Possessing a home will always make someone feel like they are trapped in a continuous chore. From leaking pipes to the sprouting of random mold, domestic upkeep can turn domestic bliss into a nightmare. We want you to feel your happiest and most comfortable in your home, but we understand how stressful and expensive maintenance can be, so we have put together these simple and affordable maintenance hacks to help you keep your home in order without any added stress!
Make Your Life Easier With These Unique Home Repair Hacks
Using Cooking Spray Will Erase The Squeak In Cabinet And Door Hinges
Those who cannot find that trusty can of WD-40 do not need to worry as cooking spray can replace this lubricant easily. Apply some to the hinges on your squeaky and even rusted hinges, but not too much. Try moving the doors back and forward a few times to get the liquid into the whole piece. You will never need to struggle with creaking and stiff covers and doors again.
Using Cooking Spray Will Erase The Squeak In Cabinet And Door Hinges
Coat Screws With Some Nail Polish To Stop Them From Untying
It is amazing to see what a light layer of nail polish is capable of. You will see how screws will be kept in place by the beauty product with an almost glue-like usage. Whenever you sit down for some pampering, make sure to take a tour of your home in search of screws that could use some reinforcing. Loose screws in cabinet and cupboard doors can lead to them randomly falling off, sometimes on your head.
Coat Screws With Some Nail Polish To Stop Them From Untying
Plugging Pail Holes Through The Power Of Crayons
Do your children love to play with crayons? You should ask them nicely if you can borrow one of them, specifically one that matches the wall color that you need repairing. Nail holes will leave ugly holes in your walls, that can be covered up with a crayon that matches the tone of your paint job. You will never shout at your children for drawing on the walls again! Child’s play, really.
Plugging Pail Holes Through The Power Of Crayons
Caulk Edges Perfected With Tapes
Landing that direct edge with caulk can be challenging even for experienced DIYers, which is why we suggest switching for a painter’s tape. You want to get rid of the painter’s tape, and as opposed to paint, the caulk will retain its moisture. The trick here is to be quick, as once the caulk sets, you will struggle to get that ideal straight line done. Isn’t it amazing taking your DIY game to the next level?
Caulk Edges Perfected With Tapes
Get Rid Of Burst Light Bulbs With Potatoes
Many of us will have accidentally crushed a lightbulb in a socket – not fun. This one is definitely one of the trickier and more sensitive DIY jobs, if not a common one. If you want to get rid of popped light bulbs without injury, fetch a potato. Cut it in two, then hold the wet part against the popped bulb and squeeze it in, turning it until it comes loose. Of course, you will want to turn the light switch off before trying this as potatoes are actually also incredible conductors!
Get Rid Of Burst Light Bulbs With Potatoes
Yank Out Stripped Screws Through The Application Of a Rubber Band
Before you decide to pluck out slippery stripped screws using a screwdriver, may we suggest that you tie a rubber band around the screw’s head? The newfound friction will ensure that you can calmly guide the finicky stripped screw. This really saves you from the headache of trying to manage uncooperative stripped screws. This is one of the most annoying pet peeves for any home improvement specialist, even those with much experience.
Yank Out Stripped Screws Through The Application Of A Rubber Band
Soapy Nail Hole Sealing Sensation
Coming back to nail holes, we want you to know that a normal white soap bar will be a lifesaver when it comes to ugly nail marks on a white wall. Just lather in the soap in a clockwise rotation. Do not worry about any soapy remains, as these can easily be cleaned off by using a heated and moist towel. Take your time and make sure that everything looks lovely.
Soapy Nail Hole Sealing Sensation
Cabinet Door Bumpers Will Stop That Annoying Slamming And Rattling
It is amazing how some of the smallest of inconveniences can turn into huge irritations. We have the perfect solution for slamming doors here, provided that you have a spare cabinet door bumper handy. This little piece can then be slotted into the door jamb that is turning your house into a haunted one. You will never have to suffer a rude awakening again. Get your home back under control!
Cabinet Door Bumpers Will Stop That Annoying Slamming And Rattling
Dousing Squeaking Flooring With Baby Powder
When floorboards and the like become squeaky, it can be more than just an annoying sound and cause you to slip or trip more easily. To avoid a potentially serious injury, take your favorite brand of talcum powder and pour it into a small squeeze bottle. Now, begin applying the powder within the gaps in the boards and take a makeup brush for the next step. You can then use this fine-haired brush to insert the powder within the small gaps.
