Small wins like fixing a broken cable or helping someone get the lid off a jar can make us feel like lowkey superheroes. Though we may not be saving the world like Superman or the Avengers, there’s something to be said for making everyday life a little bit easier for ourselves and the people we love.
In any home, things will inevitably break or malfunction at some point. Knowing how to restore household items to tip-top shape can be a blessing. Still, we must caution our readers that the hacks provided in this list are for minor issues only. Professional assistance is always recommended for major malfunctions. However, if it’s just a bit of surface rust or some messy cords you’re dealing with, then the solution you need can be found in the following pages. These straightforward tricks will transform any individual into a virtuoso of home repairs.
Pull a Michelangelo
While we love a newly painted room, we additionally understand what a mission it is to keep the paint where it should be. No matter how careful we think we’re being, spots of color seem to find their way onto door handles, carpet, and other spots they weren’t meant to drip.
To improve your painting game, simply cut an opening in a plastic drink lid and slide it over the handle of your paintbrush. This will keep your hand, your clothes, and the carpet safe from stray paint drips.
Ironing Hack
Here’s an approach to keeping your wooden coffee table in fine form. Take a damp towel and place it over any scratches on your coffee table. Leave it there for around ten minutes, then run a steam iron across the towel. Ensure the iron is on its hottest setting.
The warmth and dampness will help smooth out the scratches, and your valued household items will look fresh out of the box when you’re finished.
Keeping Things Crystal Clear
While we all know toothpaste is fundamental to dental cleanliness, relatively few individuals realize that it's capable of helping out with many other household chores. For example, toothpaste can help you make glass sparkle like it's shiny new. It's especially good at eliminating tiny scrapes and scratches.
Apply a generous amount of toothpaste to a paper towel and polish the mirror with it. For best results, use a consistent, circular motion and give it some time. Finally, use a clean paper towel to wipe off the excess toothpaste. You should be rewarded with clean and sparkling glass.
The Magic of Vinegar
Regularly cleaning your shower head is so important. After all, it provides the water you use to keep yourself clean and fresh. The last thing you want is for it to be full of muck and grime! Thankfully, cleaning it doesn’t have to be a chore. All you need is a plastic pack and some vinegar.
Fill the bag with vinegar, secure it to the nozzle using a rubber band or hair tie, and leave it for around two hours. Once the required amount of time has passed, open the bag and run the shower for a few seconds to clear out the last remnants of the vinegar.
Line the Grooves
At times, we need to move our furniture around to create a new look in our home. However, when the furniture has been sitting in one place for a long time, it tends to leave a mark on the carpet. Thankfully, there is a way to dissolve these indentations. All you need are some ice cubes.
The dissolving ice will soak into the carpet fibers, making it easier to brush them into the right positions. Just be sure to ventilate the area to ensure the wet carpet can dry quickly.
Let Coke Do its Magic
Did you know that our favorite beverage has a few different applications other than extinguishing our thirst? Cleaning blocked drains is one of them! Let two liters of the bubbly beverage cool down to room temperature, then pour it into the blocked drain.
After around two hours, flush it with warm water, and there you have it! The drain should no longer be clogged! It’s wonderful to know that we can address blocked drains without having to resort to powerful chemicals.
Sealing a Leaky Pipe
Plumbing accidents are among the worst household dramas, especially if pipe bursts and starts flooding your house. Luckily, you can create a temporary fix to get you through until the professional plumber arrives.
Turn off the water supply to the house and observe until the leak stops trickling. Then, apply sealant to the leaky pipe and give it time to dry. From that point onward, you can relax and trust that somebody will come to assist you with a more permanent fix.
Tape Organizer
You could stack tape rolls on top of another in a bureau, or simply dump them all in a labeled box. However, there’s a far more convenient way to store your rolls of gaffer tape, packing tape, and duct tape.
Simple head down to your nearest hardware store and pick up a toilet roll holder. Just as this handy device helps you dispense toilet paper, so too can it make life easier when it comes time to use some tape.
Rubber Bands for a Perfect Coat
It’s almost impossible to avoid making a mess when painting, but this hack will help you keep your paint tins clean and tidy. Instead of wiping the brush on the sides of the paint tin, use a large rubber band like the one displayed in the picture below.
This trick allows you to distribute the perfect amount of paint onto your brush without getting drips and dribbles down the side of the paint tin. It’s especially handy if you won’t be using all of the paint in one go as you’ll keep the mouth of the tin clean, making it easier to pop the lid back on.
