Between the snow and ice, the roads turn into real ice rinks as soon as the temperatures drop. And if everyone tends to turn to the trick of road salt, there is another product that is less expensive and just as effective (if not more), which can be found in any supermarket.
Every winter, motorists encounter the same problem. When the thermometer drops below zero, the roads become real ice rinks. Blame it on ice, caused by snow or rain that has frozen on the asphalt, enemy number one for our cars. And when the road is slippery, you can at best find yourself stuck by wheels slipping on the ice, and at worst, completely lose control of your vehicle. Unfortunately, to avoid these unfortunate situations, snow tires or chains only do part of the job.
We all know the trick of using road salt, used by both municipalities and individuals to secure roads, sidewalks and even driveways, for example. The salt prevents the water from freezing again, and allows better grip of the tires on the asphalt. But depending on the temperature, or the quantity used, its effectiveness becomes relative. However, there is a product that no one thinks about, which could save drivers from very delicate situations. Less expensive than road salt and much more common, many even have it at home… but don’t know that it can be particularly useful in their car.
It’s cat litter! The Met Office, the British equivalent of our Météo-France agency, therefore recommends “spread gravel or cat litter on walkways and driveways to reduce the risk of slipping on compacted snow”while the United Kingdom is currently experiencing snowfall as is the case in France. As surprising as it may seem, cat litter provides strong grip by increasing friction between the wheels and the road surface, and its moisture absorption capacity thus prevents refreezing. And above all, unlike classic road salt, cat litter does not freeze: a significant advantage in very low temperatures, and even more so in mountainous regions for example, where the mercury can quickly drop. In addition, this banal, everyday object is generally inexpensive: the first prices are around 2 euros for a 10 liter bag.
You can therefore dump cat litter in front of your home, as prevention or even once the ice has formed, but the Met Office recommends always keeping a bag in the trunk of your car, so that you can easily get out if you get stuck while skating in the middle of a road. All you have to do is sprinkle a little in front of the drive wheels, and that’s it.