Dousing Squeaking Flooring With Baby Powder
Fix Carpet Nicks With The Frosty Goodness Of Ice Cubes
Place an ice cube within the nicked portions of a carpet and allow it to dissolve into the material. As the carpet will soak up the water, the added moisture will allow the damaged fibers to swell and fit back into place. Now, take a hard-bristled brush and begin sprucing up the parts that are still in bad shape in your carpet after the water dries. Your carpets will look good as new!
Fix Carpet Nicks With The Frosty Goodness Of Ice Cubes
A Hot Iron Can Be Used To Fix Wooden Dents
You should know that a hot iron is a perfect tool for smoothening out small nicks on hardwood floors and furniture with a professional finish, however, it is best to make sure your floor is suitable for this and will get ruined further. Start by very slightly dampening the damaged parts of your flooring or furniture with a moist washcloth, then lay the damp cloth over the mark. Now you can begin moving the iron in a clockwise motion throughout the damaged portions. This will help you avoid needing to get new furniture or flooring. You will always be looking out for damage to your surfaces!
A Hot Iron Can Be Used To Fix Wooden Dents
Remove Crayon And Marker Scuffs Off Your Walls With The Help Of WD-40
A sheen-possessing paint job can be aided with some WD-40 that will take care of any children’s unwelcome works of crayon or marker art. However, you should avoid using WD-40 on paint jobs that flat or matt properties, as you could just end up making an even bigger mess. For these kinds of paint jobs, we recommend taking a Magic Eraser to the walls. Let your children’s imaginations and creativity run free, worry-free!
Remove Crayon And Marker Scuffs Off Your Walls With The Help Of WD40
The Grout-Busting Properties Of Toilet Bowl Cleaner
Toilet bowl cleaner is a fantastic cleaning agent that has so many amazing uses. You will be able to get rid of grout in shower tiles and the like with it too! Start by squirting some toilet bowl cleaner into the affected areas and allow the substance to set in for a while. Once the detergent has soaked in, use an old toothbrush, and start with the elbow grease! Once you are satisfied, use a mop with a hot bucket of water to get rid of any residue.
The Grout Busting Properties Of Toilet Bowl Cleaner
No More Painful Nights With Soap – The Leg Cramp Remover
While this is technically not a DIY hack, we thought that we would slot this fantastic pain and cramp remedy in. You will find plenty of anecdotal evidence for the benefits of slotting in a bar of soap into your fitted sheet if you suffer from nightly leg cramps. There are those who say that this is merely a placebo effect, but there could be a magnesium-based benefit that soap provides. While we have no definitive explanation, maybe you will just need to try it for yourself.
No More Painful Nights With Soap The Leg Cramp Remover
Place a garlic clove under your pillow
Need to improve your sleep? how about trying slipping a clove of garlic under your pillow. according to research, the aroma along with the sulfur compounds reflecting a calming effect on us and helps us fall asleep and improve our sleep. While some people believe garlic can also keep away demons and vampires, or improve one’s luck – these fictions are still a myth…
Garlic
Locating Studs With The Use Of a Measuring Tape
Have you ever wondered why your measuring tape has red numbered intervals, generally with every 10 centimeters? These are stub indicators, that will allow you to locate their presence in your house’s walling. This is an excellent way to get down to brass tacks with your walls if you are aiming to get some intense work done in this area. These can be delicate operations, and it really helps to have the right tools at hand, and the know-how for how they work.
Locating Studs With The Use Of A Measuring Tape
Kool-Aid Will Help You To Find The Leaks In Your Toilet
A leaking toilet can be a real messy and disgusting pain in the back, one that can be remedied through the usage of your everyday Kool-Aid sachet, provided that it is the dark variety. Empty the sachet into the bowl and give it half an hour to do its magic. Once this time has passed, inspect your bowl. If it is the same color as the Kool-Aid flavor, then you can be certain that a leak has sprouted in your toilet.
