Best drive de-icer
Author
Discussion

deltashad

Original Poster:

6,731 posts

227 months

Wednesday 5th December 2012
quotequote all
After the scraper thread, I thought it may be a good idea to hear what the ph masses believe is the best driveway clearer.

Last night I returned home from offshore with a drive covered in snow and ice. It's on a hill. Her car was at the top, after four attempts to reverse the merc onto the drive without hitting her car I managed it. Stuck it in P, applied the handbrake and the car slid on its own accord down the drive into the middle of the road.

Time to defrost the drive. The last couple of years I've used grit from the grit box. But it makes a hell of a mess.

Any ideas?


Captain Muppet

8,540 posts

295 months

Wednesday 5th December 2012
quotequote all
I use a spade.

It's probably not the best device for drive clearing, but I need the exercise.

Tunku

7,703 posts

258 months

Wednesday 5th December 2012
quotequote all
deltashad said:
After the scraper thread, I thought it may be a good idea to hear what the ph masses believe is the best driveway clearer.

Last night I returned home from offshore with a drive covered in snow and ice. It's on a hill. Her car was at the top, after four attempts to reverse the merc onto the drive without hitting her car I managed it. Stuck it in P, applied the handbrake and the car slid on its own accord down the drive into the middle of the road.

Time to defrost the drive. The last couple of years I've used grit from the grit box. But it makes a hell of a mess.

Any ideas?
Pour warm water on the drive. If its good enough for the windscreen...

benjj

6,787 posts

193 months

Wednesday 5th December 2012
quotequote all
I've tried most things but sadly haven't come up with an easy option.

The one that I have done for the last few years is:

1) Shovel if serious snow
2) Very stiff dry brush, sweep what's left after shoveling away
3) Plain old salt on the drive

I tried the bags of salted grit - they just meant that brown st was walked into the house and ruined the carpets etc.

Tried mixing up a strong saline solution - it lasted a day or two once thrown down but quickly went.

The stiff brush and rock salt (but no grit) is the best option for me now - wife often in and out with kids, one is a baby so in a car seat and need to be careful.

On the sweeping: try to do this at night or when as cold as possible - this means the snow doesn't melt with the friction (fnar) of the brush and you can get rid of more.

Rosscow

9,690 posts

193 months

Wednesday 5th December 2012
quotequote all
Hmmm.....

Six Fiend

6,067 posts

245 months

Wednesday 5th December 2012
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You mean you chaps don't have under-drive heating? smile

Captain Muppet

8,540 posts

295 months

Wednesday 5th December 2012
quotequote all
Six Fiend said:
You mean you chaps don't have under-drive heating? smile
I do, but only when I empty the bath or flush out a fresh log.


I'm going to get the estate agent to list that as a feature when I sell my house.

gavgavgav

1,569 posts

259 months

Wednesday 5th December 2012
quotequote all
Instead of grit use white salt. Much cleaner