To make it easier for you to dip your toes in the water, we scoured through hundreds of DIY projects that are doable and will fit a tight budget.
How to Balance A Wobbly Chair
If you're plagued by that wobbly chair every time you sit on it, then it's time to level it by building up that shorter leg. Don't bother sawing down the other legs- which can be time-consuming to get right.
Simply place your chair on a flat surface and slide off-cuts of wood underneath until stable. When you've found the right fit draw a circle, so you know where to cut, and then you'll be ready to glue it in place.
Replace Your Own Toilet
Instead of paying a pretty penny for someone else to replace your toilet, why not save some money by doing it yourself? If you have all the tools, it's not as complicated as it seems.
You'll need to take some measurements and buy the new bolts to set it in place, but with so many helpful tutorials online, you can do it faster and with fewer problems while also saving yourself some money.
Seal Drafty Windows
Air escaping in or out between the gaps of your window isn't ideal for you or your budget. But you can cut down on the chill and your heating bills by sealing them better, especially in the colder months of winter. Checking your window seals is a must, as they can drain your home of warmth if left unchecked.
Inspect the seal around the windows, you can test this by using an incense stick to check for leaks by directing the smoke in the tested area. This will make it easier to identify the source of the problem, and all you need to do is use some sealant in the drafty area.
Unclog Your Own Dishwasher
Is there anything more frustrating than a dishwasher that isn't draining? Fortunately, there are a few surefire tips to help you unclog your dishwasher and save a call-out fee. First, you'll need to check that the filter is clear of scraps and make sure that the drain and drain host are also unaffected.
Suppose you find that something is actually jammed in your dishwasher. If that's the case, you might need to call in a professional, as it will get complicated and involve dismantling your device only to reassemble it back together again.
Repair Those Creaky Stairs
Constant walking up and down stairs can gradually cause the nails to loosen and move the joints, making them creak. Sprinkle some talc powder onto the joint where it squeaks, and if the noise persists, work on securing the joints.
Sealant fixtures are incorporated between the step and the vertical surface of the stair: lever away the blocks, insert wood glue into the joint, and refit the blocks.
Refinish Your Own Hardwood
Nothing screams "cheap" like worn-out hardwood floors, but you can quickly remedy this if you have a day or two to set aside to refinish them. You don't necessarily need to sand them down, it's only necessary if the floor is battered enough to warrant some buffing, visit your local hardware store and see if you can rent the equipment for a few hours.
After that, you'll need some liquid floor cleaner and a Polyurethane floor finish. Be sure to try it out on a test area first before you start a full-scale project.
Unblock a Clogged Shower Drain
If you find the water in your shower is sluggish to drain away, you'' want to handle it before it causes a full blockage and results in an overflow into your bathroom.
If there is a shower tray, you can easily lift it out and clear away any debris, which is mostly shed hair. Otherwise, you can use a piece of wire and bend over one end in the shape of a hook. Pull out the clog, then use a plunger until water flows freely.
Remove Worn-Out Wallpaper
Nothing ruins the illusion of a nice apartment like old-fashioned wallpaper. So if Aunt Margaret's floral choice has plagued your plans to decorate since 1979, then rest assured because removing that wallpaper is perfectly doable.
All you'll need is soapy water and a steamer or chemical stripper. Soon enough, your walls will be ready for new wallpaper patterns or another coat of paint.
Repairing Walls
Drywall is everywhere, and it is regrettably easy to damage. You could wreck your walls with a doorknob, a misguided drawer, or a spontaneous baseball game that ends with a big gash in your wall. Thankfully, repairing drywall isn't quantum physics, and the average dent in your drywall can be easily patched.
It's also pretty straightforward to repair cracks. With a little joint compound and a few pats of paint, even a total beginner can patch that unsightly dent in your drywall.
Polish Old Furniture
Your old furniture that was handcrafted and passed down from your grandparents might be full of character, or it might just be in need of a little TLC.
If your favorite antique chair or coffee table looks a little worse for wear and doesn't look as it once did, then you should consider polishing the wood so that your treasured old items will still look like they're in good condition.
Reinforce Handles and Doorknobs
Sometimes handles and doorknobs are screwed into wood and, after regular use, can eventually become loose and enlarge the gaps.