Kool Aid Will Help You To Find The Leaks In Your Toilet
Keep Your Phone Handy When Using Gloves With Aluminum foil
With the effects of winter comes a desperate need to keep your hands warm with gloves. Unfortunately, this can greatly hamper your usage of your smartphone as your wooly fingers uselessly slide off the screen. If you want to stay warm and still be able to use your smartphone, try wrapping your gloved fingers with aluminum foil. This will give your hands the traction that they need to operate the screen. This picture is here just to confuse you, so don’t do it like in this picture, and make sure it is smooth so you don’t scratch your screen.
Keep Your Phone Handy When Using Gloves With Aluminum Foil
The Safe Way To Unclog a Drain, Free Of Harsh Chemicals
Having to suffer standing in a small murky puddle whenever you shower is not ideal. While too many people simply suffer through this yucky downside of drains, we are here to tell you that you can unclog your drain with a simple solution of the following common ingredients. ½ a cup of bicarb, ½ a cup o white vinegar, and a ¼ cup of salt. Once the solution has been mixed, pour some boiling hot water into the affected drain before pouring in your magic mix. When ten minutes have passed, you can leave the hot tap on for some time to wash it all down.
The Safe Way To Unclog A Drain Free Of Harsh Chemicals
Your Bathtub Will Benefit From a Combination Of a Broom And Some Dish Soap
You can avoid a back-breaking job with the combination of a clean broom and some soap, specifically dishwashing liquid, that will eliminate that pesky grease that collects in the tub. You will be able to clean out the gunk with a modest brushing with a broom. Just make sure to wash your bathtub out with hot water once you are finished sweeping out the sludge and enjoy a perfectly fresh bath!
Your Bathtub Will Benefit From A Combination Of A Broom And Some Dish Soap
The Funnel Made From Aluminum Foil
If you need to transfer liquid from one container into another, but do not have a normal funnel handy, worry not. Aluminum foil can quickly be rolled into one. This material is so much sturdier and more useful than we give it credit for. You will now be able to safely and stably pour your liquids from one place to another without any spillage. Use your imagination to think of some other excellent aluminum foil hacks!
The Funnel Made From Aluminum Foil
More Aluminum Foil Hacks – Wiping Out Rusty Surfaces
Then we have this intense aluminum foil hack that will wipe away any rusty surfaces. We got this tip from Merry Maids, which is a sensational cleaning service. They informed us that a soapy water mixture, with a microfiber towel, can be used to follow up after your aluminum foil scrubbing. Make sure to wash your aluminum foil to wipe away the rust. What a fantastic product that is completely versatile.
More Aluminum Foil Hacks Wiping Out Rusty Surfaces
Rubber Bands Mean No More Slamming Doors
If you live alone, then you know that carrying your groceries in single-handedly is one of the peskiest and most laborious tasks, especially when you suddenly find yourself locked out of your house or apartment. To avoid having the door slam you out of your home, take a rubber band and fit it around your door handle and the door button. This will stop it from moving about too much and allow you to safely carry your goods in.
Rubber Bands Mean No More Slamming Doors
Vinegar Cleansing For Showerheads
Take any gunk and pesky minerals out of showerheads by placing them inside of a tub of vinegar for a night. When we leave showerheads for too long, we increase our exposure to showerhead residue that collects over time. If you want to be as hygienic as possible, then you should go for two or three cleans a week. This is a sadly neglected part of our cleaning habits.
Vinegar Cleansing For Showerheads
The Pool Noodle Garage Wall And Car Door Rescue
Remove a section of a pool noodle and then glue or fix it onto the area of your garage wall that you cannot help banging with your car door when you jump out of the car after a tired long day of work. This will save both your garage wall and car door from dents and scuffs. Slice your pool noodle in half longways to make sure that there is enough space for you to still get out. Oh, and please ask your kids if you can sacrifice one of their pool noodles first.
The Pool Noodle Garage Wall And Car Door Rescue
A Squeegee Will Soak Up All The Pet Hair In The World
Squeegees are another kind of fantastic DIY tool that will also remove any amount of pet hair out of your bed sheets, carpets, and furniture. Whether you have cats, dogs, hamsters, or guinea pigs, the summer months especially lead to a lot of shedding. Clean up after your fur babies with a squeegee, that will suck up all the hairy messes that you would otherwise struggle to remove.
