Sick of dealing with ice-covered vehicles, walks and driveways? These 10 ice removal tools make winter a little more pleasant and a lot less slippery.
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Winter is a great time of year, but if you don’t take precautions, winter precipitation can cause big headaches. Snow and ice can cause damage to your home like cracking the driveway or pulling gutters away from the roof, just to name a few hazards. And then there are the dangers posed by slippery sidewalks and frozen windshields. Not to worry. A few handy tools can make clearing away ice a breeze, so you can get back to enjoying the winter weather.
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Sometimes traditional scrapers struggle to remove freezing rain or thick layers of ice. A compact handheld scraper such as The Better ICE Scraper lets you put more force in a small area, shattering ice and sweeping it away in a single motion.
As a bonus, this scraper is small enough to tuck into a glove compartment or under a seat. Note that this is primarily used for ice removal; you’ll still want a brush on hand to sweep away snow.
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There are all kinds of ice melts on the market, from simple rock salt to others with a bewildering list of chemical names. To keep your property ice-free with minimal environmental impact, look for a calcium magnesium acetate (CMA) de-icer. Be sure to choose a pure CMA product such as Wicked Snow and Ice Melter rather than a “CMA coated” option.
CMA de-icers become less effective as the temperature dips below 0 degrees F. If you expect weather colder than that, go with a calcium chloride ice melt such as Snow Joe Melt-2-Go. Calcium chloride is rougher on nearby vegetation, but it works in colder temperatures and costs significantly less.
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Many of the most efficient ways to remove ice are potential hazards to pets. This is especially an issue for dogs who walk through treated areas and frequently taste items on the ground.
Pet-friendly ice removers use less aggressive ingredients like urea. Avoid ice melts with ethylene glycol, a common ingredient in antifreeze. An excellent choice is Morton Safe-T-Pet ice melt, which is also recommended by the American Kennel Club.
No matter what kind of de-icer you use, you can’t control what your neighbors use! It’s a good idea to lead your dogs through a shallow tray of warm water once they come in from a walk, or wipe off their paws with a towel.
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If you have snow or ice buildup and the temperature is only slightly below freezing, your best bet is usually traditional rock salt. Other chemical compounds are suggested for much colder temperatures. But if you expect to stay at 5 F or higher, the cost often isn’t worth it.
Keep in mind that rock salt can damage concrete if allowed to refreeze, so be sure to clear the resulting slush off concrete patios or driveways as quickly as possible. And don’t shovel that snow and ice onto flower beds that salt can damage.
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Need to knock some snow and ice off your car? You can’t go wrong with the best-selling scraper and brush on Amazon.
The AstroAI scraper is 27 inches long with integrated knuckles for busting ice, and a durable scraper and brush to remove the debris. Easily disassembled, this scraper tucks into the included storage bag to keep it out of the way during summer months, while staying close at hand for that first unexpected freeze of winter.
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If you have a full-sized truck or SUV, then you need something with more reach to remove snow and ice efficiently. The SnoShark Snow and Ice Remover comes with an oversized paddle head and an impressive 39-inch extension. Bust up ice and scrape snow away faster than ever before, all without damaging your vehicle.
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We’ve talked a lot about removing ice from vehicle windshields, but sometimes the best solution is preventing ice from collecting in the first place! The OxGord Winshield snow protector wraps over your windshield and tucks into the car itself, creating a weatherproof seal that makes ice removal quick and easy. Simply open your car door, tug off the sheet and let the ice slide away.
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Most car lock de-icers use an alcohol solution to loosen frozen parts. You can spray de-icer into a lock in the evening to reduce the odds of encountering a frozen lock in the morning. These products come in various sizes, but we like the compact Victor Lock De-Icer because it’s easy to carry with you. Keeping one in a purse or pocket can save you a major hassle!
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If you find yourself facing a sidewalk or driveway with ice buildup from freezing rain or refrozen slush, the fastest solution is to break out an ice chopper.
Basic ice choppers are flat, forged-steel blades mounted on a straight, wooden handle. Those will get the job done. But if you’d like an upgrade, consider the Snow Joe Spring Loaded Ice Chopper. With an enclosed spring-loaded blade and a D-shaped handle to lessen impact, you’ll bust up ice and clear your walk faster than you thought possible.
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A HeatTrak heated walkway mat is designed to melt snow and ice without any more effort than plugging it in. Each 20-in. x 60-in. mat can be used independently, or you can customize your setup by connecting up to five walkway mats, 15 stairway mats or a combination of both. Once you have the mat(s) in place, you can leave them out all winter!
Note that the HeatTrak power unit is sold separately.
