How to clear snow from a driveway in the UK
Updated: 21.10.2026
How to clear snow from a driveway in the UK is mostly a question of timing and of what you do with the snow afterwards. The aim is a route down the middle, cleared while the snow is still loose, without water left to freeze and without a pile on the drain. The tool you use comes from the [snow shovel comparison](/hub/garden-tools/snow-shovel). The method below follows the Met Office snow code and GOV.UK’s clear-snow page. A qualifying purchase can earn us a commission at no extra cost to you.
How to clear snow from a driveway in the UK is mostly a question of timing and of what you do with the snow afterwards.
How to clear snow from a driveway in the UK is mostly a question of timing and of what you do with the snow afterwards. The aim is a route down the middle, cleared while the snow is still loose, without water left to freeze and without a pile on the drain. The tool you use comes from the snow shovel comparison. The method below follows the Met Office snow code and GOV.UK’s clear-snow page. A qualifying purchase can earn us a commission at no extra cost to you.
Our top picks
| Badge | Product | Blade | Wear edge | Stated length | Note | Price | Offer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall |  TDBS TDBS collapsible travel snow shovel | 10 × 12.5 in | Metal lip | Collapsible | 5.8 | about £14.99 | View offer |
| Alternative |  Greenfields Greenfields 48.5-inch snow shovel | 16 in, plastic face | Metal lip | 48.5 in | 6.0 | about £21.99 | View offer |
 EarlyGrow EarlyGrow 3-piece plastic snow shovel | Plastic, 43 cm | No | 140 cm | 7.1 | about £16.95 | View offer |
On this page
Clear it while it is loose
Clear snow early, before people have walked it into ice. The Met Office snow code is to deal with fresh snow rather than to wait until it has compacted. If you leave a drive until the afternoon, a plastic blade with no wear strip starts to skate. Start with a path down the middle. GOV.UK says you are unlikely to be sued if you cleared snow carefully, which means you did not make it worse. Do not use water, including hot water. If the drive ices over, choose the wear strip in the snow shovel buying guide before the weather.
Salt, sand, and never water
Salt is for the film that is left, not for the heap you have not shovelled. The Met Office snow code suggests about a tablespoon of table salt or dishwasher salt per square metre. Do not take salt from a council grit bin. If you have no salt, sand or ash gives grip, and sand does not melt ice. Gloucestershire County Council describes a small handful for about a metre. Do not average that handful and the tablespoon into a dose nobody published. If the ice is already a slab, you still have to scrape it. Where a wide scoop fits is on the snow shovel for the driveway page.
Push, then lift a small bite
Push before you lift. A blade full of wet snow is the strain. HSE guidance treats lifting and pushing as loads you plan. ManoMano uses about 5 kg as a guide for one shovelful. That is their figure, not a weight we measured. Turn your feet instead of twisting your back. On a short UK drive, a scoop around 40 cm is plenty if you do not heap it. The snow shovel for the car page is the right place if the snow you care about is around the tyres. Stop when your breathing is the thing you notice.
When to stop
Stop if you have a heart condition. Cardiomyopathy UK tells people with a heart condition to avoid shovelling. Chest pain, pain in the arms or jaw, sudden breathlessness, or feeling faint is a reason to stop and to call 999. The highway authority’s duty under the Highways Act 1980 is not an order that you must clear the pavement. Put snow where it does not block people or drains. Match the tool to the job afterwards: a wear strip if you met crust, a folding shovel if the only job was the car.
Common questions
Can I pour hot water on the step?
Do not pour water on snow or ice, hot or cold. GOV.UK and the Met Office snow code both say not to use water, because it refreezes into a smoother hazard than the snow you removed. Inverclyde Council’s snow code makes the same point about hot water. Use a shovel on the loose snow, then a thin spread of salt, sand, or ash.
How much salt do I need?
The Met Office snow code suggests about a tablespoon of table salt or dishwasher salt per square metre, after you have removed the loose snow. Gloucestershire County Council describes a small handful for about a metre, which is that council’s wording and not the same measure. Do not merge the two into one new dose. Salt does not lift a slab of compacted ice.
Can I take salt from the yellow grit bin?
No. Council grit bins are for treating the roads, and the snow code is explicit that you should not take that salt for a private path. Use table salt or dishwasher salt at about a tablespoon per square metre, or use sand or ash if you need grip and you have no salt. Sand will not melt the ice.
Where should the snow go?
Pile it to the side of the path or drive, where it will not block pedestrians, the pavement, or a drain. The Met Office snow code says not to block people or drains. Do not push the heap into the road, and do not leave it across the entrance so that meltwater runs back over the cleared strip and freezes.
What if I have a heart condition?
Do not shovel if you have a heart condition. Cardiomyopathy UK advises people with a heart condition to avoid shovelling. If you get chest pain, pain in the arm or jaw, sudden breathlessness, or you feel faint while you are outside, stop and call 999.
Related pages
Sources
Public UK sources used for this comparison. Listing prices, stars, and review counts are from amazon.co.uk on 19 October 2026.
- GOV.UK — Clear snow from a road, path or cycleway (retrieved 19.10.2026)
- Met Office — Clearing paths and driveways (retrieved 19.10.2026)
- Met Office — Snow (retrieved 19.10.2026)
- ManoMano UK — Snow shovel buying guide (retrieved 19.10.2026)
- HSE — Manual handling at work (INDG143) (retrieved 19.10.2026)
- Cardiomyopathy UK — Cold weather (retrieved 19.10.2026)
- GOV.UK — General Product Safety Regulations 2005 (retrieved 19.10.2026)
- Local Government Association — Your winter weather questions answered (retrieved 19.10.2026)