7. Apply cooking spray to your shoe
Required supplies: nonstick frying spray
Making Cost: $3–$6*
Cooking spray is helpful whether you’re in the kitchen or the garden. Your gardening equipment can benefit from the spray’s nonstick barrier properties in the same way as it does for pots and pans. To lubricate the surface, mist the shovel with cooking spray, vegetable oil, or wax.
Apply some cooking spray to your shovel. Copyright Maxbelchenko/Shutterstock
The fact that soil doesn’t stick will astound you. This trick also works well for wintertime ice and snow shoveling. Though it may cost you a few extra dollars, you can always get a can of WD-40 Big Blast ($8.50) if you want something stronger than cooking spray.