Eco-friendly home de-icing options available

With another round of winter weather expected Thursday morning and a weekend snowstorm looming, rock salt and chemical de-icers are flying off the shelves.

» LOCAL WEATHER: Wintry weather, including snow, arriving for Thursday morning commute

Ezlie McNail was one of the many customers Wednesday at the Ace Hardware store on Wilmington Pike in Kettering, prepping for more winter weather.

“I don’t have any at all, so I came to get some now,” he said. “My wife went out this morning to get the car and she almost fell off the porch this morning.”

Elizabeth Blackwell, a supervisor at Ace, said most people buy basic rock salt because it’s effective and cheaper.

But for those who prefer more environmentally friendly options, she suggested a magnesium chloride de-icer. It’s not only fast-acting, but it can melt ice in extreme temperatures.

» TRENDING: Stay informed: School and business closings and delays

“Magnesium chloride, instead of sticking around, it tends to evaporate away more with the moisture. So you don’t get as much of the residue as, say you would sodium chloride or even a potassium chloride. It also works with the lowest temperature,” she said.

Blackwell also suggested a potassium chloride blend.

“Potassium chloride is going to be mid-range,” she said. “It’s going to do very well with the temperatures we are going to be getting. It’s also friendlier for the environment and for your pets. Safer than your average rock salt.”

Homeowners aren’t the only ones looking to be more Earth-friendly.

Greene County has salt, but also uses “Beet Heet” as part of its road treatments. The product is made of beet molasses and even sugar.

“It works extremely well, and it’s very, very cheap, all things considered,” said Greene County Engineer Bob Geyer.

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