by Originally published on our site beautifultrendstoday.com
Whether you’re a home owner or renting an apartment, it’s always nice to have a few handy tricks up your sleeve to deal with minor repairs around the house. And with these handy-dandy home repair hacks, fixing small things around the house has never been easier!
From checking for water leaks with Kool-Aid to ironing out the dents in your wood furniture, you’ll never believe how many of these everyday household items can be useful for home repairs!
Keep Your Screws Tight with Nail Polish
You probably never thought to think about using nail polish as an adhesive, but it can really do wonders when it comes to a quick and easy home repair!
Whether it’s to keep a loose screw in your glasses in line or any other smaller household item, putting a layer of clear nail polish after screwing it in should give it an extra boost of strength to hold it into place.
Just remember you need to dab a little bit of polish on it, no reason to create a glob of messy goop for nothing.
Use Crayon Wax to Fix Your Holes
It’s amazing how such a minor problem like having a hole in your wall can all of a sudden feel like such a big deal. But have no fear, we’ve got a handy-dandy hack to keep your worries at bay!
All you need is a crayon and a lighter or blow dryer.
First things first, pick the crayon color that best matches your wall.
Next, start circling the crayon around the hole from the outer part towards the center, using the wax as a filling. You can also give it a little jump start by carefully warming up the wax with lighter or blow dryer.
Once you’ve filled the hole in, gently smooth the surface with either a blow dryer or rubbing your fingers across it. Just make sure you don’t melt the wax during this part.
Straight and Smooth a Line of Caulk with Painter’s Tape
We talked about how you can fill in holes by using a crayon, but when it comes to those tight corners and cracks, there’s no getting away from caulking. But how exactly do you get that beautifully straight and smooth line of sealant like the pros?
A master handyman hack is to first lay down some blue painter’s tape before applying any caulk at all! Obviously, make sure it’s as straight as possible, and that it’s tightly sealed so that the sealant won’t seep behind the tape.
The other important thing to note is to remove the tape before the caulk dries, so that it doesn’t damage your hard work.
Unscrew Stripped Screws with a Rubber Band
Trying to remove screws can be such a pain and can really put damper on your work flow, when they’re stripped down and just won’t budge. But instead of getting frustrated, just try out this super simple trick!
Grab a rubber band and place it on the head of the screw to use as a friction buffer between the screw and the screwdriver’s head. This will give it the extra tension needed to help get that screw out for you. How cool!
Use a Bar of Soap to Tend to Holes in the Wall
Don’t have a crayon to patch up the holes in your wall? No worries, you can always fix ‘em up with another everyday household item.
Similar to how the crayon works, using a bar of soap as a filling layer to patch up those holes from nails and thumbtacks seems to work wonders! All you need to do is grab your bar of soap, rub it on the wall with a little bit of pressure. Make sure you use circular motions, too!
Use Baby Powder to Keep Your Floor on the Down Low
There’s nothing more annoying than a squeaky floorboard, right? But you can easily fix this problem and keep your floor on the down low with this really cool handy-dandy hack!
In order to silence those boards, just sprinkle a bit of baby powder along the seams and work it into them. The powder will act as a lubricant on the wood, and will prevent them from rubbing against each other and making that annoying creaking sound.
Baking soda or graphite powder can also act as a similar agent if you don’t have baby powder.
Some Frozen H20 Can Remove “Dents” in Carpets
It’s weird to think that you can “dent” your carpets, but it’s something that happens and can be a little bit frustrating once your eye has spotted it on the floor.
But instead of getting upset that the leg on your chair or coffee table has left an indent in your rug or carpet, try this trick out to solve the issue.
Just place ice cubes along the dents in the carpeting and let them melt overnight.
If there’s a little puddle of water by the time you come back to check on it, feel free to blot it with a towel.
Iron Out Those Wooden Dents
This next home repair hack is basically like a magic trick, but it really does work!
Before you think that it’s impossible to get dents out of your wooden furniture, there actually is a way. All you need is a little bit of water, a piece of cloth, and an iron.
Place a bit of water on the area of wood that’s dented, place the cloth above it, and then press the iron down on the cloth for a few seconds.
The iron will heat up the water into steam, causing the expanded steam to push the fibers to its original state with the wood. How cool!
Use WD-40 to Erase Drawings on the Wall
We know how tough it can be not to get frustrated with your cute little kiddos when they’ve decided to color outside of the lines and onto the walls. But just like there’s no use getting mad over spilt milk, there’s no use getting mad over crayons on the walls.
You can easily remove them with WD-40. Just spray some onto a cloth or paper towel, and wipe away the scribbles on the wall. Just make sure not to get any WD-40 on your clothes or carpeting, since that can be tricky to get out. Another thing to note, is that you’ll have to clean up the WD-40 oil off the wall, but that’s much easier to handle than with fabric!
