It’s not easy being a homeowner. While it sounds luxurious in theory, in reality, houses always need some sort of fixing as well as a lot of constant maintenance. There might be a leak one day and then another plumbing issue the next. Staying on top of everything and ensuring the house is well-kept can feel like a full-time job in itself. Of course, this can be rather overwhelming at first when you aren’t yet sure of what to do. Don’t worry. We’ve got some great tips and tricks to help you care for your house in the best way possible. Not to mention, these tricks won’t cost you a lot of money – or time. They simply require ordinary items that you have around the house.
Super Easy Tips And Tricks To Improve And Fix Anything And Everything Around The Home For Those Who Aren’t Handy
1. Cooking Spray Can Be Used As Grease For Any Squeaks
If you don’t happen to have any grease at home, don’t stress. Cooking spray will do the trick. If you find your doors are irritating you by squeaking and making noises, cooking spray will fix that problem in just an instant. Just spray the hinges a little on any door making sounds and they’ll be noise-free. This works both on doors and cabinet doors. Just be sure not to overdo it so you don’t end up with a greasy mess.
Cooking Spray Can Be Used As Grease For Any Squeaks
2. Painting Your Screws With Nail Polish Will Keep Them Tightened
It’s incredible how one coat of clear nail polish can make such a difference. Brush a nail or screw with some nail polish before using it. Doing so will ensure it stays in place. The reason for that is that the nail polish acts as a sort of glue, binding the screw to the place you put it in. It’s a simple and cheap trick that will make a world of difference. Things will be less likely to break or wear out over time thanks to this handy little hack.
Painting Your Screws With Nail Polish Will Keep Them Tightened
3. Filling In Holes With Crayon
This is a trick that takes us all back to our college days. Get a crayon that matches the color of your wall. When you have a small hole in the wall you want to fill in, use this crayon. All you need to do is use some pressure while coloring over the hole. Soon, you’ll start seeing it get filled, blending into the wall seamlessly. Just rub the crayon over nail holes and small scratches to cover up the damage.
3. Filling In Holes With Crayon
4. Use Tape To Ensure Your Edges Are Even And Straight
If you’ve ever tried caulking your own skirting and edges, you know the struggle of getting everything to look symmetrical and straight. Next time you’re going to caulk, use this hack to your advantage. Pick up some builders tape from the store and put it under the area you’re going to caulk. Place it as straight as possible. As soon as you’ve finished with the caulk, peel the tape off – while it’s still wet. If you take off the tape when the caulk dried, it might break or chip everything you’ve done.
4. Use Tape To Ensure Your Edges Are Even And Straight
5. Using A Potato To Change A Lightbulb
It can be risky changing a broken lightbulb with the glass shards threatening to cut your skin. This is especially true when the bulb is still in the socket. This trick is just for that. To prevent any injuries, slice a potato in half. Push the soft side into the bulb in the socket. That will create a makeshift handle for you to use to unscrew the lightbulb. Just be sure to have the power off when doing so and wear gloves for extra safety.
5. Using A Potato To Change A Lightbulb
6. Rubber Bands Can Help Remove Screws
Rubber bands are so underrated these days. They’re so useful to have in the house for so many different things. This trick is a fantastic example. When coming into contact with metal, rubber bands can be used to create extra friction. For instance, if you’re trying to unscrew a screw that’s holding tight, use a rubber band. Place it over the top of the screw before using your screwdriver to unscrew it. This will ease the process greatly.
6. Rubber Bands Can Help Remove Screws
7. White Soap Can Fill Up And Patch Nail Holes
This trick might just be one of the best ones here. If you don’t have the time or patience to fill in unwanted holes in the walls, use soap. It might sound strange, but it works like a charm. Take a bar of soap and scrape it across the wall where the hole is. If this doesn’t work, you can cut and sculpt small pieces of soap into the wall instead. Just make sure to go over it with a card afterward to smooth it all out. For any residue left behind, use a warm, slightly damp cloth to wipe it away.
