De-Icing Salt: Summer Storage Tips
Do you have any de-icing salt left over from last winter? Or are you planning to buy some early to take advantage of the summer deals?
Either way, storing your salt properly during the warmer months is the key to keeping it effective and ready for use when the cold weather returns.
1. Why Does Summer Salt Storage Matter?
Storing rock and white de-icing salt properly is especially important during UK summers because of its humid climate and increased sunlight levels.
The UK is surrounded by the ocean and seas, so summers are often humid. This can be a problem as salt naturally pulls moisture from the air. Because of this, if left out or not stored properly during this time, it can clump together. This makes it harder to spread evenly, causing it to be less effective. In some cases, it can even harden into a solid block that needs to be broken up before use, which can be time-consuming and difficult to do.
Strong sunlight, especially during a heatwave, can also damage salt. It can cause clumping and weaken the packaging - especially if the salt comes in a bulk or plastic bag - often causing it to tear or split over time.
Storing salt the right way helps prevent these problems, keeping it in good condition and ready to use whenever it’s needed.
2. Inspect Your Current Stock
Inspect any leftover stock you may have for signs of moisture.
To do this, simply take a handful of salt and run it through your fingers. It should be clump-free and feel dry to the touch. If the salt feels damp or sticks together, it may have absorbed some moisture.
If the leftover salt is in a sealed bag, focus instead on checking the condition of the packaging. Inspect it closely, looking out for any tears or holes that could allow moisture to get in. Do this for all the bags you have, making sure to mark any damaged ones or set them aside. Since the packaging no longer provides watertight storage, you will need to store your de-icing salt another way.
It is also good practice to always use the oldest salt first, as it has been stored for a longer period and had more time to potentially absorb moisture. To help with this, keep the older salt separate so it does not mix with any new salt you may purchase later on.
3. Choose the Right Storage Method
There are two main ways to store your salt - keeping it in a sealed, unopened bag or using a grit bin.
If you purchase either a 10kg or larger pack of white or rock salt, it will be delivered in a sealed bag that keeps it dry and safe from moisture. While this is an effective storage method, once the bag is opened, moisture can get in and affect the quality of the salt. Because of this, it is important to use the salt soon after opening. Alternatively, if you want to keep any leftover salt for future use, or if the bag gets damaged, it is best to transfer the salt to a grit bin to keep it dry and effective.
Grit bins - also known as salt bins or grit salt bins - are the best way to store salt long term. These outdoor containers are made specifically for storing de-icing salt securely, keeping it dry and free from clumps.
Grit bins can store both rock salt and white salt and are available in a range of sizes, from as small as 30 litres to as large as 500 litres. They also come in various colours, with yellow being the most popular, as it makes them easy to spot even during bad weather.
To learn more about them, check out our ‘Grit Bin: A Winter Essential’ blog.
4. Pick the Right Location
Picking the right location is just as important as choosing the right way to store your items.
For sealed bags, it is important to keep them in a cool, dry place that is protected from rain and sunlight in the summer. This helps to reduce the risk of damage to the packaging and lowers the amount of moisture the bags are exposed to.
Avoid places like car boots and conservatories (unless they are very well ventilated), as these can get very hot because of poor airflow. Damp basements should also be avoided, as they often have high humidity levels.
Instead, garages, sheds, and utility rooms are usually better choices.
Grit bins, on the other hand, are made from UV-resistant materials and keep moisture out. This makes them suitable for storing de-icing salt outside and should be placed in areas that get a lot of foot or vehicle traffic in winter, such as car parks, building entrances, and walkways, so that they are easy to access when needed.
Depending on where you put the grit bin, you may need a lockable or non-lockable model. If the bin is in a public or open area and might be easily accessed by the public, a lockable bin is best to help prevent theft. However, if it is on private land, like your own driveway or your business's property that is not easily accessible, then a lockable bin might not be needed.
As UK summers are often humid, it’s important to take the right steps to stop moisture and sunlight from affecting your de-icing salt and reducing its quality.
This means storing sealed salt bags in a cool, dry place, and keeping any loose salt in a grit bin. It is also a good idea to check both the bags and the grit bin regularly for any signs of damage. This helps to keep the salt in good condition and ready to use when winter returns.
