Maintaining your house is a difficult job. It gets hard to call for a professional for every minor repair. It eats up your money and your time if you go a long way fixing things.
We provide you some hacks and tricks for your house repairs that will save you money, time, and energy. We hope you would find them of great help.
1. Salt will help with the smell
Pouring salt in your drain may not help unclog it, but you will surely get rid of the foul smell that won’t even let you come near it. It will also prevent recurrence of it.
Pour two tablespoons of salt down the drain and wait for half an hour to an hour for salt to work. Let the cold water run down it and say goodbye to foul odors
2. Even wall paints
Painting walls can be messy and uneven. It will only need a painter’s tape to keep the edges even when working with caulk. It does take some time to install, but the result is definitely worth the effort.
Do not forget to remove the tape before drying of caulk as it will damage the painting and make it uneven again.
3. Don’t close the door
Take a thick rubber band and loop it on either side of the doorknob. It will keep the door open for you if you are going in and out repeatedly.
Try it next time when you make rounds to take groceries from the car bring heavy furniture inside the house. It will also avoid you to be stuck outside if the door slams.
4. Remove broken bulb with potato
A broken light bulb that is still in the socket can be very challenging. You can easily cut your finger while unscrewing it.
Use a potato to unscrew it the next time it happens. Cut the potato in half and push it into the broken glass and then turn it out.
Make sure to cut the electricity to the light bulb before you try this hack.
5. Old screws can quickly come out with rubber band
Old screws get stripped on unscrewing them on several occasions. It becomes difficult for a screwdriver to have a good grip.
Use a rubber band over the head of the screw. It will add friction to it and will quickly come out. You won’t even need much strength, the trick will do all the work! We really recommend giving a try.
6. Protect your mirror from winter
Winter is an enjoyable season, but it can get annoying when the snow starts sticking on everything, especially on mirrors.
It is best to park your cars in a closed space, but for those who don’t have any option but to park in the open, this trick will surely help.
Put a zip lock bag on your side mirrors. It will keep them hidden from the snow, and you will have a better, clear view.
7. Soap bar will cover the holes on the wall
After living a couple of months or years in an apartment, we inevitably make holes in the walls by accident. Those wall holes can be quickly be filled with soap.
Take a soap bar the same color as your wall and rub it over the hole. Let it dry and scrub off the excess soap. If needed, paint over it, it will look as new.
8. Baby powder will keep the noise down
The wooden floorboard or stairs could be noisy over time, especially if you live in an old house. Walking on such a floorboard becomes very irritating.
To get rid of that shrill sound, pour some baby powder between boards. You will walk and even run on them without disruption. We wish we knew this tip sooner!
9. Wood dents? Not a problem anymore
Dragging furniture on your floor, dropping heavy objects on them or walking in high heels will undoubtedly leave dents on your wooden floor. You can use an iron to warm up that dent and get it back into its standard shape.
Wet cloth could also be used for minor dents. Try not to burn your wood with too much heat.
10. Keep your walls clean
Your walls become canvases when you have kids. It is tough to clean those stains of color pencils or pens off them.
Changing your kid’s minds about not to write on them would be a challenge so, you should know the trick for the mess. WD-40 can be used to remove those stains, or you could give magic erasers a try.
11. How to clean the grout?
Grout is supposed to stay clean to give your house an elegant look. But dirt and stains can still find their way to it.
Toilet bowl cleaner will do the work for you. Use an old toothbrush to scrub off all the dirt from it. After fifteen minutes, you will find it as clean as new.
12. Finding a leak is now easy:
Toilet leaks could be problematic and messy. And it becomes even a bigger problem if you can’t seem to find it. To find a leak in your toilet, you have to perform this little trick. Pour a pack of kool-aid in your toilet water tank.
Wait for 20 to 30 minutes. The water in your toilet will turn the same color as the kool-aid if you leak.
13. Can’t use your phone with a glove?
Using a phone in winter is an issue everyone faces. This one does not relate to house hacks, but this can prevent your fingers from freezing from winter if you choose to use your phone without gloves.
Wrap a tin foil around your fingertips if you are standing outside in the cold and touch your screen how many times you like.
14. The dishwasher can clean more than dishes:
Stains on your oven can get sticky and can damage the metal. A dishwasher will do it for you.
