How To Dissolve Calcium Chloride

Calcium chloride is a water-soluble ionic compound; its chemical formula is CaCl2. It's highly hygroscopic, meaning that it readily absorbs moisture from its environment, so it's sometimes used as a desiccant or drying agent. Its leading use, however, is as a de-icing agent for roads in wintertime, although it's also used in swimming pools, in the manufacture of canned foods, in beer brewing and for a variety of industrial applications. CaCl2 dissolves readily in water, so it won't need any special coaxing to dissolve; be forewarned, however, that it releases heat in the process, so the container will heat up as the compound dissolves.

Step 1

Measure out the amount of calcium chloride you would like to dissolve using the spoon.

Step 2

Add water to the container. The amount of water you'll want depends on how much calcium chloride solution you need (whether you are planning to add it to your pool or your aquarium).

Step 3

Spoon the calcium chloride into the water. It should begin to dissolve rapidly.

Step 4

Stir the solution if you need to speed up the process. Add more water if necessary.