Best Ice Melt for Concrete, Pavers and Gravel Driveways (and Homes With Dogs)

The bag in the garage says "pet safe" and "safe for concrete" on the same label. For concrete and concrete pavers, the Concrete Masonry & Hardscapes Association (CMHA) says rock salt (sodium chloride) is the least damaging deicer and does not recommend magnesium chloride or CMA, because they can chemically degrade concrete. Use very little: UW–Madison's Nelson Institute says a coffee mug of salt is enough for a 20-foot driveway or 10 sidewalk squares.

Quick pick: plain rock salt, scattered thin after you shovel, and a bag of traction grit for gravel, new concrete and nights below 15°F. To keep the grains spaced on a long driveway or a corner lot's sidewalks, use a spreader: the Scotts EdgeGuard DLX, whose side shield keeps salt off beds, per the maker.

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Which ice melt fits your surface

Concrete or concrete pavers: rock salt, a little — CMHA says to use it whenever possible, and calcium chloride, carefully, if you need faster melting. On permeable pavers, CMHA does not recommend winter sand.

Concrete poured this year: ask your installer first — Nebraska Extension says new concrete should air dry at least 30 days before the first freeze, and that scaling is the most common winter damage.

Gravel driveway: grit for grip — see how to fix a gravel driveway.

Below 15°F: sand or grit — Nelson Institute says salt doesn't work in extreme cold and to use sand below 15 degrees.

Dog in the house: read the ingredients — the ASPCA says pet-friendly ice melts typically contain urea or magnesium chloride, which can still upset a stomach. CMHA advises against magnesium chloride on concrete.

Not a fit: ammonium nitrate or ammonium sulfate on concrete. Nebraska Extension says they tend to damage concrete more than sodium or calcium chloride.

How much ice melt you need

Per storm: one coffee mug per 20 ft of driveway or 10 sidewalk squares (Nelson Institute). A 60 ft driveway takes 3 mugs.

Per season: weigh one mug of salt. Say it weighs 1 lb: 3 mugs × 10 storms is 30 lb, a 25 lb bag plus a little.

By hand works for one short driveway. Past about 100 ft of driveway plus walks (5 mugs or more a storm), a spreader keeps it thin and even.

How to put it down

Shovel first. Nelson Institute says the more snow you remove, the less salt you need.

Loosen, then shovel. CMHA says to remove loosened slush and extra salt promptly.

Scatter thin, with space between the grains (Nelson Institute), and keep salty slush off beds; Nebraska Extension says salt can burn plants.

Wipe paws with a damp cloth or baby wipes when your dog comes in (ASPCA).

Ice melt spreaders and grit (#ad)

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Scotts Turf Builder EdgeGuard DLX Broadcast Spreader — its side shield keeps product off landscaping, per the maker. Use it for lawn seed and fertilizer the rest of the year. See it on Amazon

CHAPIN 88000A SaltPro 80 lb Walk-Behind Salt Spreader — made for residential ice melt and salt, per the maker. For 100 ft+ driveways or shared walks, where a hand scatter takes too long. See it on Amazon

Cherry Stone Traction Grit, 25 lb — 100% quartzite for traction, per the maker. It adds grip but won't melt ice. Low-cost pick for gravel, new concrete and deep cold; not for permeable pavers. See it on Amazon

Lawn too? See the best broadcast spreader for a small lawn.

Ice melt FAQ

What is the best ice melt for concrete? Rock salt, used sparingly, per CMHA. Skip magnesium chloride, CMA and ammonium-based products.

Is pet-safe ice melt safe for pavers? Not always. They typically contain urea or magnesium chloride (ASPCA), which CMHA does not recommend on concrete.

How much ice melt for a driveway? About a coffee mug per 20 ft, per UW–Madison's Nelson Institute.

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Sources: Concrete Masonry & Hardscapes Association, The Effects of Deicing Chemicals on Interlocking Concrete Pavers, PAV-FAQ-001-18; Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, UW–Madison, Salt Tips; ASPCA, Keeping Pets Safe during Winter: The Dangers of Ice Melts; University of Nebraska–Lincoln Extension, Winter Deicing Agents for the Homeowner, G1121.