A Squeegee Will Soak Up All The Pet Hair In The World
Calibrating Your Ceiling Fans Correctly
One is bound to skimp on air conditioning bills by recalibrating the movements of your ceiling fan. These cooling objects must spin at a low speed for the air they affect to properly warm up when the winter chills set in. If you place them in tandem with clocks then you will be chasing away the chills. Despite a fan being just one part of temperature control, if you have it improperly set then you will be greatly hampering your temperature control efforts.
Calibrating Your Ceiling Fans Correctly
Winter Proofing Your Windows With The Help Of Bubble Wrap
When the winter season drifts in, it is essential that you begin locking your home down and seal any cracks or openings in your foundations that could bleed heat out and let the chills in. Windows can be a delicate part of the home that may be suffering from more damage than you thought. Fear not, you can plug small damaged areas in your windows with bubble wrap before you get the proper repairs done.
Winter Proofing Your Windows With The Help Of Bubble Wrap
Stop Clogs From Hitting Drains
If you want to avoid having to clean out stuck drains in the first place, then it is best to give them proper loving to stop them from getting gunky. Amazon has an incredible product called the TubShroom that has gathered quite the following. As the name suggests, this is a mushroom-shaped tool that you can fit into your drain that will safely and efficiently collect all the debris from your showers.
Stop Clogs From Hitting Drains
The Wood Repairing Wonders Of Coffee
This one might seem like a counteractive hack, seeing as those nasty coffee rings are the bane of anyone with a coffee table. However, almost any kind of wooden furniture can have its former brilliance and gloss restored with the help of your favorite brew. Take some coffee grounds and begin softly rubbing them into any part of your furniture that could use some buffing. Coffee grains will also appropriately and pleasingly refill any dents or cracks in your wooden furniture. Simultaneously, the color of coffee will blend in nicely with the rest of your pieces.
The Wood Repairing Wonders Of Coffee
Keeping Your Fingers Safe While You Work
When you are doing any DIY job, it is essential that you keep your fingers safe from things like a misjudged swing of the hammer when trying to drive nails in. To keep a consistently accurate and safe nail job going, search your home for things like bobby pins and clothes pegs. These small clips can be fitted onto nails to keep them in place when you bang on them, stopping any dangerous movements.
Keeping Your Fingers Safe While You Work
The Hairdryer Sticker Sealer
Ah, the feeling of a new and expensive addition to your beautiful home! There is nothing like it. Unfortunately, retailers love to slap massive stickers onto most products, which can be a worrying nightmare to peel off as you try your best not to damage that new piece of furniture in the process by leaving a nasty sticky film. Simply use your hairdryer on these pesky stickers and their binding agents will soon dissolve, allowing you to remove them with no trouble at all.
The Hairdryer Sticker Sealer
Picture Perfect Frame Hanging Thanks To Sticky Tape
If you do not get a picture frame that has not been predrilled then you might have a bit of a task on your hands. Those who want to mount their frames without the added help will want to make sure that their measures are completely accurate, as you will regret banging holes into your home if you make a mistake. Masking tape can be left in your measured spots without leaving a mess.
Picture Perfect Frame Hanging Thanks To Sticky Tape
Putting Faded Tape Into The Microwave
Not everyone will believe that this next hack is a thing, but seasoned DIYers swear by it. That trusty bundle of tape that you could always rely on will lose its stickiness over time, we are afraid to say. Rather than wasting money on a new one, you should know that you can bring it back to life by putting it in the microwave for only a few seconds, and we repeat, a FEW seconds only! Make sure to take it out quickly after you put it in as you do not want it to melt.
Putting Faded Tape Into The Microwave
The Nail Hole Finding Magic Of Magnets
When people decide that they need to redesign their homes with a theme that expresses their personality and flair better, they will generally begin by changing up the wallpaper. This means that anything hanging off the targeted walls will need to be taken off. Once you finish putting up a new set of wallpaper of coat of paint, you might find that your nail holes have suddenly disappeared! Fear not, as a magnet will help you to sense for any of these essential little spots without having to bang in new ones.
The Nail Hole Finding Magic Of Magnets
Making Holes In Your Tiles Without Much Pressure
Now that you have decided to drill holes into your beautiful tiles, you might want to be extra careful, as any damage to your tiles might lead to an expensive repair job you were not expecting. Masking tape makes another return here, and all that you need to do is put some onto the areas that you would like to drill into. This will stop your drill from sliding about and allow your drill to grip into place properly. Though, still ceramic is a delicate material to work with so make sure you have the right drill head and nail for this before beginning.
