CINCINNATI — Many Tri-State stores are struggling to restock snow supplies after they were wiped out during last week's storm, leaving residents scrambling to find salt, shovels and ice melt.
I spoke with one woman who spent her entire day tracking down the supplies she needed.
"We are completely out of salt," said Shanna Hamm of Ryland Heights. "My husband went around this morning looking for salt and there was none."
After hours of searching, Hamm finally hit the jackpot at Crescent Springs Hardware.
"I am so grateful we were able to find some because I went looking this morning and there was none," Hamm said.
Caiden Ziegelmeier says snow supplies have been in high demand lately at the hardware store.
Watch: What to do if you don't have salt or ice melt
"Especially salt and ice melt, we've been getting nonstop calls about it," Ziegelmeier said.
He already sold out of all snow shovels by midday Monday.
"We started out with a few of 'em, now they're all gone," Ziegelmeier said.
"That was another thing we went looking for — snow shovels. My husband had to order one online, because there were none," Hamm said.
Last week's snowstorm left many shelves bare across the Tri-State, making salt and shovels hard to come by.
Money-saving alternatives to salt
If you've been striking out looking for salt, Ziegelmeier recommends trying calcium chloride pellets.
"Really, the best option right now in our area is going to be to look for calcium," Ziegelmeier said. "Companies aren't necessarily buying large quantities because of the price difference between salt and calcium."
Calcium is more expensive than rock salt upfront, but it can pay off in the long run.
"You're going to be able to find calcium a lot easier, even if the price is a little bit higher, it's still going to work just as well — actually it will work better," Ziegelmeier said.
Key benefits of calcium chloride:
- Doesn't kill your grass
- Works in colder temperatures
- Less harsh on concrete
- Requires fewer applications
Magnesium chloride offers similar benefits to calcium chloride. It can:
- Melts ice at lower temperatures than rock salt
- Lasts longer, meaning fewer applications needed
- More environmentally friendly
To save money, you can also buy larger bags, which cost less per pound and always stock up during clearance sales in March.
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