yes, the same potassium chloride that’s a component of all balanced fertilizers (it’s the K in the N-P-K ratio listed on packages) actually can harm or even kill plants when applied at rates high enough to melt ice.

Magnesium chloride works well in even colder temperatures, down to about 10 degrees below zero. It dissolves readily to coat ice and melt it quickly, and isn’t as likely to burn pets’ paws. The downside? It can cost up to twice as much as calcium chloride.