Transform Your Lawn Mower Into A Salt Spreader With This Smart Trick

Salting long driveways or sidewalks by hand in the winter can be a tiresome, time-consuming task, especially if you are responsible for a large space. Try working smarter and not harder to fight icy build-up. Transform your riding lawn mower into a deicing machine with a salt-spreading towing attachment to keep surfaces around your house safe for dog walkers and mail carriers.

Many common lawn mower brands, like John Deere, offer a towing accessory for dispensing grass seed or weed suppressant on the lawn. But these spreaders can also double as ice-melt dispensers during frigid months. The two-wheeled mini-trailer latches onto the back of your tractor and provides a quick and easy way to salt large areas. The spreader capacities range depending on the brand, but some toss salt across a 10-foot or even 12-foot area as you go, cutting down the time spent outdoors prepping driveways for snowstorms. 

While the Old Farmer's Almanac predicts less precipitation than normal for most areas this year, snow is still likely to fall in many places, especially near the Great Lakes. It's best to salt hard surfaces before heavy snows or freezing rain to help prevent ice from forming. You can also toss salt on hard surfaces after you shovel. You only need about a cup of rock salt for a span of two parking spaces, so a little goes a long way. Though a downside to keep in mind is, ironically, salt only works when it's warm enough. If the pavement temperature drops to negative 16 degrees or lower, salt has a harder time melting the ice.

Before you jump into turning your riding mower into an instant driveway salter, do a little research about what accessories are available for your mower model. Hardware stores also sell generic versions with universal tow hitch attachments. While you're shopping, you might also search for other useful winter add-ons, like a snowplow or even a snowblower, to help remove snow.

Of course, these grass cutters aren't naturally designed to maneuver in wintery conditions, so if you intend to drive them on snow, add chains to the back tires for extra traction. Put extra weight on the back end, too, so you can avoid skidding into a snowbank. If you don't have a riding mower but have been thinking about buying one, winter is actually the perfect time to shop. Often, they're less expensive in the off-season, so you can avoid this common mistake when buying a lawn mower: Waiting until summer to make the purchase. 

Setting up your deicing chariot is pretty easy once you have all of the parts. Then, don't overdo it when salting hard surfaces near your home. Use just the ice melt you absolutely need since rock salt can damage the concrete in your driveway and the grass in your yard. Salt can kill weeds, but it can also wither flowers, too. It's even worse if too much seeps into nearby ponds or lakes because it will hurt fish and wildlife, so you need to be responsible in your salt use.