For Light Snow, Use a Brush Instead of a Shovel
As I write this, it is snowing outside my house in eastern Pennsylvania. Again. It’s been snowing for so long it’s almost comical – except we walked past “where can we even put this?” stage many days ago and it still continues to fall. However, I know that this snowfall means that very soon my husband will put on his coat and boots and go outside to sweep them. Because a broom – if you have the right one – may even be better than a shovel when you have a couple of inches of powdery substance.
Under the right conditions, sweeping rather than a shovel can be more effective and much easier on your back. To get started, you’ll need a stiff-bristled broom, such as a push or corn broom like this . A soft-bristled broom , such as the one you probably use for sweeping in the kitchen, might work as a last resort, but is not as effective on textured surfaces like sidewalks and driveways.
Sweeping snow works better with dry powdery material than with heavy wet material. It works best if you get to it before it reaches more than two or three inches, because after that it becomes too heavy to be swept away effectively. And it’s best to sweep it up before going through it, because after going through it, you’ve already started folding it. We have a corn broom that works especially well on the porch, steps and walkways that lead to our house, which can be swept in minutes.
Push brushes are also good tools for removing a lot of snow from the roof of your car – just be careful to push only the snow so that those stiff bristles don’t do their job too well and scratch the paint.
When you’re done, remember to store the broom with the bristles facing up to avoid unwanted bending that will shorten the life of your new favorite snow blower.