Making Holes In Your Tiles Without Much Pressure
No More Rusty Circles
Metal is present throughout anyone’s home, no matter how natural they tried to make their décor. From towel racks to showerheads, such objects will eventually be affected by humidity and moisture. As a result, you can expect rust to begin sprouting. Let us bring back the nail polish and begin coating our metallic objects with the goof stuff, which will prevent rust from coming back again. This is such an incredibly handy substance!
No More Rusty Circles
Taking Care Of Unwanted Wallpaper
When you buy a new home and find that its wallpapers desperately need to go due to their faded aging, you really do want to replace them with a new coat of paint or wallpaper. This is not as very easy as it sounds like, however, and we have the perfect solution made from vinegar with heated water. Now, take a painting role and dunk it into this concoction for a few minutes, and then begin coating your wallpaper with the solution. Leave it for some time and then begin stripping the wallpaper easily.
Taking Care Of Unwanted Wallpaper
Bring Your Scissors Back To Razor Sharp Precision With The Help Of Foil
Nothing is more useless than a blunt pair of scissors, which is why we would like for you to bring them back to their original sharpness with the help of our trusty aluminum foil. All that you need to do is fold the aluminum foil sheets once and then begin using your scissors on them. This simple process amazingly sharpens the scissors incredibly well. You will not believe how something so easy can bring metal blades back to life!
Bring Your Scissors Back To Razor Sharp Precision With The Help Of Foil
Zip Ties Are Perfect For Unblocking Drains
Coming back to clogged drains, we have another awesome hack for drains that have been stuck with so much hair and debris that no detergent or DIY solution can help. This is where zip ties come in. Take a few of these hardy bands and cut them once, stretching them out into a strip. Next, make small cuts into the zip ties with a pair of scissors for a barbed application. You will now want to feed these zip ties into your drains to scoop out all the unmentionable nastiness. Obviously, make sure not to lose them down the drain!
Zip Ties Are Perfect For Unblocking Drains
The Perfect Place To Store Your Nails
Nails are slippery little things that are bound to scatter all over your toolbox. What you want to do to keep them all in one place is actually quite simple. All that you need to do is glue a magnet into the spot in your toolbox where you keep your nails. Now, you can keep the tricky fellows stuck in one place. You can also glue a magnet onto the bottom of your hammer to keep nails handy whenever you are doing a job.
The Perfect Place To Store Your Nails
Have You Read The News? Your Wall Is About To Be Planned!
If you are worried that your new wall job is going to be difficult to perfect with all the art or photographs that you have planned for it, fear not. Newspapers can act as the ideal placeholders for measurements and composition tests. You can cut or fold such newspapers into the measurements that you are thinking of and then stick them onto the wall with tape. This will give you a good idea of how the room will look.
Have You Read The News Your Wall Is About To Be Planned
No More Locksmiths With This Lock Unsticking Hack
How many times have you tried to open a door, safe, or cabinet, only to find that your lock is stuck? While you might consider calling a locksmith as a first response, we want you to know that a sharpened pencil might just do the trick. Insert the pencil into a lock and try to draw on the lead (gently as you do not want to break the tip, leaving it inside the lock!). Now you will have the proper lubricant that will allow your key to enter without issue.
No More Locksmiths With This Lock Unsticking Hack
Bringing Stability To All Your Furniture
There are few things scarier than sitting down hard on your furniture, only to find it sway terrifyingly. If you managed to stand up again without breaking the piece, then we want you to grab your best brand of wood glue. Yes, this might seem obvious, but too many people underestimate just how well this adhesive works for unstable furniture, often just scrapping these pieces. Seal the problem areas up with wood glue, and leave to set.
Bringing stability to all your furniture
Keeping Your Home Fresh And Mold-Free With Open Windows
Mold is one of those insidious elements that slowly creeps into a home, especially within moist areas like bathrooms. If you are starting to notice mold in your bathroom, then you can simply keep your windows open inside the place whenever you take a shower or bath, allowing the otherwise trapped steam from escaping. You will never have to worry about the gross stuff creeping in again! If you do not have windows, then a dehumidifier is your best bet.
