Nothing is worse than going outside in the morning and having to walk slowly around to avoid slipping, but there is a simple way to handle ice so you remain safe this winter.
Many people spread salt around their home because it lowers the freezing point of ice and helps it melt quickly, yet it can have disastrous consequences for gardens.
Salt can build up in soil, which will dehydrate it, lock out nutrients, and damage plant roots, making it difficult for grass and flowers to recover in spring.
However, if you want to avoid having a bare and lifeless garden, then Ben Bulger, an expert from Bulger Brothers Landscape has shared an eco-friendly way to get rid of ice already in your kitchen.
Ben said: “Coffee grounds lower the melting point of ice due to their nitrogen content, making it easier for snow and ice to break down. Second, their dark colour absorbs heat from the sun, accelerating the melting process.”
How to make ice less slippery with coffee grounds
Coffee grounds are incredibly rough, and the tiny granules will make a slippy surface more gritty, so there is less chance of falling on the ice.
They also contain nitrogen, which also can help soften ice and is one of the main nutrients plants feed on, so will help grass grow thicker and flowers become healthier.
All you need to do is spread a thin layer of used-up coffee grounds on an icy surface, and leave them to sit on the ground and it should make the area far less slippery.
It is best to do it on a sunny day if you can, as coffee grounds can absorb sunlight and heat up the ground slightly to help melt the top layer of ice.
However, the main way coffee grounds help manage ice is through their texture by creating more friction, but if you want to melt ice then it can easily be done without needing salt.
How to melt ice quickly without needing salt
It should be noted that coffee grounds do not melt ice quickly, they just make the surface a lot safer to walk on so you are less likely to fall.
If you want to melt ice, it is easy to do with sugar beet juice. The liquid contains sugary compounds that lower the temperature of water and melts it down.
What is fantastic about sugar beet juice is that it works better than salt at freezing cold temperatures, helping stop ice forming even if the temperature is below zero.
All you need to do is pour sugar beet juice anywhere icy in your garden. You only need a small amount of it to melt ice, but it is fine to be excessive as it will not harm soil.
Sugar beet juice should get rid of ice in a few minutes, but you can also mix it with a little hot water and white vinegar if you want it to break down at a much faster rate.
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