Clean in Between Your Tiles with Toilet Bowl Cleaner
Have you ever noticed that cleaning those cervices between your tiles around the house is a bit tricky? Well maybe that’s because you haven’t been using the right product to get the job done.
Apparently, using toilet bowl cleaner does a spot-on job when it comes to cleaning grout.
There are several different types of toilet bowl cleaning products you can use, but using an eco-friendly one is always going to be the safest for you.
Snoozin’ with Soap as a Home Remedy
This isn’t really a home repair hack for an item or appliance around the house, but more of a cool and simple home remedy.
While it’s not confirmed to work for everyone, many people claim that sleeping with a bar of soap actually aids with leg cramps overnight.
Try it out, see if it works for you!
But regardless of that, cramps are usually a sign of dehydration, so try drinking a little more water first.
Kool-Aid Can Help You Spot a Leak
It’s never fun seeing your water bill total out to a higher amount than you expected. So how can you check for leaks on your own?
A secret pro leak seeker tip is to use food coloring or Kool-Aid to sift out a leak in the toilet.
You can either sprinkle in just a bit of Kool-Aid powder or add a few drops of food coloring inside the back of the toilet’s tank. Refrain from using the toilet for at least 10 minutes before going back to check and see if there is a hidden leak.
Should you see color in the toilet bowl once you get back, then it looks like your tank is secretly leaking.
Baking Soda and Lemon Juice Can Unclog Your Drain
There are a few ways that you can unclog a drain using regular items in your kitchen! While there are a few ways to take care of it, using baking soda and lemon juice is one of the most convenient ways.
All you need to do is pour down the clogged drain 1/2 cup baking soda followed by 1/2 cup lemon juice. Cover up and plug the drain, and allow the concoction to do its thing for about an hour.
Remove the plug, and pour down a pot of hot water to finish clearing it all out.
Fight Garbage Odors with Bread and Vinegar
You read it right! You can combat those nasty odors left in your trash can with just one piece of bread and a little bit of vinegar.
All you need to do is soak a slice of bread in some vinegar, and then leave it in your garbage can overnight so it can do its thing.
Not only does this trick work with trash cans and wastebaskets but you can also use this easy hack with lunch boxes, too!
Prevent Trash Bag Tears with a Drill
Have no fear, the days of your trash bag tearing is over! The main reason a bag is normally tricky to pull out and ends up ripping is because of the air suction between the bag and the trash can, but you can relief the tension by just drilling a few small holes either on the side of your trash can or on the bottom. This will allow for the air to escape and not get trapped, creating a suction between your plastic bag and the bin itself.
Refrain from Scrubbing Strains by Using a Broom
Scrubbing your bathtub can be quite a pain—literally! Bending around the tub in awkward angles and straining your back isn’t exactly the most pleasant way to clean up the bathroom, but this helpful hack is anything but a sore!
All you need to do is grab a broom and some dish soap and start scrubbing away.
Makeshift Funnel with Aluminum
This might not be the most helpful hack out there, but when you’re in a pinch, you gotta do what you gotta do with whatever you have.
In case you’re ever in a need of a funnel and can’t find one, you can make a DIY version with aluminum foil.
The trick is to roll your tin foil funnel a few times so that the layers create a stronger barrier. Some liquid might get stuck in the creases of the foil, so try to roll it out as smoothly as possible.
Use Rubber Bands as a “Door Stopper”
Isn’t it super frustrating when your door keeps slamming shut while you’re trying to move furniture? It’s always nice when you have a handy-dandy door stopper to help you out, but what can you do if you don’t have one?
One secret hack is to actually use a rubber band to tie down the latches in the doors. All you need to do is wrap a rubber band around one door handle and cross it over to the other. Make sure it’s crossing over the latch. This way the door is still able to shut, but you won’t need to turn the knob to open. How convenient!
Use a Potato to Handle a Broken Bulb
We know this next hack might sound a little bananas, but when you’re in a pinch, you gotta do what you gotta do!
Lightbulbs are sensitive and fragile household items, that can easily burst or break if you don’t handle them with care. But let’s say you did accidentally break a lightbulb, don’t worry! You can easily use a raw potato to save the day and unscrew the broken bulb. That’s right, we said potato.
Just slice the potato in half, carve out one half so that it basically fits inside the base, but gives the glass force to cut into the potato to keep a hold of it.
Viola, you’ve created a little handle to help you twist away, cut free!
The Secret Behind the Diamonds on Your Tape Measure
Did you ever notice that your tape measure has diamonds on them? Or that some numbers are red instead of black? Well, it turns out that there’s actually a hidden reason for that.