Choose the Cleaner Option
How often have you held nails in your mouth while hammering one in? This isn't the most hygienic approach, and that is the reason we think this hack is a lifeline. First off, you need to get a magnet that’s strong enough to hold the nails but small enough to fit on the end of your hammer.
Use the strongest glue you have on hand to attach it to the bottom of your hammer, and you’ll have a handy nail holder for your next carpentry project. This will keep your nails in order without putting your teeth at risk.
Potatoes to the Rescue
There are various reasons why a lightbulb might burst, and when it happens, removing it from the socket can be a dangerous affair. It can leave you with shards of glass all over the place and a broken bulb to somehow lever out without shocking yourself.
Thankfully, a simple potato can save the day. Cut a medium or large potato in half, carefully press it into the broken edge of the bulb, and you should be able to safely twist it out of the socket.
Soap as a Lubricant
Are you having trouble getting a screw to drill into a wooden surface? This can be a problem with hardwood, but thankfully, a simple bar of soap can come to the rescue.
Drag the metal screw from tip to head along a bar of soap. This will lubricate the screw, making the job a whole lot easier. An electric hand drill or simple screwdriver should now be all you need to drive the screw into the wood.
Ketchup as a Cleanser
Cleaning silver utensils can be an overwhelming job. If you’re dedicated to getting every last bit of grime off, this already tough task will get significantly harder.
Here is a little hack to get silverware to shine brilliantly like a jewel. Instead of turning to dishwashing liquid, use ketchup or tomato paste. The acid level in tomatoes is said to remove grime and stains quicker than soap suds.
Foil as a Blade Sharpener
Scissors are among the most useful household tools. You never know when they might come in handy, so it’s important to ensure they’re always sharp and ready to slice through whatever material you need to cut.
How are you meant to sharpen your scissors, though? Thankfully, this simple hack can help. Just pile up a couple of sheets of aluminum foil and slice through the pile with your blunt scissors. After a few slices, you should notice that they’ve gotten sharper. Keep going until you’re happy with the result.
English Ivy as an Air Purifier
English Ivy is an air-purifying plant that can help you bid farewell to incense and chemical air fresheners. The plant will ensure your air stays fresh, clean, and pure, adding a lovely atmosphere to any home.
The plants can even absorb toxic residue and fumes from paint and other household products. Indeed, an English Ivy plant inside a room is an exceptionally wonderful sight. Aside from sanitizing the air around them, they give us a lot of free oxygen, leaving us feeling dynamic and revived!
Chocolate to Remove Scratches
Chocoholics will either love or hate this idea. On the one hand, it gives you a great excuse to buy a lot of chocolate. On the other hand, you won’t be able to eat it all! As it turns out, chocolate can be used to remove scratches from costly wooden tables, restoring them to their former glory.
All you have to do is break off a piece of chocolate and rub it over the scratches until they disappear. This works like magic, and the smell is divine. As a bonus, you get to eat whatever chocolate is left over. Sounds like a win-win to us!
Crayons as a Concealer
Whether you’re moving into a new house, moving out of an old one, or simply redecorating, it’s common to end up with holes in the wall where pictures were once mounted. Thankfully, crayons offer a simple solution to this problem.
Though these holes in the wall are only small, they are very noticeable, especially if you have a landlord who’s precious about their walls. No matter how many holes you have in your walls, there’s no need to stress since! Just get a crayon that matches the paint, and scrape the way into the hole to plug it up and make it invisible. Problem solved!
Toothpaste for a Scratch-Free Vehicle
Regardless of whether one is the best driver, eventually in our vehicle's life, it will get a knock, and definitely, there will be some scratches. Over the long run, these "scars" aggregate, and the vehicle begins looking more seasoned than it really is. One hack for getting your vehicle looking new again is to utilize toothpaste.
Put some on your fingers or a cloth, and apply it in a circular movement over the affected part. Try not to press too hard, and keep an eye on the effect the toothpaste is having on the scratches. Once you’re happy with the result, wipe away the excess toothpaste.
Caulk to Perfection
Caulking is such a finicky job, and it seems impossible to get a nice, neat finish. This hack will help you achieve the impossible and get smooth, clean lines each and every time. Before starting the job, line the edges around the area you need to caulk with painter’s tape.
The picture demonstrates how to use the painter’s tape. Once it’s in place, apply the caulk, and when you’re finished, don’t wait to pull off the tape. You want to remove it while the caulk is still wet as, otherwise, you run the risk of accidentally pulling the caulk off with the tape.