The best way to beat this is to push wood filler into the gaps or off-cuts of wood dipped in wood glue. Metal handles often have a small rod that goes through the wood, which can easily be tightened with a spanner.
Fixing Sticky Drawers
Dresser drawers that require brute strength to open or close and need mending sooner rather than later to avoid them from breaking or the handle from shearing off. First, check that nothing has slipped out and lodged itself at the back of your drawer.
The undersides of the drawer can swell from moisture or become rough with regular use. All you need to do is smooth the surfaces with sandpaper, and if it's natural wood, it can be varnished or oiled for weatherproofing.
Fix Loud Cabinet Doors
Everyone needs a cabinet door to hide all the stuff that doesn't belong anywhere else, but there's no reason for it to close with a bang every time you retrieve something. Peel-and-stick adhesives are your solutions for noisy kitchen cabinets.
You can find a pack of 20 at your local hardware store, or you can order some online. Before sticking them on, just make sure the surface is clean before you place a sticker at each corner of the cabinet doors.
Fix a Wallpaper Seam
You may have redecorated your home with new wallpaper, but now you see there's a seam that coming undone. Restore the area around the gap with a cloth dampened with warm water.
Hold the cloth over the area for a few minutes, and then carefully unfurl the breach a little more so you'll have room to squeeze in the sealer. Once you're done, you can press the paper to the wall with a roller and clean off the excess sealer with a sponge.
Open a Stuck Window
When painting the frames of a window, move it regularly to prevent it from getting stuck while the paint dries. If it does, however, become stuck, score along the edges with a craft knife, then use a filling knife between the sash and the beads – this might require easing it from both sides.
Once you've done that, you can take hold of the meeting rail and jostle the sash to break the paint seal.
Reglazing Your Windows
Rather than rip out and replace all your old windows with brand-new ones, consider a quick and inexpensive renovation by repairing them yourself.
While it can be a tad time-consuming, with just a handful of supplies, you'll be prepared to reglaze every old window in your house. We suggest prioritizing the project by room, removing the windows one at a time to repaint and reglaze.
Easing an Awkward Key
Don't give up on that key that won't budge, you can remedy it with the lead of a pencil! Just sand over the teeth of your key with a pencil, this should coat it generously with graphite until the key glides in smoothly.
Some people even suggest using the lubricating spray, but be wary of using oils in your locks, which can attract only dirt and clog the lock.
Fix a Cabinet Door Catch
Most cabinets nowadays have sprung door catches to pull doors in, but older ones usually have magnetic steel hinges that loosen and eventually skew.
If this happens to be the case in your home, inspect the non-magnetic part, which is fastened by two screws, this could be what's causing it to become unaligned. If it has, then you can retighten the screws, which you might need to do a few times until it closes again tightly.
Unclog Dryer Vents
For those who have a dryer at home, you should check that your vents are clean and free of any debris, otherwise, you could be at risk of a fire hazard. Luckily, you can clear your dryer vent in just two easy steps, and while it may seem moderately dangerous, it’s actually fairly straightforward.
All you need to disconnect the vent from the dryer and then remove any visible lint and fibers. Then just reconnect it, and you're ready to go.
Defrost Water Pipes
Water pipes are, by nature, very important to the smooth functioning of your home's sanitation system, but they are also easily forgotten. If you find your water pipes end up frozen, you can defrost them in a jiffy.
All you need is a hairdryer and some common sense. Before you begin, you want to turn off the mains stopcock, and once you have established that there is no sign of a leak in the pipe, you can very blow a hairdryer over the frozen section of the pipe.
Replace a Showerhead
A new showerhead might just change your life. No, really, we all know how annoying a low-pressure shower stream onto your ceiling, your shower curtain, and sometimes your body can be.
So why not upgrade and never look back? Worried about replacing it? Don't be. You simply need to unscrew the old one, fling on some pipe thread tape, and screw on the new one.
Remove Water Stains
Believe us when we say no one cares for water stains on ceilings. No one. But now you’ll never have to think about another water stain again if you combine one cup of bleaching powder and three cups of warm water and spray it on the stained area.
Not only will this help remove stains, but this will also keep any remaining mold or grime away.