Apparently, these markings are the equivalent of spacing between wall studs and wood joists in your walls. Who would’ve thought?
Create a Wall Bumper in the Garage with a Pool Noodle
One of the easiest ways to scratch up your car door, or the garage door, is when you swing the car door open and it hits the wall. But there’s an easy way to prevent any damage on either ends in this common situation—pool noodles.
All you need to do is pick a fun-colored pool noodle, carefully slice it in half, attach the pool noodle onto the wall where the car door meets it, and voila!
If you’re wondering how to attach the pool noodle to the wall, there are multiple ways to do that, including nailing it down or using mounting tape.
Put Your Pet Hair Sorrows at Ease with a Squeegee
Having a fuzzy little pet around the house is one of the best things you can ever have in your life. But there’s nothing wrong with admitting that the maintenance of taking care of our fur babies can be a little annoying and even straining. That’s why we’ve got the perfect hack for cleaning up your pet’s hair in those hard-to-reach places.
By moving it in a forwards-backwards motion, you can collect pet hair with just a squeegee! The rubber will pull out hair in your carpet that’s been hiding there all this time, providing you with an easier way to just vacuum it all up.
Cooking Spray Works as a Sub for WD-40
We all know that WD-40 is the secret weapon when combatting a squeaky door, but what can you do if you’re all out?
Instead of using WD-40 on your creaky doors and windows, apparently you can use cooking spray as a substitute to lubricate the friction from your hinges and provide release. Word around the water cooler is that you can also use olive oil or butter to loosen them up a bit, as well, if you’re out of cooking spray.
The Direction of Your Ceiling Fan Can Save You Money and Heat
Did you know that you can utilize your ceiling fan to cool you down during the summer time and also warm you up during the winter time? That’s right, by altering the direction of your ceiling fan, you can not only adjust for the right temperatures, but also slice down on your energy costs.
Setting your fan to counterclockwise is best for summer, and clockwise is for the winter months.
“If you are unsure if your fan is turning the correct direction, stand directly under the fan and look up. If the fan is moving counterclockwise and you feel a rush of air, it’s in the correct setting for summer,” Home Depot writes on their website.
DIY Double-Glazed Glass Windows
Whether it’s to keep those dog days of summer heat to a minimum or to keep the harsh, cool winter nights at bay, this secret hack is known to be just the trick for that!
If you line and cover your windows with bubble wrap, it works as a great DIY hack to keep your house cool during the summer, and warm during the winter.
Not just that, but it can also help you with costs, since it helps keep your heat or AC’s air inside your house, instead of escaping through the window.
Clean Your Showerhead with a Vinegar Soak
Many people don’t think to do it that often, but cleaning your showerhead is crucial, since that’s what you use to clean yourselves. Thankfully, there’s a very simple way to do it.
All you need to do is submerge your showerhead in a bag filled with vinegar. You can leave it for a few hours, or even overnight, depending on how dirty it is.
Molly Maid suggests on their website that “If you have a brass, gold, or nickel-coated shower head, remove it from the vinegar after 30 minutes. Any longer than this could damage the finish.”
If there is any build up that remains once you pour out the vinegar, run the showerhead with hot water for about a minute. After that, you can use a toothbrush to scrub out any additional residue.
Keep Your Siding Spick and Span
You might not think to clean the sides of your exterior walls at home, but doing it twice a year can really make a big difference!
Not only will it keep your property looking spick and span, but washing your siding will also help the material last much longer. You can even use household products to clean it!
BobVila suggests mixing 30% white vinegar with 70% water to help clean and remove mold and mildew stains.
But you can visit your nearest household store to ask about what type of power-washer to use if you’re in need of a heavy-duty solution.
Give Your Washing Machine a Vinegar Bath
Another important machine to care for is your washing machine! Similar to your showerhead, it’s crucial to make sure that you’re cleaning your laundry machine regularly considering its main purpose is to clean things. You can give it a good, simple vinegar wash anywhere from once a week to once a month depending on how often you use it.
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- Pour two cups of white vinegar in the detergent deposit, and run a regular washing cycle.
- Clean the interior of the machine with a sponge and/or toothbrush (scrubbing out the detergent drawer, too). You can clean this with a mixture of ¼ cup of vinegar with 1 quart of water.
- Run another regular washing cycle (without vinegar).
Wash Away Water Stains with Bleach and Water
Before you try covering up your water stain with pain, there’s actually a way to remove it using basic household items.
“Cleaning the stained area of the ceiling with a mild homemade bleach solvent (one cup of bleach and three cups of warm water) will fade the stain and remove any lingering mildew, grease, dirt, or dust that can prevent primer and paint from adhering to the ceiling,” BobVila states on their website.
Just make sure to wear safety goggles and place down towels below your water stain so you don’t get bleach everywhere.
