Protecting Your Lawn and Walkways from Ice-Melt Products

The next time Mother Nature hits us with a big snow or ice storm, Ohio’s premier landscaping contractors, Precision Landscaping Corporation, invites you to consider the following points before you reach for ice melt and other similar products.

Ice Melt 101

Various types of salts are generally used in ice-melt products with sodium chloride (NaCl) being the most common and the least expensive. Unfortunately, sodium chloride has many negative impacts:

• It is bad for the environment as it accumulates in soil and pollutes water sources.
• It can be dangerous for your pets if they ingest it or if they walk in it and lick their paws.
• It can damage stone pavers, concrete, and decking materials if not swept off promptly.
• It also damages vegetation and can cause kill-off of your lawn, bedding plants, and trees if it is swept off onto them.

Safer Alternatives

• Your first line of defense to prevent snow and ice buildup is regular snow and slush removal. Shoveling right down to the concrete in a timely manner means you’ll be less likely to have ice form.
• In very icy conditions in areas of high foot-traffic, you may decide to use some form of ice melt. Follow the recommended instructions on the bag, never using more than is necessary. As soon as the product has done its job, it should be swept up, bagged and disposed of. Don’t sweep it onto the lawn and garden beds, nor into the street where it will get into soil and water.
• Some people like to try alternative products. Non-clumping kitty litter, sand, sawdust, and even ashes can be used. However, we don’t recommend using these in large quantities either, and they should be disposed of the same way as salt-based ice melt.
• Beware of “eco-friendly” labels. There is no certification board for these sorts of products, so any manufacturer can claim their products are “green” even though they contain toxic products that can be harmful to your landscape, hardscape surfaces, and the environment.

If you have any questions about protecting your landscape this winter or if you’d like to book a free consultation for any of our professional landscaping services, contact Precision Landscaping Corporation anytime at (440) 843-9500. We’re based in North Royalton, Ohio and serve the Cleveland suburbs of Parma, Strongsville, Broadview Heights, and Brecksville.  Once you’ve worked with us, you’ll understand why our list of satisfied customers just keeps growing!