Repairing and Replacing Doors
All sorts of problems can befall your doors at home, especially older doors that haven't been maintained and start to stick or loosen at the hinges.
From replacing the lock to installing door seals, there's a treasure trove of DIY homeowner content, so before you think, “I don't even know where to begin,” do a quick search and see if somebody else has already figured it out for you.
Fix Leaking Pipes
Fixing a water pipe might sound like an intimidating project, but it doesn't have to be! There are easy ways to find and stop common water leaks before they corrode your pipes and cause further damage to your plumbing.
You'll find most of these leaks around your sinks and toilets. The tools you’ll need for this how-to project vary a little depending on the faucet you’re planning to repair, so be sure to do enough research beforehand.
Maintaining Your Stopcock
The main stopcock can usually be found beneath a sink, usually in the kitchen, or sometimes even outside. Find out where yours is, and be sure to spray it with release oil twice a year.
Once you've done that, you can turn it off and on again a few times, and once it is completely off, turn it back only a quarter turn so that it is less likely to seize up in the future.
Olive Oil For Door Hinges
While we're on the subject of troublesome hinges, it's useful to know that there is no need to purchase any pricey oil, which will likely cost you an arm and a leg.
Use olive oil instead! Drip a smidgen of olive oil over the hinges; this technique works best when used with a pipette. With enough oil, the hinge will open smoothly, and there will be no creaks anymore!
Scrub Away Wood Scuffs
It’s might be tempting to buy new furniture whenever you see your wooden table has been scuffed — but unsurprisingly, it can get pretty expensive to replace each and every wooden item that has a scratch.
This is where walnuts come in. Besides being nutritious additions to your carrot cake, walnuts work well to improve the look of scuffed wood. Simply rub a walnut into the scratches, and they'll magically fade away.
Install Your Own Ceiling Fan
This seems could be a daunting, if not dangerous, task to accomplish, but it’s actually simple if you have all the right tools. You’ll need a new fan (obviously), a voltage tester (so you don't get electrocuted), and a screwdriver, and depending on where your fan will be installed, you might need a ceiling fan brace.
Follow the manufacturer's directions on how to install it, and you can have a new fan up in under 30 minutes.
How to Handle a Power Outtage
If you suddenly find yourself in complete darkness, it could mean that your power went out, but don't panic! The first thing you should do is see if your neighbors are also affected. If it is, then call the local distribution company to find out when your power will be restored. If not, then try resetting the tripped switch on your switchboard.
But if the power goes out again, you might have a defective appliance. You can identify the issue by resetting the trip switch and turning each one on one by one. Check the plug of the faulty trip switch and see which appliance it is. Move the appliance to another socket, if it's still tripping the power, then the fault is with the appliance and not the socket.
Install Isolating Valves
If you're about to do some renovations or have plans for plumbing alterations, then it's best to ensure that each faucet is fitted with an isolating valve.
Isolation valves are crucial in any plumbing system as they can easily turn off the water flow for a specific section. Isolating valves can save a lot of water in the event of a burst pipe or even if you plan to replace a sink.
Regrout Your Tiles
Grimy grout between your bathroom tiles is not a good look, so if your tiles are in need of some TLC, then you better get ready for another do-it-yourself project.
Your first step will be to clean out all the remaining grout, which can be done with a special grouting rake. Then all you need to do is reapply the new grout and wipe away your tiles once you're done.
Touch Up Chipped Paint
OK, if the paint on your car is chipped, then we need to tell you this. Touching it up is in your future. Otherwise, it will begin to rust, and then you'll end up with a much bigger issue. To remedy this, get some touch-up paint, wax, and grease cleaner from your local auto parts store, along with a fine-tip applicator.
Clean the area with the cleaning products, and once it's dry, you can dip the paint with the applicator and dab it on the chipped areas. When it's completely dry, you can apply wax after 30 days to finish the touch-up.
Repair a Loose Cabinet Knob
There's nothing more frustrating than those loose cabinet knobs, smugly sitting around as if they're perfectly fitted, only to be found out when you open the cabinets. Even if you fix them, you know they'll only come loose again.
There's a way you can put a stop to loose cabinet handles once and for all, all you need is a bit of thread adhesive. And the best part is your cabinet knobs can still come off with a screwdriver if you want to replace them in the future.
