The winter my landlord forgot to salt the front steps, I learned to penguin-walk out my own front door — shuffle, flat feet, arms out. I still slipped twice. Rock salt was sold out everywhere because a storm was coming and the entire city had the same idea at the same time.

Salt is not your only option. Some alternatives are already in your kitchen or garage, and a few work better — especially when temperatures drop below 15°F, where rock salt stops working entirely.

Kitchen and Garage Alternatives

Sand: Does not melt ice, but creates instant traction. A thin layer on walkways and steps gives tires and boots something to grip. Buy a bag at any hardware store in fall — it never expires, so you will have it when salt is sold out.

Kitty litter: Same principle as sand — traction, not melting. The clay-based kind works best. Avoid clumping litter; it turns into slippery clay paste when wet. A $5 bag covers a whole driveway.

Coffee grounds: I tried this out of desperation during the salt shortage. Used grounds from that morning’s pot, scattered on the front steps. They provided surprising grip and the dark color absorbed sunlight to speed up melting. They also make your walkway smell like a coffee shop — not a downside.

Chemical Alternatives That Work in Deep Cold

Calcium chloride pellets work down to -25°F, far colder than rock salt’s 15°F limit. More expensive, but a little goes a long way. Magnesium chloride is gentler on concrete and plants, effective to about -13°F.

Pickle brine or beet juice — I am serious. Many cities spray a brine mix on roads before storms because it lowers the freezing point of water. You can make a weak version at home: mix one part leftover pickle juice with two parts water and spray it on walkways before a freeze. It prevents ice from bonding to the surface.

Prevention Beats Cure Every Time

Shovel early and often. The longer snow sits, the more it compacts into ice. Lay down sand or coffee grounds before the storm hits — it keeps the first layer of snow from freezing to the pavement and makes shoveling easier after.

After two winters of salt shortages, I now keep a bucket of sand and an old coffee can of used grounds in the garage from November to March. My steps are ugly but nobody has fallen.