7. White Soap Can Fill Up And Patch Nail Holes
8. Using A Cabinet Door Bumper To Prevent Any Irritating Rattling Or Banging
Even the smallest items and gadgets can create the biggest solutions to problems. For all those cabinet doors that bang and rattle when shut too forcefully, all you need to do is head to the hardware store and buy one simple little item. Get cheap cabinet door bumpers and place them inside the corner of each door. Since they’re typically made of rubber, they’ll silence any sounds the doors used to make when being shut, leaving you with some peace and quiet in the kitchen.
8. Using A Cabinet Door Bumper To Prevent Any Irritating Rattling Or Banging
9. Silence Squeaky Floors
Squeaky floorboards are never something you want to have or hear. The reason this happens is due to two pieces of wood that are rubbing against one another. Luckily, there’s a quick and simple fix for that. Fill up a small bottle – preferably one that squeezes – with some baby powder. After that, all you need to do is dust the powder between the floorboards that are causing the issue. Use some kind of makeup brush or any small brush to spread the powder and push it into the wood.
9. Silence Squeaky Floors
10. Fix Carpet Indentations With Ice
It can be somewhat annoying to have small dents in the carpet. They make everything look worse somehow. Good thing there’s a fix for that. Grab an ice cube from the freezer and place it on the dent you want to fix. As the ice cube melts, the carpet will obviously absorb it, causing it to revert back to its original shape and strength. Once the ice has melted, allow the carpet to dry completely. Then, take a hard-bristled brush and tease any areas that are still dented or damaged. They’ll fluff back up to normal.
10. Fix Carpet Indentations With Ice
12. Clean Marked Walls, Scratched Walls With WD-40
Depending on what kind of paint is on your wall, this hack is a brilliant one. If you happen to have paint that has a sheen to it, it will work. Use some WD-40 to wipe away any marks or scribbles left on the wall by your kids. The paint will look as good as new! However, don’t use this if you’ve used matte paint on the walls. Using WD-40 on them will leave a stain on the paint. In this case, you’re better off using a Magic Eraser instead.
12. Clean Marked Walls, Scratched Walls With WD-40
13. Rid Grout With Toilet Cleaner
Grout is never something that anyone wants anywhere. To get rid of it, squeeze and spread some toilet bowl cleaner in the grout and let it sit for 15-20 minutes. Then, scrub the area with a bristled cleaning brush or a toothbrush. After that, wipe away the cleaner and clean the entire surface, You’ll be absolutely amazed by the results you’ll get. The multi-use item is vital to have in the house for all those stubborn areas with grout.
13. Rid Grout With Toilet Cleaner
14. Aluminum Foil Can Be Made Into A Funnel
If you find yourself in need of a funnel but you don’t have one, don’t fret. Once again, aluminum foil will save the day. Just shape some foil into a funnel – a cone shape. And voila! You have a DIY funnel. The foil is rather strong, meaning it has less of a chance to change its shape or be flimsy. When you’re done using it, you can simply throw it away, saving you the cleanup in the process as well.
14. Aluminum Foil Can Be Made Into A Funnel
15. Tape Measures Will Find Studs For You
Have you ever noticed how some numbers on measuring tape are black while the rest are red? Depending on the make, some might have little black diamonds on the tape. These are markings placed to help you find the space between studs on the walls. This depends on the way your home was built and the studs are 16 inches apart. Then, the red should match the placement of the studs on the walls. The black diamonds are 19.2 inches apart and will help you find the area between said studs.
15. Tape Measures Will Find Studs For You
16. Locate A Toilet Leak Using Kool-Aid
Who doesn’t want to hear about a hack that costs just 20 cents? Take off the lid of the toilet tank in your bathroom and pour some Kool-Aid powder into it. It needs to be a dark-colored Kool-Aid for it to work. Let it sit for 30 minutes. When coming back, if you see the inside of the toilet bowl is the same color as the Kool-Aid, it means you have a leak. Make sure not to flush in the duration it sits.
16. Locate A Toilet Leak Using Kool-Aid
17. Wearing Foil On Your Fingers Will Help You Use Your Phone With Gloves
The winter months come with their own sets of challenges, that’s for sure. However, this particular problem has a solution that’s simple and doable. Wearing gloves while using your phone can present a challenge in itself, but there’s an easy way to solve the problem. Wrap some foil around each fingertip before putting on your gloves. This will allow you to use your phone with no problem! Just don’t overdo it – a little goes a long way with the foil.
