Winter is here and its time to get out all of your snow removal gear. That includes snow shovels, brooms, ice scrapers, salt, snow blowers, etc. All equipment should be inspected and prep before the season gets started. Anything that isn’t in good working order should be replaced. Don’t wait until the last minute when there’s a run on these items at the local hardware store.
Shoveling snow is one of my least favorite tasks when it comes to winter weather. It’s hard on your back, legs, knees and hips. I’m not the type of person who enjoys being outside in freezing cold temperatures working my butt off removing snow from the driveway and sidewalks.
Depending on the type of precipitation, moisture in the air, and temperatures…snow and ice can stick to your shovel making that task a lot harder than it has to be. To make things a whole lot easier you want to be prepared before the first snowfall even arrives.
Give all of your shovels a good overall cleaning. I do it in late fall with a non-toxic liquid cleaner and my garden hose. Remove all dirt, debris, and residue. Let them completely air dry.
Our local Dollar Tree store sells non-stick baking spray for a buck a can. At the start of the season I pick up two or three of them. Why? Because they’re perfect for turning your snow shovel into a non-stick surface.
Lightly spray the front and back of the shovel with the non-stick spray. Let it dry. The next day hit it with a second coating. Let dry. It’s now ready for the first snowfall. The ice and snow should slide right off of the shovel making the task easier (and lighter) to complete.
Every few weeks (depending on how much snowfall you get) you will need to repeat the process of prepping your shovel with the non-stick spray. This is why I pick up 2-3 cans at the beginning of the season. You can find all kinds of great tips and videos online on how you should correctly shovel snow and ice to prevent back injuries and heart attacks. Important to read them on a yearly basis.
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This is such a great tip. Since I use non stick baking spray on utensils and containers when I bake I am surprised I did not think of this before reading your article.
I don’t like the sticky kind of snow that sticks to the shovel. Makes shoveling so much harder. We’ve tried using non-stick baking spray and it works great.
That is such a helpful hint that I have never heard before. We don’t get lots of snow but when we do it is wet and heavy and difficult to shovel. This will make it easier.
That’s a great tip for keeping snow off your shovels. Thank goodness I live in a townhouse and don’t have to shovel at all.