Home Maintenance Tips
How to fix scratches on the finish
If the scratch you need to deal with is on the very surface of the furniture, you will need a different approach. Pour some fine rubbing compound onto a pad and rub it on the scratched surface. Next, apply a coat of new finish and perform...
Easy fixes for a finicky toilet:
1. Remove stains with Coca-Cola. Get rid of stubborn toilet bowl stains with a 12-ounce can of Coca-Cola. Pour the full can around the rim of your toilet so it coats the toilet bowl and let the soda sit for an hour. The acid in the Coca-Cola...
Use Lemon as a natural cleaner
The acid in lemons makes them great natural cleanser. The juice is great for disinfecting kitchen countertops and cutting boards. Cut a lemon in half and scrub your bath and shower to remove soap scum. You can also make a paste with lemon juice...
Easy way to clean your shower head overnight
Clean your shower head. Cleaning your shower head has great benefits, and it’s very easy. Simply fill a bag with white vinegar, tie it around the showerhead and leave it overnight. It will improve water efficiency as well as water...
Drain Sediment From Your Water Heater or Expect a Shortened Life Span
A distraught homeowner called a plumber because her water heater wasn't heating, and furthermore, it was leaking. Right away, the plumber asked if the homeowner had been draining some of the water from it every year. The puzzled homeowner said,...
Foam a Loose Showerhead
Fix a wobbly shower head, or any wobbly pipe, with a few squirts of expanding foam. The foam encases the pipe in the wall and locks it into place, eliminating the wobble.
Unclog a Toilet With Dish Soap
If the toilet plunger doesn't seem to be doing the trick, try this solution before you reach for the snake. Squirt about 1/2 cup of liquid soap in and let it sit for a while. The liquid soap reduces friction and will often allow the contents of...
Bleach Away a Water Stain
Before you go through the trouble of repainting a ceiling to get rid of a water stain, try this trick. Spray the spot with a bleach and water solution (10 percent bleach), and wait a day or two. If it's an old stain, use a mold and mildew...
Fix a Wallpaper Seam
If you have a seam that's coming apart, reactivate the paste around the gap with a rag soaked in warm water. Hold the rag over the area for a minute or two, and then carefully open the gap a little larger so you'll have more room for the...
Stripped Screws? No Problem
A stripped screw can turn a 10-minute fix into a two-hour nightmare. One of the best investments a DIY’er can make is a screw extraction kit. It comes with three different size bits and costs about $20. One side of the extractor bit reams a...
Reinforce a Drawer Front
Cut a couple of lengths of quarter-round the same height as the drawer sides. Hold them in place while you drill a couple of holes through the sides and front of the drawer box. Dab some polyurethane glue (wood glue doesn't stick well to...
Problems With Your Doors?
Functional problems with doors include damage to the door material (rotted wood, buckled metal, et cetera). Door hinges which are damaged or poorly secured make doors difficult to open and close and, if not corrected, will lead to damage of the...
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