Answered. It wasn’t a safe area to walk. The one you normally use for your car will work just fine. Keep the towel there all winter, then when things melt in the spring, pick it up and hang it somewhere outdoors to dry. I live in urban Anchorage, Alaska, and I've got backyard chickens, a honey bee hive, an organic vegetable garden, fruit trees & a hot compost pile. on Jan 23, 2019. It will prevent any ice buildup in the sprayed area. Only use deicing salts on a deck that is water-sealed. Rock salt. 5 Answers. Mix it well till calcium chloride dissolves. For homeowners with pets, the cat is out of the bag that kitty litter is an effective way to avert slips, falls, and other wintry spills. How to keep ice off wooden outside steps? Over the last few years I’ve been doing this, the towel method works better for me than sand, better than gravel, better than ice melt. They pose a significant risk to the elderly and injured. I'm learning as I go & blogging along the way. SUE: OK. Great. To apply abrasive strips to steps: Make sure the steps are dry and clean. Apply Alaskan® Liquid Ice Preventer up to 48 hours before a snowfall or freezing rain event, and keep ice from forming on concrete, steps and sidewalks. Each evening, I would take out the ice chipper, angrily chopping at it, trying to break it up and make the area less slippery. And it’s so simple. Then each day, the temperature outside rose just high enough for some of the surrounding ice to melt, re-pooling itself right where I was spent so much energy chipping, then re-freeze overnight. . 1 To remove the bulk of the ice, chip away at it using a long-handled ice chipper. Shovel snow and de-ice sidewalks to prevent walkways from becoming slippery. One of the easiest ways to protect against slips and falls is by applying self-adhesive abrasive strips, available at home centers, to each step. How to Prevent Icy Steps Use Rubberized Treads. 1 decade ago. What I would suggest is you take this calcium chloride and you mix it up with playground sand – the kind of sand that you might put in a sandbox – and create sort of a mixture that you can keep handy so that whenever you do get a little bit of ice and snow, you can spread the salt/sand mixture down and keep that ramp clear. How to Remove Driveway Ice with Kitty Litter. Apply it when it’s 15 degrees or above out, though, and the salt will ensure the ice melts faster than it can re-freeze. to take steps to prevent the stairs from freezing whether you clear them or not. This winter, make shovelling easier with Canada's best ice melter brand*! Whether a wood ramp is slippery only occasionally after rainfall or nearly always has a slippery or damp surface, it … Just be sure to have an absorbent rag at the ready to wipe up the water immediately after. We also found out that the wooden steps would freeze before the roadways or our concrete walks. Try it! Tasteful theme by Restored 316, HOME | CONTACT | ADVERTISING & PR | DISCLOSURE | PRIVACY POLICY. Reply. Assuming that your deck is structurally sound, it should be able to handle the weight of approximately three feet of snow. Answer. POUR DIRECTLY ON STEPS and SIDEWALK Slippery walkways can cause serious injuries to individuals walking on them. It makes our outdoor steps so much safer and slip-free all winter. You should use a deicer or plain rock salt to keep the ice melted. Updated: June 12, 2017. share; Share on Facebook; Share on Twitter; Share on Pinterest; Copy Link; Cancel. Once it’s dry, give it a few good shakes and throw it into the washer on the sanitary cycle. An ice sock is simply a polyester or nylon sock that resists breaking when frozen, is strong enough (70 lb or better burst strength) to hold several pounds of ice melt crystals, has a weave pattern that prevents tears from unraveling the weave, resists UV damage, resists mild acids, and is refillable. Take the shovel and begin to clear the deck. White Vinegar + Water. They don't disintegrate so I tried them on my steps. 