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It’s possible to use a torch to melt ice on your garage door, but we don’t recommend it. It’s very easy to bring the flame too close to the door, which can melt the weather stripping or even the garage door itself. You’ll melt ice quickly with a torch, but the damage you’re likely to cause can end up costing you a few hundred dollars to fix, which isn’t worth it. Instead, we recommend pouring hot water over the frozen area or using a less intense heat source, like a hair dryer or space heater.

You can use hot water to melt ice from your driveway, but there are some serious caveats. Very hot water can quickly melt ice and remove it, which is helpful if you’re very short on time and need a solution ASAP. However, it will only work across a small area, after which there’s a chance the water will freeze again. The sudden clash of temperatures is dangerous for fragile materials, notably windows and other glass, so you’ll want to keep the water away from your car.

Rubbing alcohol may also remove ice from your driveway in a pinch. It has a lower freezing point than water, which expedites the unfreezing process. Pour 70 percent isopropyl alcohol into a quart or half-gallon spray bottle and spray it on your driveway. You do not have to dilute it with water.

The process to winterize your landscaping depends on the plants you have, but generally speaking, you should rake your lawn to avoid leaves from smothering your grass and leading to mold and fungi growth, wrap young trees to protect from fluctuating temperatures, and fertilize your lawn to provide some nutrients for the grass through the colder temperatures. You can also consider marking off small trees and shrubs to avoid accidentally damaging them with snow removal tools.