Home
Fact-checked

At HomeQuestionsAnswered, we're committed to delivering accurate, trustworthy information. Our expert-authored content is rigorously fact-checked and sourced from credible authorities. Discover how we uphold the highest standards in providing you with reliable knowledge.

Learn more...

What is Magic Salt™?

Troy Holmes
Troy Holmes

Ice-melting products are special chemicals used to melt ice from walkways, roads, and sidewalks. Magic Salt™ is a brand name type of ice-melting chemical that works at colder temperatures than normal rock salt products. It is made from chemicals that are pre-wetted, which is known to work faster and at lower temperatures than dry rock salt material.

Standard rock salt and sand mixtures are typically used by government road crews during the winter months to treat the road surfaces. These products lower the temperature at which ice forms on the road. Standard salt can lower the freezing temperature to about 15 degrees Fahrenheit (-9 degrees Celsius). The chemicals in Magic Salt™ can lower this freezing temperature to a much lower -35 degrees Fahrenheit (-37 degrees Celsius).

Magic Salt may be used in combination with snow shoveling.
Magic Salt may be used in combination with snow shoveling.

Magic Salt™ is made from a proprietary mixture of magnesium chloride and other products. This magnesium is minimally corrosive on concrete and steel, which makes it better for ice-melt treatments of sidewalks and walkways. Many road crews use a liquid mixture of magnesium to treat roads before inclement weather begins.

A standard rock salt pile can be easily converted into a Magic Salt™ pile. This is accomplished by applying a liquid form of Magic Salt™ to the existing rock salt pile. This creates a chemical bond on the salt, which converts the ice melt into the Magic Salt™ formula.

Magic Salt lowers the freezing temperature below that of salt mixtures typically used on icy roads.
Magic Salt lowers the freezing temperature below that of salt mixtures typically used on icy roads.

A pre-wetted ice-melt product works faster than a dry product because the chemicals are distributed in a liquid form. This reduces the time necessary to convert salt crystals into salt water. All Magic Salt™ is dispensed in this pre-wetted form, which makes it a faster acting product than dry rock salt.

Magic Salt™ is more expensive then basic rock salt, but it can be applied at lower volumes. This makes it more cost effective in the long run because fewer applications are required. On average, this type of ice melt requires about 50 percent less raw material than normal rock salt. This will reduce the fuel and time required to dispense the raw material onto the roads.

Placing salt on the roads can make driving safer during the winter.
Placing salt on the roads can make driving safer during the winter.

This special Magic Salt™ ice melt can be purchased in either bulk volumes or individual prepackaged bags. The bags are available in either 25-pound (11.33 km) or 50-pound(22.67 km) packages. These are typically used for sidewalks or walkways that are unreachable by trucks.

Discussion Comments

Ruggercat68

I usually keep a bag of Magic Salt near the front door so I can toss it on the walkway and stoop in winter. Regular rock salt does a pretty good job at first, but then the water stars refreezing again when it's 0 degrees outside. The Magic Salt treated walkways stay slushy, and visitors can usually walk safely through slush.

Buster29

Growing up in Ohio, I always heard the snow crews had to switch from regular rock salt to something else whenever the air got below a certain temperature. Now I know what that other chemical was, thanks to this article. I remember the mayor used to get upset during deep freezes because he had to use so much of the Magic Salt on the streets. It wasn't cheap.

Post your comments
Login:
Forgot password?
Register:
    • Magic Salt may be used in combination with snow shoveling.
      By: zest_marina
      Magic Salt may be used in combination with snow shoveling.
    • Magic Salt lowers the freezing temperature below that of salt mixtures typically used on icy roads.
      By: Gudellaphoto
      Magic Salt lowers the freezing temperature below that of salt mixtures typically used on icy roads.
    • Placing salt on the roads can make driving safer during the winter.
      By: Petersen
      Placing salt on the roads can make driving safer during the winter.