1/2 Gallon Warm/Hot Water MIX WELL. Let me know how it goes this winter. It’s … Step 2: Use calcium chloride instead of rock salt Use calcium chloride instead of rock salt. :). Pour the mixture in the sprayer and spray it over the driveway before the next expected snowfall. It keeps your outdoors steps safe. To prevent the reformation of ice, add calcium chloride in the solution in a 1:3 ratio of water used in the solution. Shake gently just prior to use. They are still there and have not frozen over and are doing a fine job of keeping my stairs free of ice and snow. Carefully scoop the snow off the ice layer and move off the deck, then begin at the edge of the ice sheet and very slowly begin to chip away at the ice with the edge of the shovel. The hot water melts the ice, and the salt prevents it from freezing again. You also give the sun maximum time to work on the driveway throughout the day, finishing off the "snowy residue" and preventing black ice formation. The most common options for ice slip-control safety on outdoor stairs and landing areas are (1) dumping sand everywhere, which inevitably gets tracked into the house, or (2) throwing down ice melt, which is bad for your pet’s paws. A towel would be so much better than ineffective sand. The last thing you … 1 Tablespoon Dawn Dish Detergent Liquid. I helplessly watched my poor little dogs slip and slide, sometimes falling over on the ice as they walked down the steps to go potty. 2 marked as helpful. Home Management Cleaning and Maintenance Tips, How to Create Large Black and White Prints on a Budget. Rock salt, also known as sodium chloride, is used to melt ice and prevent new ice from building up on roads, sidewalks, and parking lots across the country. It is a composite wood material. Inexpensive and relatively easy to track down, rock salt is popular for home use too. Cover it with a tarp before snow falls and lift the tarp up when it quits. During my first winter in Alaska, we had a patch of sunken pavement at the bottom of our backdoor steps. Slippery ice is my enemy during Winter….I hate it so much. The metal can chip the wood and cause it to decay. The most common options for ice slip-control safety on outdoor stairs and landing areas are (1) Wow….that is a great idea. https://todayshomeowner.com/video/removing-ice-from-walks-and-steps I have a new deck and i was wondering what to put on it to prevent ice. Winter Hippie Hack: How to Make Slippery Steps Safe Without Ice Melt or Sand, Two Hens Wrestling for the Same Nesting Spot, Comparing Mint Plants: Spearmint, Apple & Chocolate, Transforming Our Yard With Edible Perennials, Easy Rhubarb Strawberry Raspberry Jam Pie Recipe, Spring Rhubarb: an early edible perennial in Alaska, Giving a 5-Week Old Puppy Liquid Antibiotics, Winter Chicken Keeping: Eating Snow for Hydration. Apply non-skid adhesive strips to each step or coat them with floor paint with added grit. One day, I started racking my brain for a way to prevent slippery steps and landing areas that didn’t compromise my dog’s health or dirty up my entryway. 1 decade ago. . on Jan 23, 2019. They don't seem to … One of the easiest ways to treat slippery wooden steps is to apply a nonslip coating spray. Being prepared before the storm hits will help prevent damage and maintain the integrity of your outdoor space, keeping in mind that safety is the top priority. Apply deicing salts before an ice or snow storm to prevent ice formation. Even if you plan on painting the wood, you may want to oil it first, especially if the wood is old and in poor condition. 2 If any ice is too persistent to loosen with the chipper, melt it using boiled water. What to Use on a Wood Ramp to Prevent Slipping. Your email address will not be published. Ice Breaker Mats, from $15; vermontcountrystore.com. Cover small decks with tarps or waterproof materials to keep the ice off. Answer Save. Exterior steps, especially wooden ones, can become slippery over time, particularly when they’re wet. In freezing weather, these cushy mats release ice with a stomp of the foot so that you can brush it away without danger. Anonymous. Evocative names, but unfortunately these snappy brand names are pretty much all you have to go on when choosing an ice melt. Slippery walkways occur when snow or ice freezes on a walkway, or algae begins to grow there. We’ve never had to put down more than 2 towels in the same area over the course of the winter months. Helpful. I racked my brain to think of what I could use and went to make myself a pot of coffee then I thought of the used coffee grounds. 0 2. neke88. Remove snow from the deck often to prevent ice build up. We have a little 2-step wooden stair on the backside of our home, leading to the yard. Take your size with you. It was frustrating & exhausting. Yet, that path to your driveway, pool deck, fire pit, gazebo, or garden will need to be deiced to be used during winter. on Jan 23, 2019. I had created an ice-free area in the pavement that was safe to walk on and wasn’t slippery! 