Do you sprinkle salt on icy stairs? This is a bad idea. There is a better way. It melts snow and ice in an instant

With the arrival of a frosty winter, we have to face many problems. Although the sight of snow outside the windows certainly pleases many people, its presence also requires removing it from the immediate surroundings around the house. An additional inconvenience is icing under its surface, which makes descending the stairs dangerous.

How to get rid of ice from stairs? Sprinkling salt on them is not a good solution

A popular way to deal with icy stairs that has been used for many years is to sprinkle them with salt. However, not everyone realizes that it can be very problematic. Sprinkling salt on any surface around the house may contribute to its destruction. In the case of stairs the tiles will be damaged and discolored, cube or concrete on which, what’s more, unsightly stains will remain, difficult to clean as soon as the weather changes. Additionally, your shoes may suffer as walking on such surfaces results in salt accumulating on your shoes.

What to do with external stairs to make them less slippery? Safe solutions for icy stairs

There are alternative and safer solutions to using salt on icy surfaces. Although not all of them will dissolve ice or snow, they will increase adhesion to the ground. Here’s what else you can sprinkle on ice-covered outdoor stairs and other surfaces around your home:

• sand – the surface becomes less slippery and more adhesive,
• microgress and expanded clay – anti-slip to protect slippery surfaces,
• ash from the fireplace – instead of throwing it away, use it in a useful way,
• coarse gravel – ensures good adhesion even on surfaces with a steep slope, and is easy to remove from protected surfaces during thaws.
• magnesium chloride or calcium chloride in the form of flakes – they melt ice even at -30 degrees.