With winter comes the inevitable snow shoveling, and with snow shoveling comes back pain, wasted time, and a feeling of dread knowing you're probably going to have to do it again later in the week.

I can't promise to give you life hacks to make you enjoy shoveling snow, but I can promise that implementing these tips & tricks will make it just a little bit more bearable.

4. Coat Your Snow Shovels with Cooking Spray

 

 

 

Shoveling snow is already a pain as it is, but it's difficulty increases tenfold when the snow hardens and sticks. I know I hate it when I go to chuck a hunk of snow off of my shovel only to have it stick, and therefore throw out my back.

A simple solution to this is to spray your snow shovels with cooking spray. Not only will it prevent the snow from sticking, but it will also help you move through the snow faster. 

Just remember to wipe the oil off of the shovel before you put it back in the garage to prevent oil from collecting on the floor and creating a slip hazard.

 

3. Use Science to Eliminate Stubborn Ice

 

 

 (No, not quite like that, but close)

We all know that ice melting salt works, but it isn't cheap and goes fast. Plus it's a pain to lug around those heavy bags.

An affordable alternative to ice melting salt is a simple science experiment.

Combine 1 teaspoon of dish soap, 1 tablespoon of rubbing alcohol, and 1/2 gallon of water in a bucket. Pour the mixture wherever there are stubborn patches of ice and watch it melt away without having to melt a hole in your wallet.

 

2. Skip the Shovel Altogether

 

 

 

If you're one capable of planning ahead (unlike myself), then lay down a plastic ground tarp over areas that require snow removal before the storm.

Place ground spikes on the two corners of the tarp where you want the snow to be pushed off onto.

Once the snow stops, grab one corner of the tarp and have someone else grab the other corner, and flip the snow off of the tarp onto the side of the area that requires clearing. Voila! You just saved yourself a whole lot of time & a back ache.

 

1. Use Heated Socks to Prevent Your Toes from Freezing

 

It's amazing that no matter how hard I shoveled snow, my toes would always get frozen. I'm pretty much a human furnace with how much body heat I generate, but I can never manage to send that heat to my toes.

It would make shoveling snow that much more of an annoyance.

Although my FNDN Heated 3.7V Sports Socks don't make shoveling snow easier, they do help make it much more bearable.

 

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Do you have any snow shoveling tips I missed that you'd like to share?

Let me know in the comments!

Dan
Author
FNDN