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what kind of salt melts ice

Most salts that melt ice are chloride salts: rock salt (sodium chloride), calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, and potassium chloride are the main ones used on roads and driveways.

Quick Scoop

  • Rock salt (sodium chloride / NaCl)
    • The classic “road salt.”
    • Works well down to about 15–20°F (around −9 to −6°C).
* Cheap and widely available, but can damage plants, soil, and concrete over time.
  • Calcium chloride (CaCl₂)
    • Often the fastest and strongest ice-melter.
    • Can work down to about −20 to −25°F (around −29 to −32°C).
* More expensive and can still be harsh on vegetation and some surfaces.
  • Magnesium chloride (MgCl₂)
    • Effective in fairly low temperatures (roughly down to −13 to −15°F, about −25 to −26°C).
* Somewhat less corrosive and often considered a bit more “surface-friendly” than straight rock salt.
  • Potassium chloride (KCl)
    • Melts ice but usually only to around 12°F (about −11°C), so better for milder cold.
* Often chosen where plant and soil health matter more than raw melting power.
  • Special blends and alternatives
    • Commercial “ice melt” products typically blend several of the above salts to balance cost, speed, low-temperature performance, and surface damage.
* Some mixes add non-chloride ingredients (like calcium magnesium acetate) to reduce corrosion and be more environmentally gentle, though they are weaker and pricier.
  • Can you use kitchen/table salt?
    • Yes. Table salt is also sodium chloride, so it works the same way as rock salt on a small scale.
* It’s just more expensive per pound than bulk de-icing salt and better saved for cooking.

How the salt actually melts ice

  • Salt lowers the freezing point of water, so instead of ice staying solid at 32°F (0°C), salty water needs to get colder than that to freeze.
  • When you spread salt, it mixes with a thin film of liquid water on the ice, forming a salty brine that keeps more ice from refreezing and helps it break up and melt.

If you tell what temperatures you usually see and whether you’re more worried about cost, concrete, or plants, a more specific salt or blend can be recommended.