5. There HAD to be a solution. I grabbed the biggest towel I had, laid it down over the icy entryway, and poured a little hot water over it so the fibers would freeze/stick to the ice. Make sure that the ice melt products that you buy are safe for wood decking. The ice will be thinnest at the edges, so start there, working inward. Before icy weather sets in, add rubberized Ice Breaker Stair Treads to steps. Wet-mop the mixture on the deck boards and let it sit for 15 minutes, or apply it with a pump sprayer. Favorite Answer. Use salt safe for wood or put carpet tread panels. In temperatures a little above 15 degrees, you can help the salt work by pouring hot water over the ice while you spread the salt. I would really appreciate your help. Just remember to initially pour a little water over it and make sure it properly sticks to the ice – you don’t want to create a situation where people are sliding on the towel, like a banana peel in a cartoon. The spray is a clear epoxy that provides a textured finish to ensure better traction on the stairs. Helpful. And please let me know how it works for you. The grip strips, sand or paint mixed with sand will still ice over. Cap it and shake gently to completely mix the ingredients. Instructions. I swear by it. Hey there, I'm Ashley, the author behind the Alaska Urban Hippie blog. 2 answers Mad29883817. My cement steps were treacherous and I was out of Ice Salt and table salt. The second step gets surprisingly icy and slippery, so we busted out the big towel for the season. Outdoor walkways, whether a simple path connecting your driveway to your main entryway or a winding backyard path that lets you more fully enjoy your landscaping, add value and usability to your home. If everything melts to the point where your towel is completely submerged in cold water, once the water freezes up, just toss another towel on top. There will be small sheets of ice that break away from the main part that can be removed and discarded. You can make preparations if it's in the forecast. You could use treated salt (Iceban or Magic) or maybe try liquid applications (Iceban, Magic, Clearlane, etc.) When it rains, our wooden steps develop a slimy coating. No Freeze Recipe : 1 Large Bucket . G.Williams: We use calcium chloride, it really melts well. 1 Tablespoon of Rubbing Alcohol. Thanks. Attach it to dry, clear stairs with nails, staples, or weather-resistant adhesive and when ice forms just step on the mat and the ice breaks up— then just kick or sweep it away. According to helpful hints for walking on ice from Iowa State University, when dealing with icy steps, be sure to use handrails, keeping your hands out of your pockets, and continue to move slowly. After the first few snowfalls of the season, what was once a harmless blanket of white fluff quickly gets packed down on your staircase and outside entryways, making patches of high foot traffic areas slippery & dangerous. How to Prevent Icy Sidewalks Calcium chloride prevents the formation of ice and doesn't damage plants and erode concrete like rock salt can. Remove the mats in the spring (depending on the method you choose to secure the mats to your stairs or walkways) or leave them on for year-round slip resistance. Pros. Don’t believe me? Thank you. Blue Heat, Safe-T-Salt, Snow Joe, Ice Slicer, Ice Eater. Hi I went to Home depot and they cut me a outside carpet runner for my wooden steps. Thanks Wen! Step 1: Watch the news Watch the local news or weather channel to determine if icing is likely the next morning. Deb24906316. If a dab of oil is rapidly absorbed, the wood has dried out. You can use the spray on both interior and exterior wooden steps. How can we make them less slippery? Reply. Betty. I felt crazy at the time – like I was grasping at straws – but holy shit, mother trucker, it seriously worked. Step 3 If you have fur babies that have to walk across the deck in the winter make sure you purchase a product safe for them. Relevance. I have heard you aren't supposed to use salt. If you choose a salt based product, be sure to rinse the excess away once the ice melts to prevent … A couple coats of oil can protect wood for years, but this depends greatly on the oil and environment, so check regularly. Apply hot water: If a patch of ice is stubbornly sticking to your pavement and you don't have/want to use any deicer at all, you can boil some water in a pot and pour it over the trouble area. Laying down a towel over your high foot traffic areas near your home with ice patches is easier, cheaper, less maintenance and better for your yard than any other ice prevention method I’ve found. Fast-acting and effective down to -31 °C, it will also prevent slips and falls if used to melt ice and snow.