Foam Noodle to the Rescue
If your garage has limited space and your vehicle scarcely fits through, this genius hack will help. Even if you have plenty of room in your garage, it might be a good idea. After all, it’s easy for passengers who aren’t paying attention to accidentally damage your vehicle by opening the door too quickly and slamming it into the garage wall.
To prevent such accidents, get a pool noodle and attach it to the garage wall. You’ll need to have your car handy so you can determine the height at which the door is likely to hit the wall. This is where you want to attach your pool noodle padding. Then, you can open and shut your car doors without a care in the world, knowing you have the necessary protection in place.
Nail Polish for Holes
After some time, windows will get little scratches in them, diminishing the charm of the home’s exterior. Don’t panic as we have an easy hack here. All you need is a bottle of clear nail polish to resolve the issue.
Apply layers of the fluid on the scratches, and you can ensure they don’t get any worse. Note that this hack doesn't work for any of the bigger and more profound tears!
Silence Wood Creaks with Powder
Having wooden floorboards can feel great underfoot. They look lush and seem versatile until they begin making squeaking sounds. This makes it difficult when you need to move around in the middle of the night as you worry that the creaks will wake up your family or housemates. As the years go by, more and more creaks will emerge from the floorboards, making every step you take a noisy experience.
To treat and prevent this problem, get some baby powder and sprinkle a liberal amount along the seams of the wooden flooring. Smooth it down with a brush and then dust on some more powder; repeat the method until the sound is gone.
Remove Wax with a Hairdryer
Having children in the house implies managing another calamity every day. One of the issues parents experience is crayon marks everywhere on the dividers. Rather than getting irritated and preventing our children from engaging in creative play, we need to break out our trusty hairdryers!
Once the hairdryer is plugged in, set it to its highest temperature and direct it onto the crayon marks until the wax begins to melt. After it has softened, you can take a warm, damp cloth and wipe it off. Continue this process until all the crayon marks are gone.
Just Screw It
Regardless of how much pressure we apply, it seems like that troublesome screw just will not move! Though it should be a simple task, old screws can be tricky to remove. If you can’t get enough purchase with the screwdriver, you run the risk of stripping the head of the screw, making the task of removing it even harder. Thankfully, the following hack should help.
Place a wide rubber band over the top and begin to unscrew in a counter-clockwise movement. This will improve the grip you’re able to get on the screw head, making the job easier and reducing the risk of slipping and injuring yourself.
Creative Sprinkler System
Having a powerful sprinkler system will ensure your grass and plants stay lush and healthy. However, when your budget is tight, it’s time to get imaginative! Here’s a free hack: Pull a plastic container out of your recycling bin, and ensure that the neck of the bottle is a good match for your hose.
Poke a series of holes in the bottle, using the picture above as a guide. Tape the bottle onto the end of the hose, creating a waterproof seal. Set it up in a convenient spot in your garden, turn it on, and you have a low-cost yet effective sprinkler.
Catch Debris with a Bottle
When drilling, it is common to see dirt and debris flying everywhere. The fine residue may even adhere to your face, making the entire exercise a messy undertaking. To prevent this, we can take a plastic jug, cut it in half, and place the lower part of the jug over the base of the drill.
All you need to do is make sure there is adequate space to drill, and you will never again have to deal with debris flying up into your face.
Peeling the Paint Pan Clean
Every home handyperson has encountered the torment of attempting to clean the roller plate following a day of painting and difficult work. Here’s a helpful tip: Rather than washing the extra paint, leave it to dry. The next time you need to paint, you can simply pour the new color over the dried layer.
After several rounds, the paint will strip off in layers, saving you a ton of time and exertion. The only drawback is that the colors can wind up blending, so look out for that. If you’re using contrasting colors, another option is to line the paint pan with plastic wrap. That way, you can simply peel the plastic off when you’re done, leaving you with a pristine paint pan, ready to store away.
Brush Holder
We love creative undertakings that involve paint, but good paintbrush holders are hard to come by. All the best brushes are costly, but without a good holder for them, it’s hard for us to keep them in good condition. This means we end up forking out for new brushes far more often than we really need to.
Fortunately, we can make an instant holder from old pool noodles! Just cut the noodle into smaller pieces. Next, make a long even cut on one side and enough vertical cuts on the other to hold each of your brushes. Easy!
Coffee to Unclog Drains
One problem every homeowner will face at least once in their life is a clogged drain. This could happen in the kitchen, bathroom, or laundry room, and it is immensely frustrating. The next time you encounter a blocked drain, give this trick a go.