Cover your hands, take your dishwasher and rub it on the stains and let it be for few minutes. Clean it off with a wet cloth. You will be able to see your reflection in your oven.
15. Do not throw your used tea bags:
People use their tea bags and throw them away, but you won’t throw yours after acknowledging this trick. They can be a very useful resource.
Fill your oily pots with hot water and put those tea bags in. The tea bags will help remove the grease, and you would not have to waste your time all day scrubbing it.
16. How to open the drains:
Drain gets clogged all the time, and it is frustrating to open them. You spend all your time with the plunger, but it still stays the same.
But with this trick, it can be easily open, only with some hot water, baking soda, and vinegar. Pour hot water down the drain and let it wash out all the mess. Add some baking soda and vinegar after it. Clean it off with more hot water after some time
17. Garbage disposals are hard to clean:
Garbage disposal is the most difficult one to clean. The food particles keep sticking to it, making it all dirty. You cannot put something hard into it neither your hand, but some ice cubes can save you the trouble.
Put some ice cubes and grind them into the garbage disposal. To get rid of the smell, add some lemon or orange peels or whatever you prefer.
18. How to deal with trash bag liquids and smell:
Trash bags start leaking the liquid of trash in it. It makes everything filthy and makes your whole house smelly.
Use an old paper towel under the trash can for the liquid. For the smell, you can use a slice of bread. Put few drops of vinegar on a bread slice. Place it inside the trash can overnight and say goodbye to the bad smell.
19. Bathtub and dish soap:
Cleaning your bathtub can be too tiring. Scrubbing off all the stains and filth takes time and energy.
To easily remove those stains, tip dish soap into your bathtub. Clean it off after few seconds with a broom to prevent bending down for a long time. If needed, you can also add some vinegar to increase the effects of the soap.
20. Avoid tearing your trash can liners:
The trash liner can get sucked into the trash can and makes it difficult to carry out. It can tear the liner if you try to pull it too hard.
To prevent such disaster, put holes into the liner’s sides and save you from making a mess. This is a very useful tip.
21. Wall studs:
It is not easy to find studs on your walls if you are not a professional. Wall studs have their particular spacing.
To find them on your walls, use a measuring tape. Put a measuring tape on your wall, and at every point where there is a red number on the tape, you will find the stud behind it. The red numbers on the tape are spaced sixteen inches apart from each other. That’s likely to be the space between studs in most houses.
22. Foil paper can be helpful in many ways:
Foil paper is the best used to cover things up, whether it’s cooking or just keeping your food warm.
But you can use foil in more ways than just this. You can also shape it into a funnel and avoid spilling everything. Use this trick next time you need to pour anything into a slim container.
23. How to clean rusted tools:
Tools get rusted all the time with their use and the material they are made in. Tools made of chrome can be cleaned with aluminum foil.
Dunk the foil in water and let it soak it. Use the same water to clean the rust off. Do wash the tool with soap before cleaning with foil.
24. Say goodbye to rattling doors:
The sounds doorjambs make are so unpleasant to the ears that you don’t open them. Plus it could end up damaging the doors, or leaving marks on the walls.
Put a door bumper on the doorjamb to prevent it from making a rattling sound. Once you have tried this, you won’t be able to do without, it does make a huge difference.
25. A magic eraser can be used in several ways:
Utensils in a house get to use more than anything. That’s why they get stained more as well.
Magic erasers will clean stains from any steel. If you don’t have utensils made of stainless steel, you should keep a magic eraser with you. It can also be used for more things than the stainless, so we do recommend purchasing one.
26. Magic eraser is magic:
Here is another example of what you can achieve using only a simple magic eraser. Wet the magic eraser as instructed and clean your walls with it.
They will look as new as new paint. You don’t need to paint the walls again and again that are stained. Especially when you move out and need to fix all small stains before leaving, you will love the magic eraser!
27. How to clean the pool?
Your pool can get dirty in many ways. But sometimes, a layer of oil comes on top of it. It could be because of all the sunscreens. It put members of the house in thinking about how to clean it.
Here is an easy hack for you. Throw a tennis ball into the pool. It will absorb the oil while floating in it.
28. How to fix a screen door:
Screen doors tear down more because of their constant opening and closing—the net breaks without you noticing it.
