The Brief
- Snow shovels: Many may lack snow shovels.
- Alternative Snow Removal: Use a broom, leaf blower, salt, homemade de-icer, or tarp to clear snow.
- Safety: Exercise caution when handling wet and heavy snow to avoid injury.
NEW YORK – Here are some ways you can try to remove the snow from your sidewalk and driveway without a shovel from FamilyHandyman.com.
What you can do:
Broom
Grab a broom to clear light snow from your sidewalk, driveway and car. A bristle brush might work better for the powdery flakes. A push broom will probably work better in the heavier snow.
Leaf blower
Turn on the leaf blower to help get the light snow cleared away. This might not work the best with wet and heavy snow. Snow blowers will work too – but they can be expensive.
Salt or ice melt
If you picked up a bag of ice melt from the hardware store, sprinkle it on the sidewalk before the snow – or after the snow falls – to help melt it. Rock salt works well and is usually inexpensive. Make sure to sweep away any excess salt from your walkway.
DIY De-icer
You can make a homemade de-icer with a gallon of hot water, a teaspoon of dish soap, and ½ cup of rubbing alcohol. It’s not as effective as rock salt or ice melt, they say. But it works in a pinch.
Tarp
Lay a tarp down on the ground ahead of the snow. After the snow falls, lift the tarp and dump the snow off to the side. Use care not to injury yourself if the snow is wet and heavy.
For more ways to get rid of snow without a shovel, click FamilyHandyman.com…