Rather than dropping everything and calling a plumber, grab an espresso container from the kitchen counter. Blend the coffee grounds in with dishwashing liquid and hot water, then dump the hot liquid down the drain. Follow it up with lots of boiling water. If this doesn’t clear your drain, it’s time to call in a plumber!
Coffee for a Spotless Bathtub
Coffee can help with your bathtub problems too. If you have a lot of grime and soap scum in your bathtub, all you need to do is save up some of the used grounds from your morning cup of coffee.
Get the extra coffee grounds and head over to the tub. Rub them gently over the dirty spots, and watch the lathery deposits froth up. Wash the mess off with water, and your tub should be clean as a whistle.
Add Sparkle with Essential Oils
Furniture requires care, especially if it's made of wood. When it starts to look dull, the whole room loses its radiance. It's not sufficient to clear the residue off the sofas and seats every so often. You need to make sure your wooden furniture is well cared for too!
Did you know that a decent wipe-down with essential oils like lemon oil and tree tea oil can eliminate stains and brighten up wooden furniture? As a bonus, these oils will keep bugs out of the room.
Ice Cubes for Removing Candle Wax
If you love candles, you’ve probably got a few spots in your house where hot wax has dripped and made a mess. Scratching the wax off with a sharp device may seem like a good idea, but it just leaves little scratches that need another helpful hack to dispose of!
A more secure bet is to pack a couple of ice blocks in a plastic sack and place them over the candle wax. Allow it to stay there a couple of minutes until the wax gets cold and hard. This will allow you to pick it off without leaving a scratch on the surface.
Candle Wax-Free Carpet
Lifting candle wax from a carpet is a little trickier. Ice cubes won’t cut it. Instead, you need a steam iron and some paper.
Place the paper on top of the wax and gently press into it with the warmed iron. The wax should melt and adhere to the paper. This will allow you to lift it off and liberate your carpet from the mess.
The Power of a Second Shower Rod
If your shower is a bit of a mess, with body wash, soap, shampoo, and other items littered around the floor, this hack is for you. No more will you have to bend down to retrieve the products you need. Instead, install a second shower rod in your shower recess.
Hang a basket from this rod, and you can place all your shower supplies within convenient reach. Choose the right basket, and this can be a stylish and hygienic upgrade to your bathroom.
Vinegar vs Stubborn Microwave Stench
Regardless of whether the microwave smells of overcooked broccoli or burnt popcorn, a jug of vinegar is all you need to fix it. What’s more, the job only takes about five minutes to complete.
Place a bowl of vinegar in the microwave and close the door. After just five minutes, cleaning the insides of the microwave with a paper towel will help you remove the last of the smell.
Vinegar – The Power Cleaner
A few drops of vinegar will make hazy mirrors glisten in just a few minutes. Mix water with white vinegar and spray the solution on the glass. Then, all you need to do is wipe it clean with a microfiber cloth.
This hack is both easy and inexpensive. It also allows you to avoid harsh cleaning chemicals, making it one of the best tips on this list.
Your Dishwasher Can Clean Your HVAC Filter
Dishwashers are capable of cleaning more than just your dishes. Of course, you must always double-check that whatever you plan to put in there is dishwasher safe. However, you will find most HVAC filters go just fine in a dishwasher.
After a cycle through the dishwasher, you can pop the filters back in place, and the air in your home will once again be clean, fresh, and purified.
Rubber-Bands Will Save Your Hand Soap
If you have kids in the house, this hack is helpful. Little ones love pressing the pump on the hand soap bottle, but this can result in far more soap being dispensed than is really needed. Thankfully, the solution to this problem is simple.
Wrapping a rubber band around the neck of the bottle, just below the pump handle, will prevent it from being able to depress all the way. This will reduce the amount of soap that comes out, thus saving you money on refills.
How to Reduce Your Water Bill
Hoping to save those additional bucks on the water bill? This tip will ease the burden on your back pocket while helping the environment at the same time. All you have to do is place a weight inside the cistern of your toilet.
You can do this by filling a plastic jug with a couple of rocks or stones and leaving it in the tank. This will reduce the total volume of water that can fit in the cistern, thus reducing the amount of water that is used in each flush. Over time, this can save a surprising amount of water.
Tips and Tricks To Make Your Home DIY Dealings Easier
Do you still call a professional for problems you think you could fix on your own, but need a little advice to get you started? There’s never been a better time to learn new skills. Today, we’re lifting the lid on secrets that joiners and plumbers don’t want you to know. These secrets are sourced from the professionals themselves. .