Repairing Pipes
If your pipe happens to split, you can wrap it in duct tape and slip over a section of hosepipe that can be fastened with wire or jubilee clippers. This makeshift repair works well as a temporary repair until you get your pipes replaced.
Alternatively, you can also make use of epoxy putty if you don't have a hosepipe. These measures only serve to lessen the stress on the pipes until you can replace them.
Unclog a Slow-Draining Basin
If the sink in your basin is draining at a sluggish pace, it could signal a sink blockage. But don't worry, this is a common issue that can be fixed.
You'll need a bent wire to first pull out any debris, and then you can fill your basin partially with water and fill the overflow with some cloth to prevent air pressure from escaping. Now you're ready to plunge the drain vigorously, forcing any stoppage away.
Cover Exposed Wires With Liquid Electrical Tape
Charger cables are a necessary evil in our modern age, especially once the cords begin to fray and leave your wires exposed. But no need to panic, you don't have to purchase a new charger, and you can easily repair it.
Get some liquid electrical tape at your local hardware store, this helps to dry and encapsulate the exposed wires. The liquid tape also works to fill in the tiny rips or tears in your wire better than the sticky tape version.
Repair Guttering
Houses and apartments don’t come with user manuals, unfortunately, which means figuring out how to fix everything will require a lot of trial and error. Jammed or damaged gutters are no exception, and they can lead to a myriad of problems if not dealt with promptly.
Otherwise, you'll soon find damp patches inside your walls or leaks that turn into puddles. First, find out what's wrong and where the problem is, so you know what you're dealing with and what materials you need. If you’re trying to find a leak, start by looking at the roof upward from the stains.
How to Get Dents Out of Wood
Don't worry about those unsightly dents in your wood surfaces anymore! You can effortlessly remove them with just a damp cloth and an iron. Soak a washcloth and wring out any excess water, so it's not overly wet, then place it on the dented area.
Turn your iron to its highest setting and put it on top of the damp washcloth, moving it in small circles and back and forth. Apply firm pressure until the washcloth is dry. This helps the wood fibers to absorb water to eventually expand to their original state.
Sanding Stainless Steel Appliances
Stainless steel appliances look great until that first scratch, then they look pretty worn, but did you know you can buff out ugly scratches? All you need is fine grit paper and rubbing compound.
Start with the finest grit paper and pour rubbing fluid on it, it might take a few minutes to sand, and once it's done, you'll need to blend the rest of the surface area until it blends in. Soon enough, your appliance should look like new again.
Straighten a Bent Blind
A few mangled blind slats can really ruin the vibe in your otherwise well-decorated living room. Luckily, you don't need to replace your set of blinds, you can simply sort them out with a blind straightener.
Simply place it over the damaged slat and press it until it's secure. The specific product you need for this is called the MiniBlindRx, which works on metal slats.
Nourish Your Lawn
If you're new to gardening, then you're in luck, the internet is filled with resources on gardening tips. Besides being excellent for your mental health, gardening is an easy hobby you can pick up while saving money by forgoing expensive landscapers.
If your yard is mostly grass, then start by getting some good lawn fertilizer and a couple of plants from your local plant nursery.
Fixing a Rickety Chair
You could spend hundreds of dollars replacing every wobbly chair you encounter, or you could just use this simple fix for that rickety chair.
As with most wobbly furniture, it can only mean one thing: a joint between the legs and the rungs has somehow come loose. The best fix is to disassemble the legs and reglue them.
Removing Sticker Residue
The next time you have pesky sticker residue left on a jar, you can remove it with cooking oil. Just dab some oil onto a paper towel and spread it over the sticky area.
The paper towel will start to absorb the leftover glue and can then be wiped away. For more stubborn residues that won't budge, we recommend mixing your oil with baking soda and scrubbing the sticky patch.
Stop Slippery Rugs
Do you find yourself slipping over your rugs more than you'd like to admit? It's probably because rugs don't cling well to smooth surfaces like hardwood floors or tiles.
To keep them from abruptly slipping out from underneath you, you can draw a few lines of acrylic caulking on the underside of your rugs, this will add some grip and keep them firmly in place.
