How to Keep Your Steps and Walkway Ice-Free All Winter

4 min read · Thames Valley Snow, London, Ontario

Front steps and walkways are some of the most dangerous surfaces on any property during a London winter, and they're also some of the easiest to neglect since attention naturally goes to the driveway first. A few consistent habits can keep these smaller surfaces safe all season without much extra effort.

Timing your clearing matters more on steps than almost anywhere else. Fresh snow is much easier to clear than snow that's been walked on and compacted into ice, so clearing steps promptly after each snowfall, rather than waiting, prevents that compacted ice layer from forming in the first place. A few passes with a shovel right after snow stops falling saves a lot of chipping work later.

Applying ice melt before a freeze, not just after, is a technique many homeowners overlook. If freezing rain or a hard freeze is in the forecast, a light pre-treatment of your steps can prevent ice from bonding to the concrete surface at all, making any accumulated ice far easier to clear afterward.

Handrails deserve attention too, since an icy handrail defeats the purpose of having one at exactly the moment it's needed most. Wiping down handrails during your ice melt routine, or using rock salt specifically at the base where hands grip during a slip, adds an extra layer of safety.

Choose the Right De-icer

Rock salt works well in mild cold but slows down a lot as temperatures drop, and it can be hard on pets and on newer concrete. Pet-safe products are gentler on paws and surfaces. Whatever you use, a thin, even layer works better than piling it on, and sweeping up leftover granules after a thaw keeps them from being tracked inside.

Fix the Drips First

Many icy steps are caused by water, not snow. Downspouts that empty onto a walkway, or gutters that overflow above the steps, refreeze every night. Redirecting a downspout or clearing a gutter before winter can eliminate a problem spot completely.

Let Someone Else Handle It

If shovelling steps before work is not realistic, Thames Valley Snow offers a walkway plus up to 6 steps as a $175 seasonal add-on to any plan, and pet-safe de-icer as a $120 add-on. Seasonal plans start at $650 with automatic service at 5 cm, and every visit is recorded with timestamped photos. Seniors and front-line workers save 5%.

Clear a Full Path, Not a Strip

A narrow strip shovelled down the middle of a walkway leaves snow banks on both sides that melt during the day and run back across the path, freezing into a sheet of ice overnight. Clearing the full width of the walk, and pushing the snow well back from the edges, gives meltwater somewhere to go other than the surface you walk on. The same idea applies to steps: clear each tread completely, right to the edges, so there is no ridge of packed snow waiting to refreeze.

Mark Edges Before the First Snow

Once a walkway disappears under the first big snowfall, it is easy to lose the line between pavement and lawn. Placing markers along walkway and step edges in late fall makes clearing faster and keeps shovels and equipment off garden beds. We mark driveway edges, steps and drains for our customers before the season starts.

Watch the Freeze-Thaw Days

The most dangerous days for steps are often not the snowiest ones. Mild afternoons followed by a hard overnight freeze turn melted snow into clear ice by morning. On those days a light application of de-icer late in the afternoon, before the temperature drops, prevents the worst of it and makes the morning walk to the car much safer for everyone in the house.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is walkway and step clearing included in a seasonal plan?

It is an add-on. A walkway plus up to 6 steps is $175 for the season on top of the driveway plan.

Is rock salt safe for pets?

Rock salt can irritate paws. If you have pets, ask for our pet-safe de-icer add-on instead.

Want snow off your mind this winter? Request a free quote or call or text (548) 888-8702. You can also read about our residential snow removal and commercial snow removal.

What's included… and what's extra

A Thames Valley Snow seasonal residential plan starts from $650 for a standard driveway. It covers clearing the driveway every time snowfall reaches the trigger depth in your agreement, plus the windrow the city plow leaves at the end of the driveway. Larger driveways are priced on our snow removal prices page.

Popular add-ons, priced per season: walkway and steps $150–175, salting $175, priority service $125, pet-safe salt $120, driveway extension $95 and city sidewalk clearing $90. Add only what your property needs; everything is listed on the quote so there are no surprises. Get your fixed price or call or text (548) 888-8702.