Ready for Ice?

Jugs of ice melters are convenient, but their contents may be confusing. The SafeStep 6300 (left) and SurePaws (right) are both magnesium chloride. The difference? The 6300 weighs 11 pounds while the SurePaws is only 8 pounds. Same exact stuff though. In the middle is the 7300, which is calcium chloride. ANDREW MESSINGER

All-purpose sand is a medium grit and can be found in 40-to-50-pound-bags. It’s one of the two types of sand that is used for traction on ice. ANDREW MESSINGER

Tube sand isn’t a type of sand but the way it’s packaged -- in a tube-like bag that can weigh up to 80 pounds. It can be used to add weight to a vehicle for winter traction or the contents (which can be coarser than all-purpose sand) can be used for traction. ANDREW MESSINGER

A 50-pound bag of rock salt, aka sodium chloride. The least expensive of the ice melters but the one that will do the most damage to everything it comes into contact with. Only use sparingly and never near plants. Rock salt is rock salt no matter whose name is on the bag. ANDREW MESSINGER