If your living in Boston then keeping the ice off your sidewalk, driveway and outdoor paths is essential. But browse the aisles of your local hardware and you're bound to become confused about what product to use and how that product will affect your plantings and grass. You need to use ice melt effectively to provide a safe surface, but beware of overuse. Certain ice melt products will seriously harm your landscape.

How Does Ice Melt Work?

As an ice melt product is spread evenly the particles immediately begin to attract moisture and transform into brine. That brine heats up and breaks down the ice in a scattered pattern.

You want ice melt to penetrate through the frozen layers and reach the surface underneath. At that point the product can loosen whole patches of ice from the bottom up. It's your job to remove the ice chunks with your snow shovel, although a decent quantity of ice melt can break down thick layers of ice when left alone.

You need to follow the application instructions, and remember to wear gloves or protect your skin when handling de-icers. Always shovel the snow off first to achieve quicker results and flush the area with water when the product is over used or spreads too far.

Different Types of Ice Melt

You'll find a wide variety of de-icer or ice melt products at your local retailers. Many of them are a blend of materials, typically consisting of:

• Calcium Chloride or Magnesium Chloride - Calcium chloride is the tried and true choice and works in temperatures down to -25 degrees Fahrenheit. It also leaves a slimy coating on your walkways and may damage vegetation and corrode nearby metal if overused. Magnesium chloride has similar properties, but tends to be a safer choice.
• Urea - This common fertilizer works well as an ice melt, although it will burn grass and gardens when over-applied and does not work well on temperatures below 15 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Rock Salt or Sodium Chloride - The cheapest and most efficient method of de-icing is also highly damaging to vegetation and metal when over-used or not promptly cleared away. Rock salt does not work in temperatures below 20 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Potassium Chloride - Often mixed with rock salt in a 1 to 1 ratio, potassium chloride is safer than rock salt alone and will work in temperatures down to 12 degrees Fahrenheit.

Choose your ice melt wisely and follow the specific instructions provided to get the best results. Think of your landscape and be gentle when using ice melt on your driveway and walkways.