It is a salt that is solid at room temperature, and it behaves as a typical ionic halide. It has several common applications such as brine for refrigeration plants, ice and dust control on roads, and in cement.Calcium chloride is used as a firming agent in canned vegetables, to firm soybean curds into tofu, and to make a caviar substitute from vegetable or fruit juices. It's commonly used in sports drinks and other beverages, including bottled water, as an electrolyte.

Calcium chloride is suitable for drying acetone, ethers, numerous esters, aliphatic, olefinic, aromatic and halogenated hydrocarbons, and neutral gases. Since calcium chloride is also available in granular form, it is often used in drying tubes