A nail polish stroke can fix this problem. Give a rub to the broken area and let it do its work. It will bind it back, and no one would be able to tell the difference.
29. Remove carpet dents by ice:
Carpets under the furniture become flat because of constant pressure. And when you move the table, the rug keeps some marks, looks uneven and inelegant.
To remove the dent, put an ice cube on that spot and let it melt. Brush it to its original shape after it dries out and enjoy your fabulous carpet. Doesn’t it look as good as new?
30. Showerhead Prevent your car doors from damaging: not working?
The showerhead can get blocked by muck and rust. It does not sprinkle enough and also looks filthy to the eye.
A simple trick to solve this problem is to put the showerhead in water and vinegar solution. Take half water and half vinegar and soak the head in it all night. Clean it with a brush or sponge afterward.
31. Prevent your car doors from damaging:
Sometimes when you open the car door, it hit the wall near it and damages it. It becomes a daily issue if your garage is small.
No need to worry now. Use pool noodles for this problem. Cut it in half and stick it to the wall where the door ends opening up usually. It will work as a cushion for your car door.
32. Removing dog hairs can be maddening:
Removing a dog or any pet’s hair out of rugs or couches is tiring work. Nothing works perfectly. Some hair still stays and sticks to the fabric.
A squeegee can come in handy in this situation. Rub it over the piece you wanted to get the hair out from. The hair sticks to the rubber on the squeegee.
33. You can use a fan even in winters:
The fan is a device for summer. It gives cold air in hot weather. But use it the other way it can provide heat in winters.
Fans spin anticlockwise to push cold air down. But when roll it in clockwise, it makes warm air that collects at the ceiling. Try it next time in winter and enjoy the warmth.
34. Grouts do not need to stay dirty:
Grout in your house gets dirty quickly, but the dirt sticks to it if not cleaned after every few days.
It is not hard to get them clean. Take ¼ cup of hydrogen peroxide, ½ cup of baking soda, and add one teaspoon of dish soap. Scrub off this mixture from the grout after letting it sit for few seconds. It will make the grouts brand new.
35. Keep the heat in winters:
In winter, you keep every door and window close to keep all the heat in. But some broken or old window makes it difficult, especially in old houses, that are so difficult to heat up.
To prevent yourself from freezing in the cold, cover those windows with bubble wrap. They will keep the heat in and will work as insulators.
36. How to remove hair from the drain:
Drains can get clogged by many things. Hairs are a more common and most tricky thing that can block a drain.
Use a plunger to remove all the hair from the drain and watch the water go quickly through it. And will prevent the drain from clogging again. We recommend always keeping a plunger in case needed.
37. Door squeaking? No problem:
Squeaking doors are a significant problem in most houses. As typical it is, its solution is as simple. A lot of products are designed to fix this problem, but we might not always have those at home.
You don’t need any strange thing for it. Just take your cooking spray and spray it on the hinges of the door. Let it spread and set, and then move your door, and there won’t be any sound.
38. The trick to save your plants from pests:
Plants look beautiful in your house for as long as they are taken care of. But when pests start attacking your plants, they not only lose their beauty but life as well.
To keep them both alive and lovely, put aspirin on them. Dissolve aspirin in water and spray that water over your plants. You will never see a pest around it, and they will live long.
39. Nail paint will help with screws:
Screws could come loose on things around the house. Those loose screws can damage that area as well.
No need to worry; just applies some nail polish on it. It will keep the screws in place. It is not permanent glue, so you don’t need to worry about them not coming out later. The nail polish will also prevent the screws from rusting.
40. How to keep bugs away from the garden:
Bugs love to roam your gardens and destroy all the plants in their way. To keep them at bay, spray hydrogen peroxide on the plants.
Use 3% concentration. Spray it on the plants and soil, and that will keep the insect away. If you use a higher concentration, it might damage the plant, so it is important to keep it by 3%.
41. Separate shelf for your purses:
A closet is made for you to put things in an organized way. But sometimes you got many things, or your wardrobe is not compartmentalized how you wanted it to be.
So you throw stuff in it, and it gets all messy. You are not able to find anything, especially your purses, small clutches, or wallets. Try this trick, take a pot-lit holder and set it in the closet. Now you will have a separate space for your bags.
