Safe Ice Management for Your Driveway and Walkways This Winter

February is often the most treacherous month for ice on driveways and walkways in London, Ontario. Temperatures hover near freezing, snow melts and refreezes overnight, and slippery conditions can create serious safety risks for you, your family, and anyone visiting your property. Managing ice effectively comes down to the right products, the right timing, and protecting your surfaces in the process.

Clear Snow Before It Becomes Ice

The easiest ice to deal with is the ice that never forms. Clearing snow promptly — before it gets packed down or melts and refreezes — is the most effective step you can take. If snow sits on your driveway and gets driven over or walked on repeatedly, it compacts into a layer that's much harder to remove and much more likely to become a sheet of ice when temperatures drop at night.

If you can't shovel right after a snowfall, try to clear it within the first 12 hours before the sun and traffic compact it.

Choose the Right De-Icer for Your Surface

Not all de-icers are the same, and some can cause real damage to concrete and asphalt — not to mention nearby plants and lawns.

Rock salt (sodium chloride) is cheap and widely available, but it's aggressive. It can eat away at concrete surfaces over time, damage grass and soil along driveway edges, and irritate pet paws. Use it sparingly and rinse the area in spring.

Calcium chloride works at much lower temperatures and is generally less damaging to concrete than rock salt. It's a good choice for extremely cold days.

Magnesium chloride is considered gentler on both surfaces and vegetation, and is safer for pets. It's a solid choice if you have concrete or are concerned about runoff near garden beds.

Sand doesn't melt ice, but it provides traction and doesn't harm your surfaces or lawn at all. It's a smart complement to any de-icer, especially on slopes or steps.

Avoid using fertilizer as a de-icer — it can burn your lawn and damage soil when it runs off.

Protect New Concrete Especially

If your concrete driveway or walkway was poured in the last year, be extra careful with de-icers. Newer concrete is more porous and more vulnerable to salt-related damage. For the first winter, stick to sand for traction and use de-icing products minimally if at all.

Don't Forget Your Steps and Entry Points

The spots where most slip-and-fall incidents happen are stairs and front entry areas. These are also the areas that get neglected most often when people focus on clearing the main driveway. Keep a container of sand or de-icer near your front door so it's easy to grab in a hurry.

When to Call for Professional Snow and Ice Removal

For larger properties, commercial lots, or for homeowners who simply want the job done reliably all winter, a professional snow and ice removal service is worth considering. A good contractor will keep your surfaces clear, apply appropriate treatments, and help protect your asphalt or concrete in the process.

Lawns & Lanes provides snow removal and winter property maintenance services in the London area. To learn more, call us at 226.234.6541 or visit lawnsandlanes.ca.