17. Wearing Foil On Your Fingers Will Help You Use Your Phone With Gloves
18. Unclog Your Blocked Drain WIth Simple Ingredients From Your Cabinet
If you notice your sink is draining slower than usual, it normally means a clog is on its way. This is true for the shower, bathtub, and any kind of drainage in the house. The worst part is all that residue left behind. To avoid using any harsh chemicals, pour some boiling down the drain. Then, pour 1/2 cup of white vinegar down the drain before allowing it to sit for 10 minutes. After that, pour boiling water again. Just like that, the problem will be solved!
18. Unclog Your Blocked Drain WIth Simple Ingredients From Your Cabinet
21. Renew Rusty Chrome Objects With Aluminium Foil
Here we have another brilliant use for aluminum foil. For any surfaces that are covered in rust, all you’ll have to do is get some aluminum foil. The first thing you need to do is clean off the rusty surface with water and soap using a microfiber towel. After that, splash the aluminum foil with some water and rub it over the rusted surface. Doing so will clear it all up in no time at all, saving your chrome items.
21. Renew Rusty Chrome Objects With Aluminium Foil
22. Prevent Your Door From Banging With A Rubber Band
Going shopping alone can have its own set of challenges. The most significant one in our eyes is getting all the groceries inside the house from the car. If you’re making multiple trips, the door closing on you makes things worlds harder. To solve this little problem, loop a rubber band over both sides of the door handle or knob to keep it from locking or shutting on you. You won’t have to put everything down to get the door open again.
22. Prevent Your Door From Banging With A Rubber Band
23. A Tear Can Be Mended With Clear Nail Polish
It’s rather common for screens to tear a little here and there. However, this doesn’t mean you have to buy an entirely new screen. All you need is some clear nail polish. Apply some to the torn area for a quick fix. Aside from binding it back together, it will prevent the tear from getting worse with time. The nail polish simply acts as a clear glue of sorts. Additionally, this trick can be used for stockings as well when they tear. It will prevent the tear from lengthening.
23. A Tear Can Be Mended With Clear Nail Polish
24. Ridding Stubborn Dirt From Your Shower Head Using Vinegar
All kinds of nasty things tend to build up inside your shower head, from grime to dirt. These things can make it moldy and create a breeding ground for bacteria. To get rid of all this, soak your shower head in a tub of vinegar overnight. Doing so will remove all the bad things. Not to mention, it will kill the germs, leaving your shower head as good as new – both in the way it looks and its cleanliness.
24. Ridding Stubborn Dirt From Your Shower Head Using Vinegar
25. A Pool Noodle Can Be Used As A Buffer Between A Car And A Wall
It seems like everyone bangs the side of their car door against the garage wall at some point or another. It’s almost inevitable. Key word being almost. This can be easily prevented. Get a pool noodle you don’t need and cut it in half vertically along its side. You’ll be left with a strip you can hang on the walls of your garage at the height the car door is. This will keep the door from getting scratched and also scratching the wall.
25. A Pool Noodle Can Be Used As A Buffer Between A Car And A Wall
26. Remove Stubborn Pet Hair From Your Carpet With Just One Tool
Pets are really the best. What isn’t so great is all the hair and fur they shed on a regular basis. It truly gets everywhere and it’s nearly impossible to get rid of. This is especially true for carpets and fabric furniture. Well, to solve this problem, get your squeegee. Brush it over the rug or couch and watch all the hair come out easily! The rubber will do wonders for your furniture and overall cleanliness in the house.
26. Remove Stubborn Pet Hair From Your Carpet With Just One Tool
27. The Right Rotation For Your Air Flow
By switching the direction of your ceiling fan, you’ll save on cooling and heating bills. In the winter, the fan should be spinning clockwise at a very low speed. This will generate warmer air inside the room since heat rises. In the summer, the opposite is true: have the fan spin counterclockwise. This will push the warm air down, cooling off the room. A fan doesn’t change the temperature in the room, rather it rotates the air.
