with all that ice outside, I think I will do what my dad used to do with ash

spreading it around on the ice, I don't have salt or enough salt but i do have some ash around!

it is messy since ... it is ash! but by memory it help de-icing nicely and it make it less slippery.

who does that right now?

 

All winter long here. Avoid spreading it where people get in or out of vehicles. It can be tracked back into your house if you do. This actually does work well for traction. My drive is rocked so it disappears when it melts off.

 

this is the only reason why I never did it so far but there is so much ice outside now that if I want to reach the street without falling, i kind of have no choice but use it

 

I’ve been using it this winter. We’ve had a lot of ice and with just the 2 of us it’s easier to control the tracking in. It’s messy but it beats a broken hip and it’s good for the soil and not poisonous to the dog unlike all the bagged stuff.

 

SWMBO will not allow ash on any walk to the house--"makes a $%#@& mess".
Get a 5 g bucket of sand from the town sandpile to spread. Still makes the mess but she doesn't mind. I follow orders

 

The town garage let's us take 1 or 2 five gallon buckets of sand/salt mix at a time. Maybe use 3-4 buckets each winter. Ash works if you don't have access to sand but it is messy.

 

Been using it for years, though not immediately in front of the haciencda. The cool thing about ashes is when the sun hits 'em the darkness of their color draws heat and it helps in starting the melting process.