Use a Spreader to Remove Ice on Sidewalks and Driveways

Spreader Winter Header Image
When a snow or ice storm hits the region where you live, it’s time to remove ice on sidewalks and driveways around your home. While you may be familiar with lawn spreaders putting down fertilizer or weedkiller, many can also be used to apply salt and ice melt in winter. Doing snow and ice removal by hand or with a shovel can be tedious and also wasteful. Using a salt spreader is the perfect way to get even distribution, save on job time, and remove ice quickly to prevent injuries.

Before you start spreading salt or ice melt, consider these tips for how to de-ice your drives and sidewalks: 

  1. Salt and ice melt materials are typically larger than fertilizer pellets. Make sure you open the chute wider than usual to properly distribute the material.
  2. Take it slow! If you have a push spreader, walk slowly to avoid slinging salt everywhere.
  3. Consider a drop spreader or a deflector for best results. A deflector will help control the spread of ice melt agents, protecting your lawn from unwanted distribution and chemical damage.
  4. Use the right de-icer. What makes these products unique is how quickly they get results and at what temperatures. And unsurprisingly, the lower the temperature use and the faster they work, the pricier they can get. Do your research, and purchase one that melts in the typical temperatures in your area.
  5. Don’t use too much! Excessive application isn’t a good thing. Overusing ice melt means excess will get tracked inside and potentially damage floors, or you may end up burning your lawn. Make sure you read the packaging to determine the right quantity for your space.
  6. It’s best to think ahead. If you know a snowfall or ice storm is coming, pre-application of ice-melt is ideal to deter freezing. If you can’t beat the storm, applying ice melt as soon as snow starts to fall will see best results.
  7. If you are spreading any material make sure you use the Proper PPE (personal protective equipment) at all times. For ice melt materials with some chemicals, such as calcium or magnesium chloride, avoid skin contact and cover your hands.
  8. After spreading any type of ice melt material, wash out the hopper of the spreader to prevent corrosion of any metal parts.
Now that you know the tips and tricks, it’s time to find the right tool for the job.

Brinly-Hardy Spreaders to Consider For De-Icing

Brinly-Hardy broadcast spreaders come in two types: push and tow-behind spreaders. The best spreader for you depends on how much property you have and how much you’ll use it throughout the year. Read more: Need a New Year’s Resolution for Your Lawn and Landscaped Beds? Indeed, our lawn spreaders can also double as ice melt spreaders. That means you don’t need to store multiple lawn tools in your garage or garden shed! Which spreader is right for you? Here is a list of Brinly-Hardy’s spreaders that can also be used to spread salt and ice melt:
  1. 50 lb. Push Spreaders: At Brinly-Hardy Company, we have two types of push spreaders: the 50 lb. spreader that is perfect for homeowners with up to a half acre lot, and the 50 lb. spreader with an included deflector kit.
Both spreaders are made with rust-proof powder coating so fertilizers, weed, insect controls, and rock salt don’t rust your spreader. Both push spreaders can be used to disperse granular lawn and ice melt materials. Other spreader features include:
  • Enclosed gears
  • Large turf tread pneumatic tires so there’s no slipping and sliding while depositing rock salt
  • Adjustable handles so you can move the handles based on your comfort
  • Positive on/off so you don’t need to worry about any cables breaking when you’re ready to use your spreader
  • Holds up to 50 lbs. of granular material whether that’s ice melt, rock salt or lawn care products
  • Includes a hopper screen that breaks up large chunks of granular material resulting in less waste.
You can purchase the 50 lb. spreader with a deflector kit. The kit keeps ice melt or rock salt flowing to hard surfaces while preventing overspray into your lawn or landscaped areas. The deflector kit flips up and out of the way when you don’t need to use it.
  1. Tow Spreaders: Our tow spreaders can hold up to 125 lb. or 175 lb. of product depending on what size hopper you desire. Since our tow spreaders come with a universal hitch, our spreaders hook up with most lawn and garden tractors.
Other features of our tow spreaders include:
  • Both sizes enable you to apply rock salt or sand to your long driveway, public walkways and other areas where you need to prevent ice from forming.
  • The tubular steel frame with powder coating, nylon gears and stainless steel interior hardware protect the spreader from rust caused by chemical corrosion.
  • You don’t have to worry about ice melt or rock salt over-spraying onto your lawn or landscaped areas because of our patented Directional Spread Pattern. feature
  • The spreaders come with Autoflow™ design to stop materials from distributing when you stop your tractor allowing you to save on ice melt or rock salt.
From the Brinly-Hardy Blog Archives: The Origin of Leisure.

Ready to Buy Your Brinly-Hardy Salt Spreader?

If you ready to purchase your Brinly-Hardy salt spreader just in time for the cold weather, you can find our products at the following retailers: You can also visit our website to learn more about Brinly-Hardy lawn spreaders as well as our other lawn and garden products. If you need replacement parts for your Brinly-Hardy tools, visit our parts store. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact our customer service Monday through Thursdays between 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. or on Fridays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET. Call customer service at 877-728-8224 or fill out our contact form.   Sources:
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