Tips for Shoveling Snow

No one wants to do it. It’s a hassel and you end up with a sore back. But, by checking out our tips for shoveling snow, you can save yourself some time and pain! 

1. Cooking Oil

Out of all the tips for shoveling snow, this is probably the most handy! Cooking oil is one of those items that has oh-so-many uses! It makes a mean coating for pan frying a tortilla to a quick fix for silencing a squeaky door hinge. But one of the greatest uses for household kitchen Pam spray may be spritzing it on your snow shovel prior to use. Just like if used for a pan or grilling spray, coating your shovel right before the deed will let the snow slide right off!

2. Tarp it Beforehand

This may sound like a no brainer, but it takes some forethought. If you have an area that you don’t want to get snowy, simply lay a tarp down before the snow. Afterwards, pick up the tarp and there you have it: a snow free area! Items like this are very handy when it comes to car windshields. There are a variety of windshield snow covers from ones that cover your mirrors and are shut in the car door to prevent sliding. *don’t expect this trick to work in a couple feet of snow. A couple inches is probably the max recommended amount for this tip to work properly. Don’t throw out your back trying to pick up a heavily snowed upon tarp or windshield cover! 

3. Deicer Cocktail

Ice layers are a pain to remove. You have to be just at the right angle and apply just the right amount of pressure. The easiest way to safely remove ice from cars, sidewalks, or driveways is get a deicer spray. You can also make one yourself. For deicers after a storm, the longer you let them sit on the ice the better they will work. Thicker ice will require some help to remove from a scrapper, but the effort you will have to use will be minimal.

Before a storm use: 3 parts white or cleaning vinegar and one part water to sidewalks and driveways to make snow and ice removal easier. (avoid runoff into your landscaping.)

After a storm use: 2 parts rubbing alcohol, 70% or higher, to one part water to keep sidewalks and steps from icing up again. Another variation is two parts rubbing alcohol 70% or higher, one part water, and add .5 teaspoons of liquid dish soap for every two cups made. Shake well.

4. Tried and True Salt Water

 If you’re not a huge fan of having to measure a bunch or having everything already planned out before a storm hits, there is one way that has worked time and time again. Although corrosive over time for the car hood and roof, good ole salt water will deice your windshield. Try and keep this method on the glass of the vehicle and use room temperature water or else you run the risk of cracking your glass. Hot water in cold temps is a glass buster.

5. Electric Snow Shovel (for those smaller jobs)

Electric snow blowers are a thing; we all knew that. They can be quiet and some are battery powered while others plug in, but they can get bulky. Enter: the electric snow shovel! Yes, the electric snowblower and snow shovel use the same premise, but the effort to use either is very different. The electric snow shovel acts more like you are pushing a vacuum with some weight in at around twelve pounds (about the weight of a vacuum). The motion is the same also. If you really don’t need a honking snowblower for your home, but your back just doesn’t like the standard shoveling, look into an electric snow shovel to do the heavy lifting for you!

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