Experts Reveal If Baking Soda Works on Driveway Ice

Baking soda, or sodium bicarbonate, offers a safer alternative for melting ice on driveways compared to traditional de-icing salts. As a type of salt, it can be used in place of rock salt, which is known for its corrosive effects and environmental impact. We’ve gathered insights from professionals to assess how well baking soda works as an ice melt substitute and explore its influence on your driveway and surroundings.

Is Baking Soda Effective for Use on Icy Driveways?

Yes, baking soda can be effective for de-icing a driveway, as long as the temperatures don’t dip too low below the freezing point (32 degrees Fahrenheit). If the temps do drop significantly lower than 32 degrees, baking soda likely won’t be an effective ice melt solution.

Want more home reno project tips and inspiration? Sign up for our free daily newsletter for the latest how-tos, reno guides, and more!

How Effective Is Baking Soda Compared to De-Icing Salt?

While baking soda will melt ice on your driveway or sidewalk, it tends to do so much slower than standard de-icing salt.

Because baking soda is so fine, it can be difficult to spread evenly over concrete surfaces, but Carr Lanphier, CEO of Improovy, says doing so is crucial to its effectiveness.

“I would personally recommend using something like a sieve or strainer when you’re applying baking soda to an icy driveway,” Lanphier advises. “This helps achieve a more even application since otherwise it’s easy to dump out big, intermittent clumps of baking soda that won’t evenly melt ice.”

Why You Should Choose Baking Soda

Many people choose baking soda because they want a safer alternative to traditional de-icing salt. Lori Johnson, president of The Grounds Guys, a Neighborly Company, tells us that standard de-icing salt can cause major damage to metal, as it’s corrosive. It can also damage concrete by soaking it in, staining it, and spalling it.

Baking soda is much less aggressive than rock salt, leading to less corrosion of metal and less damage done to concrete surfaces. It’s also less damaging to the environment, should it eventually wash into the surrounding ground and water systems.

“Using too much de-icing salt can harm the environment by accumulating in the soil, making it difficult for plants—especially turf grass—to absorb water and nutrients,” Johnson explains. “It also washes into lakes, rivers, and groundwater, increasing salinity levels that can be toxic to freshwater wildlife and contaminate drinking water.”

Though both sodium bicarbonate and sodium chloride can harm aquatic habitats, the chloride component of sodium chloride can be disruptive to aquatic ecosystems, especially when used in high amounts.

How Baking Soda Works to De-Ice Driveways

Just like traditional driveway salts and ice melt products, baking soda works to de-ice a driveway by lowering the freezing point of water. However, because it’s less aggressive than de-icing salt, it’s also less effective.

“Baking soda does tend to take a bit longer than other more traditional methods of melting ice, so make sure you’re applying it well before you need to leave the driveway,” Lanphier says.

Lanphier also notes that you can use larger amounts of baking soda than rock salt without the same risk to the surroundings. On the contrary, de-icing salt is a very effective ice-melting product, but you should be careful how much of it you apply.

Alternative De-Icing Solutions

If you’re still after an effective alternative to rock salt for treating driveway ice, Chrissie Handley, a de-icing solutions expert at Online Rock Salt, suggests looking around your home for some ice melt solutions. You may even have the solution to driveway ice in your kitchen pantry.

“Other de-icing methods that can be readily available include hot water, vinegar, and water, or, if you’re just looking for some traction/grip on the ground, you can use sand, cat litter, or coffee grounds to give you some extra grip,” Handley suggests. “Though these don’t necessarily melt the ice, they can be washed away once the ice has melted.

Epsom salt, also known as magnesium sulfate, can be effective for melting driveway ice, but only if the temperatures remain above 20 degrees Fahrenheit. Plus, like sand, cat litter, and coffee, Epsom salt can help boost traction on slippery surfaces.