Crayons For Holes In The Wall
Hanging up paintings, canvases, and photos can have a damaging effect on your walls, leaving them punctured with holes. If you find you'd like to cover them up again, then you can firmly press an appropriate colored crayon over the hole.
Think of it as a coloring exercise that gets you back in touch with your inner child!
How To Unscrew Broken Lightbulbs
We're pretty sure you haven't heard of this one before! Crazy things happen all the time, so if you've broken a glass bulb while it's still in its socket, then you know how dangerous it can be to remove it.
First, cut a potato in half and press the exposed side into the glass, turning it until you feel the broken glass embed itself into the potato. It should go without saying, but be sure to turn the power off before you begin!
Soap Can Also Cover Over Nail Holes
If you don't have a set of crayons on hand, then you can always use a bar of soap to cover those unsightly holes left by nails. Rub some soap over the hole, and soon it'll fill the holes until they disappear.
Be sure to match the color of the soap with your walls, and if there's any remaining residue, you can wipe it off with a warm wet cloth.
How To Remedy A Smelly Garbage Can
Are you fed up with your garbage can stinking of rotten eggs? We know it's frustrating, which is why we recommend you soak a slice of bread in vinegar and leave it in your trash overnight.
The acetic acid from the vinegar will soak up any putrid smells, and by the morning, you'll notice a big difference. You can do this any time you're starting to detect a foul odor.
Vinegar Bath For Your Shower Head
If you notice your showerhead looking a little clogged and collecting grime, then you might want to try this tried and tested trick. Pour some vinegar into a plastic sandwich bag and secure it over your showerhead with a rubber band.
Leave this concoction overnight, and you should have a shiny showerhead that might as well be brand new by the morning.
DIY Garage Wall Bumper
For those of you who are wondering why there are such tiny garages when you have a big car, you can now at least protect your car from getting scratches and dents whenever you park it inside.
Slice a pool noodle in half and mount it on the interior wall of your garage, making sure it cushions your bumper and car doors. Not only will your nerves thank you, but your insurance will too!
A Makeshift Grill Cleaner
This is not the old wives tale it's made out to be, we promise! Onions do a great job of absorbing messy spills, and your grubby grill is no exception. Simply slice an onion in half and stick a fork into it.
The underside of the onion will act as bristles and scrub away any grime left on your grill. You’ll be surprised to see just how much one humble onion can clean up!
Defrost A Frozen Lock
Most hand sanitizers have at least 70% alcohol content, which is enough to thin away stubborn ice on your frozen locks.
So whether you're struggling to get your key in your car or you're unable to unlock your front door, then you might want to pour a little hand sanitizer over the lock as it should help clear away the ice.
Use A Potato Peeler
Potato peelers are pretty useful in the kitchen, but we bet you didn't know they are also really nifty in the home repair department!
If you find your screwdrivers don't fit a certain screw, then try using the tip of your vegetable peeler instead. This way, you can easily secure any screw you need while saving yourself a trip to the hardware store.
How to Treat Oil Spills
Garages are great for storing all kinds of things, but that also means they're more at risk of messes and spills. Oil spills are pretty common, whether it's from underneath your car or containers that have been stored in the garage.
Water won't mix well with oil, but we recommend you try covering it with cat litter. Cat litter does well to absorb oils and soak them up better than many other materials.
How to Clean Grout Between Tiles
It might be that you're putting off cleaning the grout between your tiles because it's such a complicated thing to do. Instead of going to the store a spending a fortune on grout cleaning supplies, you can just make your own.
You'll need a paste made out of baking soda and water, then use an old toothbrush to scrub the grout. Once you're done, you can spray some vinegar over it, which will cause it to bubble up. Once that's done, you can rinse it off, and your grouting should be clean as a whistle.
Repairing A Tear In A Screen Door
Screen doors are great in Summer when the sun is out, allowing you some fresh air while keeping the bugs out. Things can get tricky, though, once they get a tear, which means you'll need to replace them. Or does it?
Buying new screens can get expensive, so why not use clear nail polish for a quick and affordable solution? Paint a few coats over the tear, and it will act like invisible glue, restoring your screen without the unnecessary trip to the store.
