WASHINGTON, DC (WUSA9) -- If you haven't been able to track down some salt to melt icy, slippery mess around your home, you're in luck. You might have something right in your kitchen that can help.
So, we went out on the WUSA 9 Weather Terrace to put some household products to the test.
We've got some windshield wiper fluid, bleach, baking soda, household salt, rubbing alcohol and soy sauce.
We started our unscientific test with windshield wiper fluid, then went straight down the line adding bleach.
Next we sprinkle a little of the baking soda. The soy sauce was next, followed by the rubbing alcohol and several shakes of table salt. Then, we let them marinade in the sun to see if they work in a pinch.
It was time to check the results. We let these substances sit for about 10 minutes and then, of course, Mother Nature did a little work, too.
So, can the fluid that keeps your windshield clear work wonders on the ground? It's working pretty good.
Now the bleach. We gotta work a little harder with our sticks to get the ice off. The baking soda just made a baking soda mess. It didn't do a thing.
The high sodium content in the soy sauce could explain why it worked for us, too.
And with a little work, the rubbing alcohol also did the trick. But, the good old fashioned table salt appeared to do the best of all.
So, if you're keeping track, five of the six products worked.
The windshield wiper fluid, bleach, soy sauce, rubbing alcohol and salt. Bleach is not something we'd recommend though, because it's toxic to plants and can tear up your driveway.
The baking soda was a bust. And some people think kitty litter can melt ice, but it's really just something that can help you with traction.
While fertilizer is mentioned by some as a good deicer, we decided not to try it because of its environmental impact.
