Why Does My Maintenance Company Use Enhanced Ice Melt Instead of Plain Rock Salt?

Maintaining a property during the winter is no easy task. Snowfall rarely follows the forecast exactly, so a Toronto snow removal company needs to be ready around the clock. When battling the elements, the products a company uses can be just as important as the team providing the service.

Property managers and homeowners often ask about the difference between plain rock salt and enhanced ice melt. The average person may not know how these products differ or why choosing one over the other matters.

One important clarification is that the enhanced de-icer Landcare uses is still salt-based. ClearLane® enhanced de-icer is rock salt that has been pre-wet and treated with liquid magnesium chloride, a corrosion inhibitor and a colouring agent. Those treatments help it perform more efficiently than untreated rock salt.

Key differences

1. Cold-weather performance — Plain rock salt becomes much less practical as temperatures fall. Cargill considers its practical working range to be above approximately −9 to −7 °C (15 to 20 °F). ClearLane is formulated to melt faster and work at lower temperatures than untreated rock salt.

2. Reduced corrosion — ClearLane contains a corrosion inhibitor. Cargill reports that it is substantially less corrosive than regular rock salt, which helps reduce wear on application equipment. All chloride-based de-icers should still be applied responsibly around concrete, stone, metal and plants.

3. Application efficiency — Plain rock salt often costs less per unit, but that does not always make it less expensive to use. Cargill’s manufacturer recommendations state that ClearLane customers can use 20–40% less product than they would with rock salt, depending on conditions and application methods.

4. Less scatter — When dry salt hits pavement, it can bounce away from the area being treated. Cargill’s lab tests found that 80% of ClearLane stayed within 18 inches of where it landed, compared with 51% of bulk de-icing salt. Keeping more product where it is needed can mean fewer applications and less waste.

5. More visible application — ClearLane’s distinctive colour makes it easier for crews to see where the product has already been applied. This helps support consistent coverage and reduces unnecessary overapplication.

Whatever de-icer is used, it should be kept away from children and pets and should never be consumed. After walking through treated areas, wiping an animal’s paws is a sensible precaution.

What does Landcare use?

Landcare uses ClearLane enhanced de-icer because it combines effective winter performance with more efficient product use and a lower environmental impact than traditional rock salt. Landcare was founded with a commitment to effective property maintenance and positive environmental practices, and the products we choose are part of that commitment.

To learn more, read Cargill’s information about ClearLane enhanced de-icer and its explanation of the practical working temperature of rock salt.