How do I melt snow with crap from around the house?
You need something that will lower the freezing temperature of the mixture. Salt is your best bet. I’d be really careful with alcohol; you’re going to be starting an internal combustion engine right next to where you’re pouring alcohol (and its vapor is flammable)! Sugar will work, though not as well. You’re essentially trying to add a substance to the snow that will dissolve in water, thereby throwing off the balance between freezing and melting. ANYTHING that dissolves in water will help do this; salt works best because it’s really cheap. The wesite below has a great detailed explanation and animation allowing you to play around with the model. I find it *really* funny that it’s hosted at frostburg.edu …