Once you put them to use, these life hacks will stay with you for as long as you live, and you might save yourself a small fortune in the process. Read on and become more confident in your DIY dealings.
Keep Your Floorboards Silent
Hardwood floors sure keep your house looking elegant. They can elevate the style of a house and even bring up the property’s value depending on the quality of the wood and how well the design fits with the aesthetic of the room.
But time can wear out your wooden floor, especially if planks come loose. Every step can cause it to squeak, something that no homeowner wants to deal with. For a quick fix to this problem, you’ll just need a bottle of baby powder. Sprinkle a little powder over the loose board between the cracks to help muffle the noise.
Scratch-Proof Your Car
Do you have a small garage that can barely fit your car inside? This might be why your car has seen a lot of scratches lately, especially on the doors. Getting your car inside every day might require patience and skill, but you’ll barely need to use any effort for this quick fix.
Fix a couple of pool noodles to the walls as lining and you’ll never see scratches on your paint job ever again, at least not when you’re backing into your garage. The noodle halves will cushion any accidental nudge every time.
No More Wrench Gaps
Few amongst us own a different-sized wrench for every occasion. Only professionals tend to carry around a huge selection of wrenches fit for every type of bolt. Sometimes though, you just need the right tool for the job. But before you start opening up your purse or wallet, we have a great hack to save you time, space, and money.
Rather than spending your hard-earned pennies, use them to fill a gap in your wrench. Look at the example above. Now even the smallest of bolts can be adjusted by adding a few extra coins. The best part? The pennies are refundable once you’re done. Win-win.
Hammer Away In Safety
Intimidated by the idea of hammering a tiny nail into the wall? Do you fear for your finger’s safety? Many thumbs have suffered in the service of hanging a simple painting, but it doesn’t need to be this way. Save yourself a trip to the X-ray wing with this little trick.
Who knew that something as simple as a fine-toothed comb, bobby pin, or clothesline peg could dispel so much anxiety? Now you can hammer away in confidence, giving you more power and a much more precise hit. You still need to remember to aim for the nail, though.
Quick Fix To Your Paint Problems
Do you have some extra kitchen foil hanging around? Foil isn’t just good for baking or cooking. It can also serve as a valuable tool in your DIY project, especially for those messy ventures like wall painting which can be hard to clean up. It’s the last thing you want to deal with after a long evening of evenly applied rolling.
To make cleaning up just a little bit easier, cover the tray before you pour the paint. You’ll be able to reuse the tray without having to deal with crusty old paint and once it’s had a chance to dry on top, the foil will come off without a fuss.
A Better Use Of Cat Litter
Sometimes Doing It Yourself means coming up with creative uses for everyday objects. Here’s an unusual example of this: kitty litter. Not only can kitty litter be used to help your cat clean up, but it’s also a great grease buster. All you need in addition is a brush. Just don’t use your cat’s, unless you want to give Minxie a new hairstyle for the next month.
Grease and oil stains can be tough to get rid of, but now the cat’s out of the bag, so to speak. A generous sprinkle of cat litter over the stained spot of carpet or floor before a good scrubbing can help to get rid of a nasty stain.
Banish Paint Splatter
Most DIY painters might tell you that it’s impossible to avoid a few spills and splatters on the job. One wrong placement of the brush can spell disaster for your carpet. But let us introduce a simple but highly effective technique to help lessen the splatter.
The next time you set out to paint, tie a rubber band around the pot to avoid unwanted spillage, just like in the picture above. The band can be used to wipe unneeded paint from your brush, or it can be used to rest your brush directly on the pot. Cheap and effective.
Free Your Carpet From Snags
A well-groomed carpet can elevate the aesthetic of any room if it’s kept well. There's nothing worse than a carpet with a lot of snags and stains. The cost of having your carpets replaced because of a few snags can cost a pretty penny.
Here’s what you should do the next time you see a few snags sticking out of your carpet: take your sharpest scissors and snip off the frays, then using a fabric glue dab a few drops on the freshly snipped snag. Press down on the stem with a heavy book. No one will be the wiser.
Leaky Seat?
Do you suspect your toilet is leaking? Before you call that plumber, there’s a quick test you can run to see if there really is a problem. Don’t worry, you don’t even need to own any special tools or have any technical know-how.
Open your toilet tank and empty the contents of a Kool-Aid packet into the water. You’ll know if there’s a leak if the bowl becomes colored after leaving it alone for an hour or so. Now you can decide if you need to pick up that phone or not.