Keeping your home fresh and mold-free with open windows
When Firepits Need a Lot Of Love
If you are lucky enough to own a fire pit, you will probably notice just how much ash collects inside one over time as it starts to wear and tear. Then, the more than you use your firepit, the more ash that collects, and the further it will decay. This process can be reversed by fitting a metal sheet on top of your fire pit for when it is not being used, which will bring in much-needed security and reinforcement for your beloved cooking spot.
When firepits need a lot of love
More Wood Loving With Pencil Shavings For Cracked Wood
Coming back to wooden parts we have this fantastic further usage for pencil shavings. As you probably well know, pencils are made from wood and are perfected for sealing any smaller damages in your floorboards. Simply slot the shavings into the cracks, pour a bit of glue in, and then work it all in nicely using a piece of sandpaper. You might then want to correct the colors in this area with some matching paint to make sure that nothing sticks out.
More Wood Loving With Pencil Shavings For Cracked Wood
Lighting A Candle For All The Stuck Drawers
There are few things more distressing in life than a cupboard or bedside table with stuck drawers. You might think that there is no helping this irksome situation, but with the help of a humble candle, you can get your drawers back into top sliding shape. Take out your drawers and rub their sliding surfaces with a candle. The wax will coat the sliding parts and lubricate them to the point that sticking will be a thing of the past.
Lighting A Candle For All The Stuck Drawers
Busting Grout With A Glue Gun
The glue gun is another tool that will be perfect for DIY repairs. If you have some grout or plastering that is particularly gritty, then a glue gun could be your solution here. With its bleaching properties, you can quickly hide any unpleasant or rough spots in your tiling and other surfaces. You will impress your friends and family with this professional-looking finish. Glue guns are essential for many unusual jobs!
Busting Grout With A Glue Gun
Cleaning Your Mirrors Using Cream
When your mirrors no longer shine as much as they once did, your reflection and body image might suffer. Let us get you and your mirror into vane shape with the help of shaving cream. You might have heard of this hack before, but few manage to get this one right. It is essential that you use a microfiber cloth to wipe away the shaving cream to ensure that every little detail is brought back to sparkling life.
Cleaning Your Mirrors Using Cream
Precise Hole Drilling With Masking Tape
When you are going to begin drilling holes all over the place, you will want some masking tape and a good quality black sharpie to go with your toolbox. The sharpie will mark the precise spot that you would like your nails to be driven into. With the masking tape, you will then be able to cover the mark with a transparent finish to better control your drill, as mentioned in a previous hack.
Precise Hole Drilling With Masking Tape
Managing Cords With The Help Of A Knot
While no one likes a tangled mess of wires, you can actually knot your appliances’ chords together with knots. This will not only bring some order to areas like your PC and printer station but keep plugs within their sockets. You will not believe that the last thing that you want your cables and wires to do actually helps keep them tidier and more manageable. Welcome to the world of simple technology!
Managing Cords With The Help Of A Knot
The Pleasing Aesthetics Of Foam Noodle Marks
If you cut a foam noodle into tiny sections and then fasten them to your roller, you can then slice tinier sections and stick them onto the other pieces to form a rectangle around your roller. Now, make a mixture of red and brown paint to dunk your upgraded roller into and begin sponging brick-like marks onto your wall. This will add a natural and exposed aesthetic to any part of your home.
The Pleasing Aesthetics Of Foam Noodle Marks
The Shelf Made From A Box
If you have realized that you needed more shelving too late into your renovations, and now your budget has been depleted, then you can begin gluing old boxes together to make some impromptu but very pleasant shelves. These can be painted or decorated in any way that you see fit, and the cardboard will provide a sturdy place for you to store your valuables and delicate items. Do not worry, you can focus on getting some proper shelves at a later stage!
The Shelf Made From A Box
Personalized Bin Bag Dispensers
This is a seriously entertaining home improvement hack that is another great usage of old boxes. You should try and get some tinier sized boxes that you can then fill with whatever material or debris that you feel like. Once you are finished with that part, line your actual bin with these boxes to make your trash disposal jobs all the easier and neater. There you have it, good and hygienic fun for all.
Personalized Bin Bag Dispensers