Sand with road salt for sprinkling snow-covered streets and sidewalks

Every year, winter takes its toll not only on road builders, but also on property owners and managers. Ice covered with snow is one of the most common causes of accidents - both personal and road. Read why sand with salt is so effective and whether you can spread salt on the pavement .

What does sand with salt for paving sidewalks consist of?

A typical mixture used by cleaning companies in built-up areas consists of two components – road salt and sand.

Road salt has much in common with the spice used in the kitchen, although it is obviously less purified and contains additives that improve its effect. However, it is the same chemical compound, sodium chloride (NaCl), in a concentration close to 100%.

The composition of road salt has been precisely defined under the Polish Standard No. 86/C-84081/02, which is why all preparations that you buy on the Polish market should have a similar composition.

In it you will find:

• unpurified sodium chloride at a concentration of not less than 90%,
• water-insoluble substances to increase friction (minimum 8%),
• water (maximum 3%),
• technical potassium gelocyanide (20 mg/kg).

The last compound, gelocyanide, is added as an anti-caking agent to road salt. Fun fact: the same ingredient has been used for centuries (and still is) to produce a blue pigment called Prussian Blue.

Remember that goods imported from abroad may have a different composition that differs from the standard adopted in the Polish Standard. Many entrepreneurs, however, decide to use materials and raw materials in accordance with the principles set out by the Polish Committee for Standardization. This is to increase their credibility in the eyes of contractors.

The second component of the anti-freeze mixture is ordinary sand with a large grain size for maximum friction. The ratio of sand to salt can vary depending on the company and product, but most often you will find a composition of 9:1 or 7:3 (sand to salt ratio).

How to properly store sand and salt ?

Maintaining a clean surface (including its snow removal) is the responsibility of every property manager, which is why many of them start collecting sand with salt in early autumn, before the first frost and snow fall.

If you have decided to buy de-icer in bags, you should store them in a dry and covered place. All kinds of utility rooms or a garage will work well.

More and more companies producing road salt use double foil packaging, which better withstand contact with moisture and provide an additional layer of protection. This is important because the substance easily absorbs moisture and quickly loses its useful properties.

Sand with salt is also sold loose. In such a situation, you need to properly prepare a place for its storage. First of all, avoid spilling salt on metal elements - this is due to the highly corrosive effect of sodium chloride. Make sure the mix is ​​in a place with low humidity. To be sure, you can spread a tarpaulin over the stored material.

Can you put salt on the sidewalks ?

Sprinkling salt on pavements has been a source of controversy for years. Surely you have heard more than once that using a chemical agent to get rid of snow or ice is punishable by a fine. What do the regulations say about this?

Article 117 of the Code of Petty Offenses introduces a financial sanction of up to PLN 1,500 or a reprimand, but for failure to keep the property clean and tidy, and not for the use of chemicals. The use of road salt will certainly not fulfill the provisions of Art. 182 of the Penal Code, which provides for severe penalties, but for large-scale environmental pollution.

Theoretically, the ban on the use of road salt can be found in Art. 145 of the Code of Offenses, which mentions the penalty of a fine or a reprimand, e.g. for polluting a publicly accessible place. Most sand-salt mixtures, however, contain so little sodium chloride that it is difficult to talk about a high degree of harmfulness to the environment in this case (unless the mixture is used unreasonably and in very large quantities).

Side effects of salting sidewalks

Although anti-icing compounds are extremely effective and widely used, it is hard to deny that such a solution also brings a number of problems. Which ones are especially bothersome?

Sprinkling salt on the sidewalks causes rust spots and corrosion of the car body. This applies not only to older cars, whose coating is already heavily worn, but also to completely new ones, where the varnish layer is much thinner. You may have noticed on your or your neighbor's car that after the winter period the sheet metal of the car is in a much worse condition than in autumn.

Intensive use of anti-freeze mixtures also causes unsightly white spots on shoes, which further weaken the structure of the material. This is crystallized sodium chloride. It especially damages suede and leather.

Sprinkling the pavement with salt is also a nuisance for the owners of all quadrupeds. Dogs and cats that are taken outside often injure their paw pads with road salt crystals. Then the chemical gets into the tiny wounds, causing pain and burning.

To avoid this problem, you can lubricate the pet's paws with a greasy cream that makes the epidermis more elastic. More and more people are also using special protective shoes for animals.

What determines the price of sand with salt and where to buy it?

How much you pay for a sand-salt mix depends on the proportions of the individual ingredients and the type of chemical used. On sale you will find both classic sodium chloride and fully ecological magnesium chloride.

When choosing road cleaning products, choose proven manufacturers who guarantee quality, attractive prices and large, economical packaging.

In the Distripark chemical warehouse you will find sand with salt and other means necessary in the winter.

You don't have to be afraid of winter anymore! With our help, you will cope with the heaviest rainfall.