Rust Stains Are A Thing Of The Past
Aluminum cans and other beauty products can leave a nasty stain on your countertops. It is tough to remove and difficult to avoid if you have more than a few of them. The best way to get rid of this type of stain is to prevent it from happening in the first place with one of our DIY hacks.
Have any old bottles of nail polish hanging around? Don’t throw them out just yet. Instead, coat the base of your metal can with polish before you put it down on the counter. Say goodbye to rust stains for the last time.
Don’t Panic! It’s Organic
Are you itching for a different wallpaper? Taking down old wallpaper can be costly if you need to have professionals do it for you. Once again, we’re here to give you a little life hack that might save you a tidy sum and keep your walls looking fine.
There’s an inexpensive and chemical-free way of taking down your old wallpaper. Simply combine equal parts of water and vinegar into a spray bottle. Spray it over the wall and leave it for fifteen minutes. The wallpaper should be nice and supple and easy to lift off.
One Brush To Rule Them All
The amateur’s mantra is that if you want to paint, you’ll have to buy a fresh set of brushes every time. Reusing an old brush covered in paint crust just won’t give you the same results. But what if this just wasn’t true? We have a simple hack for you to peruse, making reuse a no-brainer.
After painting, it’s vital that you keep the brush in a plastic bag, preferably a high-quality one with a plastic seal. Squeeze out all of the air before sealing and it’s ready to be stored. This way you’ll have a flexible brush head ready for use right out of the bag.
Showerheads Need Love Too
Like everything in the house, showerheads need maintenance from time to time. Unlike other appliances, showerheads get little to no attention until they get clogged up, leading to lower levels of water pressure. Eventually, there will be nothing else to do but replace the poor thing.
Here’s a tip to prolong the life of a showerhead. Take a plastic bag and fill it up with vinegar. Submerge the nozzle in the bag and secure it with a rubber band. Leave it there for a couple of hours. Rise the dirty water afterward and watch in awe as the water pressure comes right back.
Showerheads Need Love Too
Like everything in the house, showerheads need maintenance from time to time. Unlike other appliances, showerheads get little to no attention until they get clogged up, leading to lower levels of water pressure. Eventually, there will be nothing else to do but replace the poor thing.
Here’s a tip to prolong the life of a showerhead. Take a plastic bag and fill it up with vinegar. Submerge the nozzle in the bag and secure it with a rubber band. Leave it there for a couple of hours. Rise the dirty water afterward and watch in awe as the water pressure comes right back.
Carpet Dents Can Disappear
Carpets can make or break the overall look of a room. Most homeowners are very particular with their carpets, going as far as hiring professionals to replace the whole carpet at the sight of a few imperfections, costing them a small fortune.
Who knew that the solution to their problems could be found in the freezer. Ice can easily remove annoying carpet dents. Just place ice on the dent and leave it there until only water is left. The thawed ice helps carpet fibers return to their original shape.
Tile Tips and Tricks
People who keep to a strict budget don’t usually hire other people to do a job that they know they can do alone. But something as daunting as replacing tiles can make even the hardiest homeowners doubt themselves. Cement is not to be taken lightly, especially when it can permanently affect the look or shape of a room.
Home repair professionals are not cheap. Their services can cost more than an arm and a leg. Here is a trick to keep them at bay: when installing tiles, soaking the stoneware in water makes them more malleable, hence, easier to cut. Who needs professionals when you can do it yourself?
Getting Out Of Sticker Situations
Some say that retail therapy is a good way to relieve stress. If you can’t avoid purchasing an essential item, then don’t grab that stress back over something as simple as peeling off a tricky sticker. Have that label off your newest purchase with this simple hack.
Blow dryers have more uses other than drying hair. Use one to easily peel off labels from new purchases. Turn your hairdryer on and hold it over the sticker. Watch as the sticker easily peels away, leaving no mark.
Top Secret Cover-Up
Who knew toothpaste could be used for far more than just cleaning your teeth? It can be used as plaster when needed. Some people use it on walls. It’s a handy tool when you have small kids in the house making a mess of things.
You don’t need wall putty, just apply regular toothpaste and no one will even know the difference. It can fill unsightly holes and gaps left on the wall. This especially works well on white walls as a quick fix when you have company coming over at the last minute.
How Many Potatoes Does It Take To Unscrew A Light Bulb?
The answer is half, especially when your light bulb is shattered. No one wants to get hurt when unscrewing a broken light bulb. This is where half a potato comes in. Potatoes are not just delicious, they also double as safety equipment.
