Rock Salt or Kitty Litter?

[Irukandji]

So, which is more effective and/or environmentally friendly as a de-icer for the sidewalk. Do I need to worry about clumping v. non-clumping litter?

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[mellaw6565]

I just put out coarse kosher salt from the box I used to cook with in the kitchen – did wonders in minutes!

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[Aim]

don’t put litter (ESPECIALLY clumping kind!) anywhere you plan on walking or driving. As soon as it gets damp, it will turn to mud, and the moment you walk or drive through it you will have cement. It’s horrible to get off shoes and tires. Yes, I made that mistake.

I’d use rock salt if you can. It’ll cause less damage. There are some chemical de-icers around too, but with a kiddo I’d really avoid them if at all possible. I’d not want to use anything that i wouldn’t allow him to put in his mouth. You know?

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[Patrick]

Kitty litter’s great for back end ballast in the car and gritty material to create traction under tires. Salt is still best on walks IMHO. One year I could only find some ham cure salt.

The front walk smelled wonderful.

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[inactive]

Got to agree with AIM there – clumping litter is NOT a good idea. It will dry like concrete on anything it comes into contact with – boots, etc.

I just happen to have bags of sand in the garage which I use to amend our clay soil. I’m thinking I’ll try a mix of sand and kosher salt?

Watch potential salt run-off around plants if you can help it – not so good for them.

http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc166/evmasy/glitterfy020313575D38.gif

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[Irukandji]

Great advice. Seems a salt/sand combo will do the trick. I may have some left overs from last year’s remodel. Thanks!

Had a bad litter issue once. All those Arm & Hammer boxes look alike when in a rush. I accidentally tossed a scoop of litter in the wash instead of the laundry soap. Whoops!

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[cjboffoli]

I’d much rather use salt than some kind of more exotic chemical de-icer. Our storm water drains off into a salt water estuaries. So as long as you mind its use around plants, as westseattledood adroitly points out, you should be environmentally sound.

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[carrieann]

So… anyone have the inside info on where to find rock salt this late in the game? I used the box we’d had leftover from the Summer’s ice cream making escapades, but was hoping to have more on hand for the rest of the week.

I made the call around to Junction True Value (who had sold out an hour prior to my call), various Home Depot and Lowes locations, but everyone was sold out and didn’t expect a shipment until late in the week. (One store’s shipment was stuck on a truck, trying to get over the pass. Oh the irony.)

I almost bought Kosher salt (3.50/box), which I’d heard was just as good, but decided to be a cheapskate and purchased a few things of the table salt that was on sale (60 cents/container), instead.

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[Irukandji]

even Amazon Fresh was out when I checked yesterday…

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[JenV]

thank you for letting us know about clumping cat litter…that’s the only kind I have, and I was on my way out to the parking area with it. whew! my luck all the neighborhood kitties would have also taken it as an invitation.

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[mellaw6565]

Just make sure you don’t get confused and put salt in the kitty litter box!!!

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[Irukandji]

Ah, Patrick, if only I could wrestle some BaconSalt away from the Armed Services…

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[celeste17]

I once used kitty litter because I heard that it would work just as good as salt. I had a huge mess on my sidewalk for days. I was at Safeway yesterday and all they had was course rock salt. So I bought two cans of that at 5.50 a can and used one last night on my deck and part of the walk way. It worked but I will make sure I have some rock salt from now on. I can store it in my garage and will be able to get to it any time.

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