How To Waterproof Your Shoes With A Candle, And 9 Other Winter Hacks | HuffPost Life

We all need these winter tricks!

By

Lifestyle Editor, HuffPost

Slush puddles in the driveway? Snow problem!

Turns out you can make your shoes waterproof in seconds at home, using nothing but candle wax and a hairdryer:

(While this trick works great on most footwear, you might want to use a waterproofing spray for more valuable pairs of shoes.)

What's more, the above winter life hacks video from HouseholdHacker demonstrates how to lube a shovel with cooking spray, allowing it to glide through ice much faster than and pick up more snow with every scoop. Amazing!

Check out the video above -- and this one, while you're at it -- for more game-changing winter life hacks.

Also on HuffPost:

7 Kitchen Hacks To Maximize Space

Give Every Cabinet Door A Dual Purpose(01 of07)

Stick a few adhesive hooks to the inside of each one to hang measuring cups, oven mitts or stand-mixer attachments, like Coordinately Yours blogger Julie Blanner did. You could also add a few adhesive plastic folders—the same kind you'd find at an office-supply store—to hold Tupperware lids, or attach a file organizer to keep cutting boards upright and orderly. (credit:Julie Blanner)

Turn the Side of Your Fridge into a Command Center(02 of07)

Charlotte Smith, who runs the lifestyle blog Ciburbanity, created an organizational hub to make getting ready each morning easier. Four sturdy wood pockets organize bills, magazines and other mail, while a dry-erase board lets everyone see upcoming meetings at a glance. A plastic brochure caddy is just the right size for storing grocery-list notepads, and a mason jar attached to the wall means you're never rummaging through a junk drawer for a pen. (credit:Ciburbanity)

Take Out the Trash (Bags)(03 of07)

A cardboard box of garbage bags can easily take up half of the under-sink cabinet space. Free up some room by mounting a paper-towel holder to the inside of one cabinet, then use it to hang a roll of trash bags. (credit:Samantha Pregenzer of Simply Organized)

Rethink Even Your Most Awkward Spaces(04 of07)

It seems like a magician's trick: Take a six-inch gap between the fridge and the wall, and with a little DIY know-how, double your pantry space. Mallory Nikolaus and Savannah Kokaliares show you how to do exactly that with their step-by-step guide to creating a pull-out shelving unit. It's just the right size for storing canned vegetables, soups, jars of peanut butter and spices. (credit:Classyclutter.net)

Make Cleanup a Little Easier(05 of07)

Blanner recommends taking half an hour to sort your supplies into labeled bins: everyday cleaners, dishwashing goods, specialty cleaners and miscellaneous. You can easily pull out the bin you need for the task at hand -- saving time -- and keep tabs on what you actually have, avoiding that whole three-half-empty-bottles-of-Windex thing (and thus saving you money). (credit:Julie Blanner)

Claim New Counter Space(06 of07)

No matter the size of your kitchen, you can always use an extra prep area. This cutting board fits right on top of the sink and includes a collapsible colander, so you can chop and rinse vegetables all in one place. (credit:Dexas International, Ltd.)

...And Clear Off Even More(07 of07)

Skip the traditional large-knife block and hang a magnetic strip on the wall to store your knives. (If you have tiled walls, consider a compact butcher's block that attaches to the bottom of your upper cabinets.) (credit:Kate Sable of Etch Design Lab)

Related

hplifestyle home hacks Life Hacks winter life hacks lifehacker

Suggest a correction

|

From Our Partner

HuffPost Shopping’s Best Finds

The Best Durable Shoes, According To Zookeepers Who Work In Mud All Day

The Most Comfortable Sandals For Walking All Day, According To Tour Guides Who Live In Them

This $4 Cat Toy Is 'Worth Its Weight In Gold' — And Behaviorists Say There's A Reason

This $4 Cat Toy Is 'Worth Its Weight In Gold' — And Behaviorists Say There's A Reason

The Best Cream Blushes To Give Mature Skin That ‘Natural Glow’

MORE IN LIFE

Parenting

I Hit the Jackpot With The Tradwife Lifestyle Until it All Came Crashing Down

Life

A Shockingly Low Percentage Of People Tip Rideshare Drivers — Here’s The Awful Truth

Parenting

Are You Raising A Member Of The ‘Anxious Generation’?

Wellness

TikTok Claims This Cold Medicine Can Help You Get Pregnant. Is That True?

Travel

If Detroit Isn’t On Your Travel Bucket List, It’s Time To Reconsider

Life

Why Do Millennials Feel Compelled To Write ‘Lol’ After Everything?

Relationships

The Funniest Marriage Tweets To Get You Through This Week

Parenting

40 Too-Real Tweets About Children Playing Musical Instruments

Life

This Shocking True Crime Series Is A Top Show On Netflix Right Now

Shopping

My Holy Grail Skin-Perfecting Cream Is On Rare Sale Right Now

Shopping

9 Stylish Swim Trunks, According To The Best-Dressed Guys We Know

Life

Forget 10,000 Steps A Day — This Is The Number You Should Focus On Instead

Relationships

5 Signs You're Dealing With Unresolved Grief

Shopping

8 Extremely Popular Emotional Support Water Bottles To Keep You Hydrated

Shopping

34 Pieces So Cute That People Might Get A Bit Obsessed With You

Shopping

11 Of Amazon's Bestselling Kitchen Tools For Under $30

Style & Beauty

Massage Therapists Reveal What They Think When You Fall Asleep, Pass Gas Or Worse

Food & Drink

8 Popular Cooking Tools That Chefs Say Are A Waste Of Money

Wellness

The 1 Thing Sleep Doctors Never, Ever Do In The Morning

Shopping

If You’re In Your 30s, Here Are 32 Comfy But Elevated Pieces You Might Fall In Love With

Parenting

Want A Better Relationship With Your Adult Children? Do These 6 Things

Shopping

These 11 Hardworking Beauty Products Are Some Of Amazon's Bestsellers Right Now

Food & Drink

Eliminating These 3 Foods From Your Diet Can Be A Game-Changer For Heart Health

Style & Beauty

Yes, Your Lips Age, Too. Makeup Artists Reveal The Tricks To Wearing Lipstick After 50

Wellness

I'm A Colorectal Cancer Doctor. Here Are 5 Things I'd Never Do.

Parenting

The Funniest Tweets From Parents This Week

Life

The Funniest Tweets From Women This Week

Shopping

This Hair Trimmer That Significantly Reduced My Shaving Time Is On Sale At Amazon Right Now

Wellness

6 Things You Should Do At Night If You Want To Be Happier In The Morning

Parenting

New Data Reveals The Unexpected Feeling 66% Of Parents Experience Regularly

Relationships

This Common Bedtime Habit Might Be Killing Your Relationship

Style & Beauty

What's The Deal With The 'Fake Botox' That's Making Everyone Sick?

Shopping

These Are The Sunscreens Men Tolerate — And Even Better, Actually Like

Wellness

So THAT'S Why Your Voice Sounds Older When You Age

Shopping

This Purse Was Made For Travel — And It's On Sale At The Lowest Price It's Been All Year

Relationships

Why Do We Try To ‘Fix’ People In Our Relationships?

Life

The Common Running Mistake That Might Be Causing You Knee Pain