Cut out half a potato then press the vegetable firmly onto the broken bulb. When you have the glass wedged firmly inside, turn the lightbulb to loosen it from the switch. After its removal, be sure to dispose of the lightbulb and potato properly.
Precision Drilling Tips
One of the most difficult tasks of DIY is drilling through tiles. It requires skill and precision. One mistake can cause injury or permanent damage to household items. This can be a cause of a lot of stress, especially for inexperienced homeowners.
Here’s where we tell you a secret. masking tape. Just put the tape on the area to be drilled and get to work. The tape will provide friction to the otherwise slippery surface, which leaves you with more accurate aim.
No More Squeaky Hinges
Do you live in an old house where everything creeks and croaks? This makes for uncomfortable living especially during those scary nights when all the lights are out and you can hear those hinges squeaking away. Spooky nights should only occur once a year, not all year round.
If you want to have a silent night and a good sleep you can use this hack. Sprinkle a tiny amount of cooking spray on bothersome hinges to get rid of the noise. This will lubricate the mechanism, giving you a door to close or open without the spooky sound.
Coffee Stains Can Be A Good Thing
Every coffee lover has at one point spilled a cup of their favorite brew onto a table or surface. Coffee stains are one of the hardest things to get rid of, especially on lighter and more delicate surfaces. There are cases where a coffee stain can add a little character, though.
Don’t let today’s pot go to waste. Reuse coffee leftovers on wooden furniture like cabinets, dressers, chairs, and desks by brushing coffee all over them. This will keep the wood looking new, making the furniture stand out in the room.
Crisp Cuts Through Foil
Scissors can naturally lose their edge when used on difficult material. You should try to use one pair of scissors to cut fabrics and another to cut paper as using one pair for both may dull the edges. The dull edge of a scissor may be hard to sharpen, but we have a solution.
Use aluminum foil to sharpen this essential tool. By folding several layers of the foil and cutting your scissor through a couple of times, you will sharpen your scissors up for their next use. The next time you think about throwing away a dull pair of scissors, try this first.
Screen Saver
Living in a tropical or humid place can bring hot and sticky days without proper ventilation. Installing screens on windows can be a lifesaver as they can keep away bugs out whilst the fresh air can be let in.
When a screen breaks it can spell trouble as mosquitoes can find their way inside, through even the smallest cracks. This is where nail polish comes to the rescue. Dab a few drops of clear polish between the torn seams. When it dries, the net will be joined together.
Multiple Use For Peelers
When a screwdriver can’t be found, the unconventional use of a vegetable peeler can do the job just as well. Some people don’t have a place to put tools at all and might face difficulties when one is needed.
When a screwdriver is nowhere to be found, you can always substitute it with a vegetable peeler. The peeler has a pointed edge that can fit through the grooves of most screws. Turn those troublesome screws with ease with this simple hack.
Recycle Old Plastic Bottles
While you can always compare the greenness of grass on both sides of the fence, why not tend to your own instead? Here’s a useful hack to keep your lawn looking fresh. By recycling old plastic bottles you can use them as sprinklers which can better disperse water over your garden.
Use a thin nail to poke holes at the bottom of the bottle, making sure the holes are evenly spaced. Attach the opening of the bottle to the end of the hose and a sprinkler is born.
When Wooden Dents Don’t Work
Old wooden furniture can acquire a few nicks and dents here and there over years of use. If ignoring these characterful imperfections has stopped working for you then try this hack out to recover stressed-out looking wood.
You’ll need a damp towel and an iron. The important part of this trick is using the towel while it’s still damp. Place the damp towel over the dent and run the iron through the towel over the dent in a circular motion. Repeat this a few times until the dent is evened out.
Unscrew With Glue
Something as simple as unscrewing a screw can be tedious, period. Pulling a screw can be especially tricky when the surface is slippery, or if the driver does not fit correctly onto the screw’s head.
This hack can save you some frustration the next time a screw needs to be tightened or loosened. Use a dab of glue on the surface of the screwdriver. It will stick to the rivet and make for a tighter lift. This hack is ingenious when you think about it.
Another Unconventional Use of Soap
Since they can cause such pain, we have another screw trick for you. Another way to handle screws is by lubricating them with a household essential: the soap bar.
Buff the screw over a bar of soap then drive it through the hole for a smooth transition. This will hopefully make the turn a little easier on your wrist and arm. Don’t forget to wash up afterward.