42. How to keep herbs fresh:
Everyone loves fresh herbs and vegetables. They get all soggy if not used quickly, and you had to buy them almost every day.
Now you can buy a bunch of herbs, and they will stay fresh for days. Chop your herbs, sprinkle some olive oil and freeze them. They will stay as fresh as you bought them.
43. How to store spaghetti without breaking them:
You don’t want to break your spaghetti, but you don’t have anything that is as long as the spaghetti to store them. The packs that they came do not reseal back to them fresh.
If you got any Pringles cans, then there is nothing to worry about. Put your spaghetti in the can, and they will fit easily and stay fresh.
44. Is ground beef hard to defrost?
Ground beef does not take time to freeze but also takes a lot of time to defrost. It also takes more space in the freezer.
Flatten it with a meat tenderizer or a bread roller. It will be of less trouble for later. It will be easier to fit into the freezer, and you won’t have to plan your cooking to long in advance.
45. A dull knife can be sharpened without a knife sharpener:
Knifes dulls more quickly than anything because of their constant use. It is not a problem if you have a knife sharpener. But if you don’t have one and can’t work with your dull knife, there is no need to worry.
Use the bottom of any ceramics bowl or cup to sharpen your knife and enjoy the smooth cutting.
46. Permanent marker stains are not permanent anymore:
Marker stains do not wash out easily out of house surfaces, especially if they are permanent.
A simple toothpaste hack will do the job for you. Apply some toothpaste on that surface and rub it with a toothbrush in a circular motion. Splash some water on it if the paste dries out before the job.
47. Ceiling edges or sealing edges?
To have perfect ceiling edges while you paint, you can use painter’s tape, but you can also use them for sealing edges that need to mend.
Apply the painter’s tape on the area where you want to put sealant. Remove the tape after you have applied the sealant and you have your perfect edges. You can use it for a bathtub, a sink, or any other stuff.
48. Cinnamon will help with a vacuum cleaner.
A vacuum cleaner can get dirty and smelly for being used throughout the years.
To get rid of the smell, vacuum some cinnamon powder. It will whirl in it, and the foul smell will vanish from your vacuum. It should work for you; if the smell is remaining in the hoses, use some baking soda in the same manner.
49. Use a pool noodle to fill your buckets:
Pool noodle can be used for many things than just for a pool if you can’t fill your mop buckets because your sink is too small. You can use the pool noodle as a source to fill it.
The hole in the center and its length will do the work for you. And you will be spared from splashing water all around and over you.
50. Shower curtains get stuck?
Shower curtains sometimes get stuck and do not slide smoothly. You can tear your curtain or break the hooks if you try to open them too hard.
No need to do that now. Use baking paper on a rod. Just a piece on the rod, and the curtain will slide over on it quickly. A clever way to fix this recurrent problem!
51. How to unclog your sink:
Sinks and drains unclog easily; that’s why we are giving you another hack for it. You don’t need to buy anything, especially for the things you already use at your home.
Take ground coffee that you have used. Add some dish soap to it and pour it into the sink. Pour some hot water in as well and let it wash it through.
52. Salt and lemon on a cutting board:
The cutting board gets dirty quickly, and you do not want to use it again if it’s not clean thoroughly. A simple tip will help with this issue.
Sprinkle some salt on your cutting board and then rub it with half-sliced lemon. It will be as clean as new. From time to time, you should still clean your board with some anti-bacterial detergent.
53. Another kool-aid trick:
We gave you a kool-aid tip before and are now giving you another. Would you have thought you could use it is these many situations?
You can use it to clean the toilet bowl. Pour some on it and let it sit for the night. Brush it wash the following day. You will be thanking us later.
54. Wine stain? Not a problem anymore:
If red wine is a spill on a light color carpet, it will leave a stain. But you don’t need to worry now, for we have a very simple and efficient trick for you.
If wine gets spill next time, pour a glass of milk on the wine. The milk will absorb the wine, and it won’t sink into the carpet.
55. Don’t want to paint the doorknobs?
Door knobs can get painted with doors as well, but if you don’t want them to be painted, cover the knobs with aluminium foil and enjoy painting your doors.
No need to buy any more material at the store, since we all have aluminum foil in our kitchen drawers. You can go ahead, the doorknobs will remain clean!