Ice melt - best green brand or alternative?

beyimage

Specifically I'm looking for something that is safe for my dogs, but not harming the environment is an added bonus.  I need to use something as both dogs go down a set of stairs to get to the back yard and the stairs get really icy in the winter - I don't need any more vet bills if I can avoid them!

I see brands ("Safe Paw", others), but...how do I know that I can really trust them? 

sunshine_day_dreams

I don't have personal experience with this brand, but Ecos has one:

http://www.ecos.com/icemelt.html

Ingredients (all salts):

• Magnesium chloride hexahydrate, calcium chloride (2-3%), potassium chloride (0.5-1%), sodium chloride (0.5-1%).

TBH, I've never looked at the ingredients list on ice melt b/c I always just assumed it's a mixture of salts and not harmful.  I would just take a look at the ingredients list on any of the packages and make sure that there aren't any other additives.  I'm not aware of any salts that are harmful to animals, but you may want to double check that.

 

CDMay2006

sunshine_day_dreams:

I don't have personal experience with this brand, but Ecos has one:

http://www.ecos.com/icemelt.html

Ingredients (all salts):

• Magnesium chloride hexahydrate, calcium chloride (2-3%), potassium chloride (0.5-1%), sodium chloride (0.5-1%).

TBH, I've never looked at the ingredients list on ice melt b/c I always just assumed it's a mixture of salts and not harmful.  I would just take a look at the ingredients list on any of the packages and make sure that there aren't any other additives.  I'm not aware of any salts that are harmful to animals, but you may want to double check that.

There are toxic salts.  Whether they are used in chemical de-icer, i don't know.  We don't get much ice or snow, but when we do we shovel it off the steps.  I know someone who painted strips of this (or similar product, at least) onto her steps and it does help when icy (she lives in the foothills, so gets more ice and snow than i do).  You mix it with paint, so you can choose the colour http://www.hcconcrete.com/products/solid-color-stains/Shark_Grip_Slip_Resistant_Additive/ Just another option for you

CutesBoots

You can use wood ashes or cinders to add traction without using salts.  We use the ashes from our fireplace.  Another option is to sweep up the salt afterwards (and reuse it).  This will at least help minimize how much of it ends up in the stormwater.

Since we can't control what other people put on their sidewalks, I wipe off my dog's paws after our walks.

Our driveway is just steep enough that I have to put down something in addition to shoveling whenever the snow is coming down fast or it's freezing rain.