The most common tool for snow removal, especially in a large capacity, is the snowplow. This can be a large pickup truck with a plow permanently attached, like those used for most states in the Department of Transportation. Alternatively, snow removal can be completed with the help of a personal size pick-up truck or sports utility vehicle (SUV) with a smaller plow attached to the front. Another tool that is sometimes used for snow removal, especially in parking lots and in the country, is a backhoe or loader.
Snow blowers are an increasingly popular choice for snow removal, especially when there is abundant snowfall. Working similarly to the blower hose of a vacuum cleaner, a snow blower removes all loose snow that has not yet become impacted. By removing the loose snow from the top of the area, the property owner or other designated individual can more easily remove the rest of the snow with a shovel or plow. It also removes all loose snow to allow a visual inspection of the underlying snow, which makes it easier to decide whether rock salt needs to be used to melt the underlying ice.
For an individual homeowner, the most common means of snow removal is the snow shovel. Although antiquated in comparison to the snow blower and snowplow, for a small area, it is an efficient tool for snow removal. Sometimes, homeowners choose to purchase a snow blower and combine it with the snow shovel in order to perform snow removal more quickly and easily. This combination also makes it possible for the homeowner to spend less time out in the cold than when using only a shovel. For those who do not own a snow blower, a push broom or any other broom can be used to remove the top layer of snow before using the shovel.
When removing snow from a car, a broom is the most common tool for snow removal. It is used to remove the fine layers of snow on top, and a long handled ice scraper is used to remove the remaining snow. Another possibility is a long handled ice scraper with a brush on one end and a scraper on the other end, but a broom will do just as well if a dual ice scraper is not available.