27. The Right Rotation For Your Air Flow
28. Make Your Windows Winter Proof With Bubble Wrap
In the winter, every little crack in the window can make the difference between being freezing cold and being toasty warm. To avoid any cold drafts, wet your window with some water before placing bubble wrap on each piece of glass. This will act as insulation, keeping the heat in and the cold out. While it doesn’t look all that great, it is a great hack for desperate times when you have no other option.
28. Make Your Windows Winter Proof With Bubble Wrap
29. Stop Drain Clogging In Its Tracks
To save yourself precious time and energy in the future, prevent clogged or blocked-up drains with this hack. To do so, go to any store and find this product or something similar to it. What it does is keep hair and dirt from going down the drain, clogging it in the future. All you’ll have to do is clean it every once in a while to ensure your sink or tub keeps draining properly. Since it traps everything, it can still slow down drainage when not cleaned.
29. Stop Drain Clogging In Its Tracks
Toothpaste In Nail Holes
When you’re in the process of moving, there are countless things to worry about, especially if you’ve been renting. You have to make sure everything looks as good as new before you leave to avoid getting in trouble with the landlord. Once you’ve taken everything off the walls, you tend to be left with annoying little nail holes. These small things can be the sole reason you don’t get your security deposit back. To fix this, fill them with a little bit of white gel toothpaste and remove any excess when you’re done.
Toothpaste In Nail Holes
Use Coffee To Restore Wood
With the right perspective, any negative can be seen as a positive. Just think about all those times you’ve spilled coffee on a shirt you love – it will stain, right? That might not be ideal for your shirt, but it would be perfect for something else – wooden furniture. If you have furniture made of unfinished wood, this hack is for you. Rub them with pieces of coffee grounds to renew their look. This will fill out any nicks or scratches while giving the wood a brand new color.
Use Coffee To Restore Wood
Protect Your Fingers
Getting nails into a wall is never an easy thing. No one wants to risk hitting their fingers with a hammer. Thankfully, there’s a way to get the job done safely. Use items you have around the house to do so. Anything like clothing pegs, bobby pins, or fine-tooth combs will work to hold the nail in place – away from your fingers. This will allow you to hammer the nails into the wall with no worries.
Protect Your Fingers
Blow-Dry Stickers
We all know the excitement of buying something new, whether it’s a new chair, a new toaster, or even a new mug. It’s fun sprucing up the house! However, there is a slight downside – all that packaging and stickers that are nearly impossible to remove in one piece. Lucky for us, there is a solution to this problem. When you have to remove a sticker, simply blow-dry it. The heat will loosen up the glue and allow you to remove it with no problem at all.
Blow-Dry Stickers
Hang Frames Easily With Tape
Predrilled picture frames are both a blessing and a curse. If you find yourself using one, we’re going to help you use it correctly without drilling an excessive amount of holes in the wall. Don’t try guessing where to put the nails – if they aren’t exactly right, it won’t work. Instead, use some masking or painters tape. Mark where the holes need to be placed. Then, place the tape on the wall to get the nails in the right spots.
Hang Frames Easily With Tape
Microwave Old Tape
Whoever’s done any sort of DIY project in the past knows how important tape is. It’s something everyone should have in the house at all times. The only downside of tape is that it loses its stickiness with time. Don’t throw it away – you can still use it! Stick the roll of tape into the microwave for just a few seconds. It will be as good as new after that. Just make sure not to overheat it since that’s a bad idea.
Microwave Old Tape
Use Magents To Find Nail Holes
As time passes, it’s only natural you would want to freshen up a room with a new coat of paint or some new wallpaper. When you do so, you have to take everything off the walls, of course. However, what do you do when you need to put everything back up? While you can make new holes, that isn’t ideal. Instead, put tiny little nails into existing holes before painting. When you’re done, use a magnet to find the nails and reuse the same holes.
Use Magents To Find Nail Holes
Drill Into Tiles Easily
While drilling in itself is always risky, it’s especially so when you’re drilling into tiles. If you lose grip for even a split-second, you’ll have an entirely new home project to take care of after it. Not to mention, it’s dangerous. There is a way to fix this, thankfully. Get some masking tape and cover the area you plan on drilling into. Just like that, your drill will have a better grip on the tile and won’t slip.
