Alex Carson
#1 Cooking Spay Will Quiet a Squeaky Door or Cabinet
There is nothing more annoying than when a door or a cabinet squeaks when they are opened and closed. If you don’t have any WD-40 in the house, cooking spray will work just as well. Just spray a bit on the hinges, and soon your doors and cabinets will be quiet. This is a temporary fix, therefore, the next time you are out running errands, you should pick up some oil or WD-40 to take care of the job for good.
#2 Use Kool-Aid To Spot a Leak In Your Toilet
A leaky toilet can result in a very expensive water bill. If you think that you might have a leak in the toilet, you don’t need to call a plumber just yet. All you need is a package of Kool-Aid. All you need to do is remove the lid of the tank and pour the Kool-Aid packet in. The water in the tank will turn the same color as the Kool-Aid. Next, put the cover back on and wait about an hour. If after an hour the water in the toilet bowl has changed color like it did in the tank, you have a leak in your toilet. If not, you are fine and you didn’t need to waste money on a plumber.
#3 Keep Screws From Coming Loose With Nail Polish
The screws that hold your furniture together or that keep your cabinet doors on tight can come loose over time. This would require you to tighten the screws regularly, which can become a hassle. To keep your screws from getting loose, you should paint over them with clear nail polish. This will keep them from coming loose.
#4 Use Crayons To Fill In Nail Holes
If you are going to be moving and you need to fill in the nail holes before you leave, you don’t need to go through the trouble of using plaster. All you need is your child’s crayons. You simply find a crayon that matches the color of the wall and rub the hole using firm pressure. This is much easier than plastering the walls and then repainting it.
#5 Achieve the Perfect Caulk Edge Using Tape
If you are using caulk, it can be hard to get the perfect straight edge. The easiest way to do this is to use some painter’s tape that is available at most hardware stores. If you are going to use tape, you don’t use it the way you would if you are painting. It is important that you remove the tape while the caulk is still wet. If it begins to dry, you can pull off some of the caulk, ruining your perfect line.
#6 Use a Potato To Unscrew a Broken Lightbulb
There is nothing worse than breaking a lightbulb before you can get it out of the socket. When this happens, it can be hard to get the bulb out and you could end up cutting yourself. If you want to remove the socket safely and easily, you just need a potato. Simply cut the potato in half and push the soft side into the broken bulb. When you turn it counterclockwise, the socket will come out without you needing to use protective gloves and to struggle.
#7 Use an Elastic Band to Remove Stripped Screws
If you are trying to remove a screw that has been stripped and can be almost impossible. All you need to do is place a rubber band over the head of the first. This will create a bit of friction, which will help the screw come out easier.
#8 Patch Nail Holes With a Bar of Soap
If you don’t have any kids, you might not have crayons in the house to cover the nail holes on your wall. If you don’t want to plaster the holes and repaint the room, you can use something that you surely do have in the home. Soap. If your walls are white, just rub a bar over the hole in a counterclockwise, circular motion over the hole. If there is any soap leftover on the wall, you just need to use a wet cloth to wipe it off.
#9 Keep a Door From Slamming Using a Cabinet Door Bumper
If your doors are always slamming or if they rattle when it is windy outside, it is easier to fix than you might think. All you need to do is buy a cabinet door bumper. If you insert it in the door jamb, the door won’t slam when you close it. Also, it won’t rattle on very windy days.
#10 Fix Squeaky Floor Boards
There is nothing more annoying than walking in certain areas of your home and hearing the floors squeak. When this happens, you don’t need to contact a contractor, you might be able to fix the problem yourself using things that you may already have in your home. Most squeaky floors are a result of two of the floor boards rubbing together when someone walks on them. All you need to do is pour some baby powder into a squeeze bottle. The best kinds are the ones that you use to apply hair dye. Next, squeeze the powder between the two boards that are squeaking. To get the powder down in between the boards, you should use a makeup brush to push the powder down. It is the perfect solution to an annoying problem.
#11 Fix Dented Carpets With Ice Cubes
If you are planning to move the furniture on your carpets around, you can expect to see dents in the carpet. If you want to get these dents out, you just need a piece of ice. Simply put the ice on the dented area of the carpet. As it melts, the water will be absorbed into the carpet. Within a few minutes, the carpet should spring back to normal. If the carpet still has a small dent, you should use a hard-bristled brush to fluff up any areas that still have small dents.
#12 Fix Dents in Wood With a Hot Iron
If you have small dents in your hardwood floor or in your wooden furniture, you don’t need to call a professional. This is something that you can actually fix on your own. All you need to do is wet the dent with a small amount of water. Next, put a moist towel over the dent and iron it in a circular motion. When you lift up the damp cloth, the dent will have disappeared. This can save you a lot of money. It can be expensive to repair or replace wood floors and furniture.
#13 Use WD-40 to Remove Scribbles On the Wall
When small children get their hands on crayons and markers, they don’t always color on the paper only. It is very common for a child to write on the walls and it can be difficult to get the markings off. Rather than painting over the scribbles, you can remove them yourself using WD-40. If your walls are painted with a flat paint or matte paint, you should avoid using this trick. The oil in the WD-40 can end up permanently staining the walls, making the problem worse. If you are unsure as to what type of paint you have on your walls, try to put just a dab of oil on the wall. If it doesn’t stain, you can use it. If it does, you are going to have to repaint anyway to cover the scribbles on the wall.
#14 Clean Your Grout With Toilet Bowl Cleaner
This is one of the most ridiculously simple home repair tricks. If you let the grout between your tiles get dirty, the entire floor will look dirty and dingy. Some people who have tile floors will hire a professional to come in and steam clean the grout. This is not necessary and it is a waste of money. These companies will not only charge you to come out to your home, they will also charge you to clean the grout. If you want to get the grout clean yourself, all you need is toilet bowl cleaner and a toothbrush. Simply pour the toilet bowl cleaner in the cracks between the tiles and let it sit for about 15 minutes. Next, scrub the area with a toothbrush. To finish the job, mop the floor with warm water the way that you normally would.
#15 Fix Small Holes In Your Screen With Clear Nail Polish
If you have small holes in your screens, it can let small insects into your home. Rather than spending the money to buy a new screen, you simply need to use a bottle of clear nail polish. It will act as an invisible glue that will cover the hole, keeping the insects outside. If the hole in the screen is large, nail polish won’t help. For larger screens, you can use a piece of invisible packing tape or you can spend the money to replace your screen.
