Overview
- The Met Office advises using salt or sand, not water, because refreezing can create invisible black ice that increases slip danger.
- Guidance calls for a thin, even layer applied before temperatures drop, with about half a cup per square metre or a tablespoon per square metre on cleared areas using table or dishwasher salt.
- If snow has fallen, shovel it away first, then treat paths and steps, prioritising slopes and high‑traffic areas for safer footing.
- Householders are told not to take salt from public bins, which are reserved for roads, and to consult local councils for advice.
- A consumer report cites patio specialist Bill Jarvis recommending washing soda as a cheaper, potentially less damaging alternative to rock salt for paving, which is not an official Met Office endorsement.