Drill Into Tiles Easily
Prevent Rust Circles
Whether your a female or not, you most likely have some sort of metal inside your bathroom and shower. It might be deodorant in a metal container or something else, but it’s something you need. The problem is that with moisture and humidity, these containers often leave unsightly rust circles on whatever surface they’re on. There’s a simple solution to that, of course. Just coat the container’s bottom with a little nail polish. This will prevent rust from forming.
Prevent Rust Circles
Remove Old Wallpaper
Outdated rooms are bad enough, but why are they almost always covered in terrible wallpaper that’s hard to remove? We’ll go out on a limb here and say that any room can be improved with some new wallpaper or a new coat of paint. However, removing the wallpaper is a challenge in itself. To make life easier, mix equal parts of hot water and vinegar. Soak a roller in the mixture before rolling it over the walls a couple of times. After this, the wallpaper should come off easily.
Remove Old Wallpaper
Sharpen Scissors With Foil
If you have a pair of dull scissors, don’t throw them out just yet. This hack will solve the problem for you. Just grab some aluminum foil sheets and fold them in half. Once that’s done, use the dull scissors and cut into them a bunch of times – eight to be exact. What the foil will do is help sharpen the blades, leaving them as good as new. It’s painfully simple. Not to mention, it’s cheaper than going out and buying new scissors.
Sharpen Scissors With Foil
Unclog Blocked Drains With Zip Ties
We can safely say that clogged drains are annoying. Of course, all that loose hair and dirt has to go somewhere. While a lot of us have paid ridiculous amounts of money for plumbers to come and fix the pipes, you won’t have to do so this time. Grab some wide zip ties. Link them together and use wire cutters to snip barbs into them. After that, feed them into the drain. Watch how easily you’ll be able to remove the source of the clog!
Unclog Blocked Drains With Zip Ties
Keep Nails In One Place
Working with tools can be challenging at times. For instance, nailing something into a wall presents a set of small challenges. To solve one or more of them, upgrade your tools with this simple addition. Get a small magnet and some glue. Glue the magnet to the bottom of your hammer handle and allow it to dry completely. Once it’s dry, you’ll be able to keep your nails nearby when working on your next project. You won’t have to blindly reach into a box of nails anymore!
Keep Nails In One Place
Plan Out A Wall With Newspapers
When you’re decorating a room or even a wall, things can be rather complicated. Hanging up several photos or frames is difficult – you have to ensure everything works together and is straight and evenly spaced. To simplify – it’s complicated. To make things easier, make a mock-up of the wall using newspapers that are cut to the size of the frames. Now you’ll be able to plan the wall before committing to the holes you make.
Plan Out A Wall With Newspapers
Unstuck A Lock
We’ve all had this problem at least once when we try putting the key in the lock and find out it doesn’t work. That’s when we’d call a locksmith, right? No. You can make sure the lock is slick enough for a key by using just a pencil. Just stick a sharp pencil into the lock and ensure the inside is coated in lead. This will allow the key to slide right in with no issue. This simple trick will save you so much money in the long run.
Unstuck A Lock
Fix Wood Dents With A Boiling Household Iron
When wooden furniture gets dented, it makes any homeowner rather sad. You put so much time and effort into the decor and picking out the perfect pieces. This is a quick and safe trick to get rid of small dents in hardwood floors and wooden furniture. All you have to do is wet the dent with a tiny bit of water before covering it with a damp towel. Run an iron over it in circular motions. Doing so should remedy the dent, making it as good as new.
11. Fix Wood Dents With A Boiling Household Iron
Scrub Your Tub With Just Dish Soap And An Everyday Broom
Say goodbye to back pain as a result of cleaning out the tub. Just use some dish soap and a broom to clean and sanitize your bathtub. Dish soap gets rid of grease on dishes, so of course, it can clean any reside or mildew that’s in the tub. It’s another item you always have that can be used in more ways than one. Get a new broom that will just be used for the bathtub to keep things as sanitary as possible.
19. Scrub Your Tub With Just Dish Soap And An Everyday Broom