The 65p household ingredient that can de-ice driveways and pavements in seconds

dailyrecord.co.uk:

With weather warnings in place up and down the country, people are being urged to take care when walking on perilous ice.Dangerous black ice on driveways, pavements and roads can be the root of many injuries and accidents during cold conditions.

The slippery black layer forms when water freezes and the ice often looks 'wet', but can be near-invisible as it creates the illusion of the pavement below.Clearing snow and ice from your driveway and street can help prevent nasty slips, trips and falls as freezing temperatures plummet.There's a quick and easy way to melt snow and ice using household ingredients found in the kitchen cupboard instead of buying fancy products or chemicals.It comes as The Met Office has issued an amber alert for snow today, while a yellow warning for snow and ice is also in place across the country.The Department for Transport urges people not to use water to clear ice - as this can make conditions worse and turn to perilous black ice.Instead, raid the kitchen cupboards for salt or the shed for sand to prevent slippery ice by spreading it over driveways and pavements.Ordinary table or dishwasher salt does the trick - a tablespoon for each square metre you clear should work.

You can buy 750g of table salt for as little as 65p in Asda.Don't use the salt found in grit bins as this will be needed to keep the roads clear - unless the council advises otherwise.If you don't have enough salt, you can also use sand or ash.

It won't stop the path icing over as effectively as salt, but will provide good grip underfoot.Pay extra attention to clearing snow and ice from steps and steep pathways - you might need to use more salt on these areas.Don't miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond.