A Handy Item From Your Kitchen Will Make Shoveling Snow Easier Than Ever

Waking up to see the world cloaked in a thick layer of snow might remind you of idealistic and romantic Hallmark movies, but it would also signal the commencement of shovel season. Even though the activity doesn't scream fun, shoveling snow from your driveway is essential to prevent it from turning slippery and hazardous. However, this back-breaking task can take you longer to tick off your day's to-do list if snow constantly keeps sticking to the shovel, weighing it down. Luckily, you can use a handy item from your kitchen — wax paper — as a lubricant to make driveway snow removal easier.

During winter, when the temperature turns freezing, snow melts slightly when it encounters the shovel's metal surface. But this isn't the problematic part. The infamous snow-sticking-to-the-shovel phenomenon happens when the blade's substantial mass and the pressure you put into shoveling force the melted snow to press together and refreeze on its way off the blade. This mechanical process blends the snow and your shovel's edge together, making shoveling snow more tedious and time-consuming.

Begin by getting your shovel out from the shed and a roll of wax paper from your kitchen. If you don't have a roll handy, you can purchase a 75-square foot Cut-Rite wax paper roll by Reynolds Kitchens for under $3 from Amazon. Once you've got both the items, rub the edge of the blade with the wax paper to create a polished surface. This hack will make the snow slide off the shovel's surface and prevent it from sticking. It'll also cut down the time you'd otherwise spend scraping the snow off the metal blade every few minutes and make snow removal a snap.

Wax paper works as an excellent lubricant for your shovel because it is moisture-resistant and glazed in three layers of wax — usually paraffin or soybean. These properties help prevent mechanical interlocking between the melted ice and the shovel surface and keep snow from gluing itself to it. However, don't forget to rub the surface with this paper again as soon as snow begins clinging to it. You can also use this trick to prevent snow from sticking to your sled's underside.