10 Hacks for Removing Snow and Ice

Nobody likes to remove snow and ice. Seriously, when was the last time you heard someone say, “Hey for Spring Break, let’s go somewhere really cold, so we can spend a week removing snow and ice!”

To make the whole process a little more bearable, we have assembled 10 hacks for removing snow and ice.

1. Cooking Spray
Wet, heavy snow is the worst. Not only is it back pain waiting to happen, it wants to stick to your shovel, so you have to try harder to actually get the snow off the shovel. As if, you know, shoveling snow wasn’t already everyone’s least favorite form of exercise. Next time you have this problem, spray some cooking spray on your shovel head and wait a few minutes. It will form a Teflon-like surface that helps the snow slide right off! You’ll want to be sure to wipe your shovel off before you put it away.

2. Shovel More Frequently
I know, I know. Shoveling more sounds counter-intuitive. The reality is that if you sit out a heavy snow so you only have to shovel it once at the end, you are making things way more difficult for yourself. Honestly, people actually die from doing stuff like that. Instead, keep a schedule where you shovel small amounts more frequently. Your heart and your back will both thank you when all is said and done.

3. Shoes, Then Socks
One of the biggest challenges to shoveling snow can be when everything is slick and slippery. When you can’t get a decent footing, it can be difficult to get a solid base under you so you can use your legs more. Keep a few pairs of socks large enough to go over your shoes/boots. The texture of the socks can help prevent excess slipping. It might look silly, but I’d rather look silly than spend the rest of the day with a sore back or bruised tailbone.

4. Mega Melt
Often, as you are shoveling snow, you’ll find that there is a layer of ice beneath it. Always be sure to keep de-icers on hand. We wrote a pretty thorough post on de-icers if you want to review your options. If you are unable to get out to pick up some de-icer, combine 1 tsp. of dish soap, 1 tbsp. of rubbing alcohol and 1/2 gal. of water in a bucket. Then just pour it in the spots that need the most help.

5. Get the Scoop
Snow scoops are a great alternative to snow shovels. They can collect way more snow at a pass. They have crossbars, which allows you to grip the scoop in several different ways to leverage your body weight in your fight against the snow. The back of the scoop is also sturdy enough to allow you to use a foot for extra oomph in those difficult spots.

6. Tarps Aren’t Just of Moving Raked Leaves
If your shovel is indisposed (or even nonexistent) and you don’t have a snow blower—really, if you don’t have a shovel, the odds are you don’t have a snow blower, either—it’s time to get creative.

If you have a large tarp, like the one you use for transporting large piles of raked leaves or covering your woodpile, you can lay it over exposed sections of driveway, sidewalk, or even your car! After the snow stops, just pull the tarp back and voila!

7. Two Words: Leaf. Blower.
Leaf blowers don’t have to be just for leaves. If you get a dusting of relatively light snow, your leaf blower will peel that stuff off your driveway and sidewalks like a Band Aid®… only without that painful yanking on your arm hair.

8. Snow Blowing: Smarter Not Harder
The ideal way to blow snow from your driveway is to start right in the middle and set the chute to blow snow towards one edge of the driveway. After you finish the first pass, do a U-turn and come right back down the driveway next to the path you just blew. Keep doing this on alternate sides of the original path and you shouldn’t have to adjust the chute or blow over snow that you already moved from one part of the driveway.

9. Yes, the Wet/Dry Vac
Your first inclination might be to suck up the snow and just dump it somewhere else. Don’t; that’s dumb. Instead, hook the hose up to the exhaust of your unit and create a makeshift blower. Then just use it like you would a leaf blower.

10. Shovel Attachments
These nifty gadgets allow you to add a second handle along the shaft of a shovel so you can get a better hand position. There are a few of these on the market, so do your homework. They all, however, claim they can attach and detach quickly for fast adjustments. Handy!

In Conclusion
If you or someone you know is in need of commercial snow removal services, don’t hesitate to contact us online or give us a call at (517) 990-0110 today!