Driveway safety this winter: a £2 Aldi cat litter may help

A car expert told The Mirror that spreading non-clumping clay cat litter can provide traction on icy driveways, and a 10-litre bag is sold for about £2.18 at Aldi.

Sub-zero temperatures and forecasts of heavy snow have raised concerns about icy driveways and slippery paths. Councils are gritting main roads, but home driveways and smaller roads can be left to residents. The Mirror reports a car expert suggesting a low-cost household item as an aid for traction on icy surfaces. The recommendation focuses on non-clumping clay cat litter used as a grit-like material. Key details: - Graham Conway, managing director of Select Car Leasing, is quoted saying non-clumping clay cat litter provides instant traction underfoot and under tyres when scattered over an icy driveway. - The article notes that, unlike rock salt which melts ice, cat litter acts as tiny grit granules that give grip in very cold temperatures. - A 10-litre bag of cat litter is reported at about £2.18 in Aldi and about £2.19 at Tesco. - The piece also reports other household measures mentioned by the expert, including a three-to-one vinegar-and-water spray for windscreens, covering mirrors overnight with bags, and sliding a doormat or carpet offcut under spinning tyres for traction. - The article refers to weather forecasts of sub-zero temperatures and up to 15 inches of snow in some areas. Summary: The reported use of grit-like household materials is described as a way to add traction on private drives and under tyres during icy conditions. Undetermined at this time.