Taking Crayons Off The Walls
If your children are free-spirited and like to express their creativity on your walls, you'll be relieved to know that you don't need to paint over, but you can just spray over WD-40.
The specialist cleaner works well to absorb any stains or crayon marks if left on for 5-10 minutes, then scrub off to reveal your walls are back to normal. Now you'll be better prepared for the next time this happens.
Use Magnets to Keep Cupboard Doors Closed
If your cupboard door doesn't close when it should, then you can easily fit in magnets for a fair price. Not to mention if you have small children, you'll want to keep your cabinets baby-proof.
Many would be tempted to hire a repairman, but that won't be necessary. This DIY project is perfectly doable with an online tutorial, and all you'll need is a drill, screws, and magnets. Nowadays, you can find strong magnets that easily attach to your cabinet doors.
Difficult Sliding Door
It can get pretty awkward, if not downright frustrating when you want to step outside and enjoy a warm summer's day, and you can't even open your sliding door to go outside. It may be that debris has gotten stuck between the wheels.
The best way to resolve this issue is to loosen the screws located at the base of the door and clean the wheels and the track. Pour some silicone lubricant along the base of the door, and then you can reinstall the latch.
Widening Driveway Cracks
There's no denying that the cold winters can bring along some serious damage, and you'll notice that below-freezing temperatures can cause cracks to develop in your driveway.
Eventually, with each passing winter, they'll begin to expand, and water freezes in between the cracks. To avoid this from getting out of hand, you can fill in some cold pour filler. It's that simple!
Rusty Homeware
Stainless steel utensils are great for helping you serve and partake in food, but they're also prone to turn into rust-covered garbage if left in the sink for an extended period of time. Countless online platforms have been devoted to this very problem, but remedying rusty homeware is not as complicated as scouring the internet for a solution.
First, mix baking soda and vinegar, which can then be applied to the stain using a clean cloth. Allow the blend to soak for 15 minutes, after which you may wipe away the discoloration with a scrub pad.
How to Fix a Stained Bathtub
Is there anything worse than a stained bath? Probably not when it comes to the aesthetics of your home. Why settle for something that looks like it came out of the 1950s when can just DIY into a looking like a brand new tub?
Mix together equal parts of cream of tartar, baking soda, and lemon juice until they combine into a thick paste. Slather it on the bathtub’s surface with a sponge and allow it to sit for at least 30 minutes.
Slamming Door
Some doors have a nasty habit of slamming shut regardless of how careful you try to be when closing them. Not only is this annoying as hell, but it can also cause damage to the stability of your door.
Fortunately, rubber bands can be quite handy for this sort of thing, as they can easily wrap around the handle and buffer those vexing slams.
Light Switches
Just because a DIY project might involve a bit of electricity doesn't mean you should make the call to your local repairman. Replacing your overtly bright light with a dimmer switch should be very doable and very satisfying.
But first, make sure you have all the right tools. You'll need a screwdriver, a compatible dimmer switch, electrical tape, and a non-contact voltage tester.
Wine Cork Table Fix
Be sure to save the cork from your wine and cheese dinner party, it could come in handy next time you need to fix a wobbly table.
All that needs to be done is have the measurements taken of the height you need and slice it off with a utility knife. Glue it in place with superglue, although wood glue would be preferred.
Ditch the Wood Paneling
Sure, wood paneling might have been very fashionable in the 1960s, but we've come a long way since. So if you find yourself wondering why you haven't removed yours, today might just be your lucky day to get rid of it.
Plying off wood paneling only takes a few minutes, and you'll be pleased with just how much better your walls will look. You might need to repaint afterward, so keep that in mind if you decide to undertake this project.
Upholstery
Whether you’re a seasoned DIY enthusiast or consider yourself new to doing your own decorations, the challenge of properly and beautifully upholstering your furniture is a unique one. While replacing old fabric with a new design is totally doable, all you need is a drill, a stapler, and new fabric.
Plus, it can really level up your home decor. There are many ways you can upholster furniture, so be sure to do some research before you get started.
Caulk it!
You’d be hard-pressed to find a DIY project that's as fun as caulking. So if you find the caulk around your sink is looking a little drab, then you can remove it with a putty knife and re-caulk the lining for a smoother finish.