It’s All On Tape
Amateur DIY enthusiasts can get in over their heads when trying to complete a simple task such as hanging a picture on the wall, especially if nails or screws are involved. You shouldn’t have any problems with screws or nails by now, but there’s an even easier way to get it done. Here’s a secret no professional builder would ever want you to know.
You’ll need colored scotch tape. Fix it over the two holes of the frame. Use the tape like one would use a measuring device. Once satisfied with the measurement, transfer it over to the wall where you want it to be hung. Use the tape as a guide for drilling in screws.
Don’t Throw That Tape
Adhesive tape can lose its sticky property after a while. What use is tape when it loses its adhesive properties? Before you throw a good roll of tape away, consider this hot trick.
Pop the reel in the microwave for just a few seconds. The old tape will regain its stickiness after a few minutes inside. Now you can use it again as intended.
Detecting Live Wires Using A Microphone
The number one priority when starting a DIY project is safety. You don’t need to have the tools or experience of a professional, but that doesn’t mean you should put safety measures off when you work. Here’s a tip that might save you from getting shocked by drilling through a live wire.
Use a microphone the next time you drill into a wall. To avoid being electrocuted, keep a microphone plugged into a speaker and sweep it around where you need to make a hole. If you detect humming, it means that a live wire is underneath and that spot should be avoided.
An Attractive Way To Track Nails
Tracking nails from a wall can be a tedious task. It’s so time-consuming to search for those tiny little nail holes, especially when the wall has been painted over. Here’s a simple hack to save you time and effort.
There’s no need to buy a stud-finder, nor should there be any reason to drill in new cavities on the surfaces. All you need is a strong magnet to do the job. Slowly sweep it over the surface and watch the metal pull itself out.
Working With Clogged Spray Cans
Old Spray cans can get clogged after being put in storage for too long. Its contents can be wasted if the nozzle doesn’t work, and we hate waste. But there's no point in throwing away a perfectly good can just because of this minor issue.
Use a small amount of gasoline on the spout and leave it for around fifteen minutes. When you get back, you should find that the clogged nozzle is now clear and ready for use. Think of all the money that you just saved.
Clean As You Go With This Dust Collector
You might know by now that we’re fans of repurposing ordinary objects and turning them into extraordinary tools. Here’s another one for old plastic bottles. Drilling through walls can be a bit messy, but not when you clean as you go.
Use an old plastic bottle for this hack. Cut the bottle in half and use it as a shield against wall debris and dust. The plastic bottle should be able to collect most of the dirt from drilling. Clean-up is far easier when most of the mess is already trapped inside the bottle.
Rubber Bands To The Rescue
Screws can be hard to remove especially when they lose their grooves. For a multitude of reasons, the heads of screws can get dull and won’t fit properly with your screwdriver. Here’s where the simple rubber band comes into play.
Place a rubber band over the screw head whilst turning. Not long after, the bolt should loosen and you’ll be able to take the screw out with ease. The rubber band saves the day.
Seal It With Silicon
A leaking pipe can be a pain. No one wants to call in a plumber but sometimes you’ll have to do it yourself as a matter of necessity. Here’s a band-aid solution that can at least help put off a dire situation.
Apply a silicone-based sealant directly to the leaking pipe. It’s an easy fix to mend a leaky pipe, at least until a better solution appears. You’ll likely still need to have a professional look at it though.
Put A Stop To Banging Into The Room
Bang Bang Into The Room are the lyrics from a famous song popularized by Ariana Grande, but it should never happen in one’s home. If slammed doors are a major issue in your household, there’s a technical fix.
Repurpose a cabinet door bumper. You only need to screw it into the wall behind your door and voila! An instant door stopper! Accidentally slamming doors will be a thing of the past.
Toothpaste Removes Most Of The Scratches
A family with young children may find more use for this hack than others. Kids love to play rough and as a result, tiny scratches will appear on your delicate furniture. Parents can take note of this hack and save a ton of money.
Squeeze a pea-size amount of toothpaste on the affected furniture. Take a clean piece of cloth and rub it against the scratches gently. Watch them disappear before your eyes. Repeat the process if needed. Let your kids be kids and enjoy those precious years with them.
Show Stopper Band
Ready for another rubber-band trick? If you ever need to keep a door open for any reason, be it a busy cleaning session or moving day, then this hack may be worth taking note of.
Use a simple rubber band to keep your door open. Secure the band on the door handle on one side then make a twist. You should have an X shape. Tie the band around the other handle to keep it secure. The latch will not lock whenever the door slams, and the door will remain open.