If you need a little help removing the old caulk, then you can just get some caulk remover at any hardware store.
Unclog Your Toilet
Nothing screams "clogged," like rising water levels in the bowl of your toilet. Fortunately, you can remedy this sticky situation by turning off the cistern valve next to your toilet and checking the pan.
If you discover the stoppage is further along, then you should use the plunger to draw out any excess water. If that still doesn't work, then it could be that the pipe leading to the outside drains needs to be cleaned.
Maintaining Pipework
Not all pipes are created equal, and sometimes you will need the help of a professional plumber. But maintaining your pipework is not one of them.
One of the best things anyone can do to prevent pricey plumbing services is to learn all about your water system and how it works. This can be done twice a year by turning off the gate valves and checking for any leaks before spraying them with release oil.
Don't Hurt Your Fingers
Hammers are probably the most utilized tool when it comes to home repairs, but unfortunately, there hasn't been much innovation since they first came onto the scene, and they can be a bit hazardous for your fingers.
One clever trick to keep your fingers safe is securing a nail with a clothespin. Not only will this hold the nail in place while you hammer it in, but it will keep your fingers at a safe distance.
Restore Paint Brushes
Alright, so you love painting and enjoy redoing your walls on a regular basis, but how do you keep your brushes clean? Not to worry, we have the best tricks of the trade for you!
If your paintbrushes are so dry and brittle they're about to break, then soak them in acetone with water. Alternatively, you can also use vinegar if you prefer to use fewer chemicals.
Checking Leaking Valve
If you find one of your toilet valves is leaking, you'll want to fix it before it starts hiking up your water bill. There are several ways to check, but the most simple way is by applying food coloring to your tank.
If you see the color has leaked to the toilet bowl, you'll know you need to fix it ASAP.
Remove Pet Hair
If pet hair is the first thing you see when you enter your home, it definitely means you need to do some pet hair removal. But we also know that getting all the tufts of hair out of your rugs and carpets can be tough, if not impossible.
Let's face it, vacuum cleaners can only do so much, this is where your squeegee comes in. Simply use the squeegee to collect the hairs together with the rubber edge.
How to Remove Carpet Dents
If you've had to rearrange furniture, you'll know that dents in your carpets can take a long time to disappear. To remove the dents overnight, all you need to do is place ice blocks over the indentation.
It should take a few hours, anywhere from 3-5, so you could also leave them overnight. As the ice slowly melts, the water will absorb the fibers of the carpet and diminish the dents until they're as good as gone.
Flooding Basement
If your basement is constantly flooding, it could be that your gutters need an extension. Undertaking this kind of project is not nearly as difficult as it may seem. All you need is a downspout extension.
Installing one should allow heavy rainfall that usually accumulates in your gutters to flow further away and hopefully far away from your basement. As luck would have it, there are a handful of designs to fit your aesthetic preferences.
Noisy Windows
Are your rattling windows keeping you up during a stormy night? Well, it could also indicate an issue with the window seal. Purchase some corn cushions, which can be bought at any pharmacy, and stick them to the window frames.
This will help buffer the window frames and keep drafts from affecting them so much. If you need a sturdier fix, then you could caulk them up by applying caulk along the edges of the window.
Decaying Wooden Frames
When you’re living in a house, you tend not to think much about the wooden frames unless it starts to decay — and that’s when you give your local repairman a call. But do you really need to?
If left untreated, this could become a serious issue which eventually means you need to replace the whole window frame. But before that happens, you can coat some epoxy on the rotten area, which will protect it from decaying any further.
Cleaning Your Fireplace Damper
It's exciting when you get to use your fireplace when it starts getting cold in winter. What's not as exciting, however, is finding out the damper is stuck and cannot be pulled up or even come down.
This obviously means you need to get it cleaned ASAP! To clean your damper, you'll need a stiff wire brush and spray it with some WD-40, which should keep it from getting stuck.
How To Undo Fix Plaster Walls
Feeling like your home is truly "yours" is super important, but that can get tricky when you move into a new place, only to find the walls have a rough plaster finish. Luckily you can disguise rough plaster without a hitch.
The trick is to use matte paint, which will stop any light from reflecting and make your walls look like they have a smooth finish.