Calling A Handyman? Learn These Simple DIY Solutions First

Deep Clean Your Wooden Cutting Boards

Wooden cutting boards are a necessity in the kitchen, but they’re hard to keep clean. With all the nicks and cuts in these boards, bacteria and food particles can seep deep into the wood, which is why you need the right trick to clean it properly. Take a handful of coarse salt and spread it across your cutting board. Then, use half a lemon to scrub your board. This will eliminate any leftover odors, food particles, or bacteria that may be sitting on your cutting board. You can also use this trick to deep clean wooden knife blocks!

Save On Potting Soil With Old Soda Cans

Many people have taken up gardening over the past few years because it’s a fun and productive way to spend time when you’re at home. However, this hobby can quickly become expensive, especially if you’re filling deep planters like this one with potting soil. Rather than using potting soil right from the start, use old soda cans to fill the first layer of your planter. They will improve drainage and aeration to help keep your plants happy and healthy! Not only does this trick save you some money, but it also gives your soda cans a second life instead of sending them straight to the recycling center.

Save Yourself Hassle With Pool Noodles

How many times have you dropped a shirt or single sock into this awkward space between the washer and the wall? It’s far too small to stick your arm down there, but using a broom or something to pull your clothes back out is way too much trouble. Save yourself all the hassle by wedging a pool noodle into this awkward space. You can also use this trick to seal the space between your washer and dryer or between the dryer and the wall. Basically, pool noodles are great tools for wedging into awkward cracks!

Use Coins To Shim A Toilet

We’ve all experienced that uncomfortable sensation when you go to sit on a toilet and feel it shift underneath you. It’s not a comfortable experience, especially when you’re trying to get down to business. Fixing an unstable toilet isn’t too difficult, but this trick will save you tons of money. Rather than going out and buying plastic or rubber shims, try using coins instead. Slip the coins underneath the toilet to stabilize it, then cover them with caulk to keep them hidden from view. This is a perfect DIY trick that will look like it was done by a professional.

Fix Wood Rot With Epoxy

When most people are faced with a rotting window frame, their first instinct is to simply replace the frame. While that may be necessary in severe cases, it shouldn’t be your go-to response! Many times, wood rot can be spotted just by applying some epoxy! It will penetrate deep into the wood and stop the rot right in its tracks. You’ll easily get several more years out of the window frame before it actually needs replacing. Keep this trick in mind if you spot wood rot on your doorframe, too!

Make Your Sofa Look Brand New Again

Sofas experience so much wear and tear on an everyday basis. It’s no wonder these pieces of furniture get messy quickly! When you need a way to clean your couch that doesn’t cost a ton of money and doesn’t require renting a steam cleaner, give this trick a try. Just grab some baking soda out of your kitchen cabinet and sprinkle it over your couch. Let it sit for thirty minutes, and then use your vacuum to get rid of all the powder. You’ll be amazed at the difference this simple trick will make. Not only does it work to get rid of stains and the general grimy feeling couches tend to acquire, but it also eliminates any odors.

Easily Remove Stains From Porcelain Sinks

Even when we try our best to be careful, accidents still happen. Whether you were letting some crafts dry in your bathroom or accidentally got hair dye in your sink, you’ll be left with a glaring stain. Porcelain is notoriously difficult to clean, but don’t panic when you see the stain! Just grab some toothpaste, baking soda, and a scrubby sponge. First, squeeze some toothpaste onto the stain and let it sit for about ten minutes. Then, pour some baking soda over the toothpaste and scrub the stain with the sponge. Once the stain is gone, rinse with hot water and wipe away any residue.

Use Talcum Powder On Squeaky Stairs

There’s nothing more annoying than trying to sneak down the stairs in the middle of the night to grab a glass of water and hearing the stairs sneak and groan under your feet. It’s an awful sound and super annoying to deal with at 3 a.m. So, do yourself a favor and grab some talcum powder the next time you’re at the store. Sprinkle the talcum powder around the edges and joints of the stairs. Make sure to rub it in so the talcum powder lubricates everywhere possible. Then, test it out and try walking on the stairs. The squeaking should be completely gone. You can also use this trick on squeaky floorboards. Also, if you don’t have talcum powder available, graphite will work in a pinch!

Repair Tiny Holes In Window Screens With Nail Polish

When most people find holes in their window screens, they start thinking about replacing them. After all, you don’t want all the critters outside climbing their way into your home! But you don’t have to replace the screen right away. As long as the hole or tear is small, you can easily seal it up with a couple of globs of clear nail polish! Seriously, you have to try this. The nail polish acts as an adhesive and creates a barrier preventing the outside world from entering your home. This will only work on minor tears, so if you have a relatively large hole, you’ll need to buy a patch kit or replace the screen.

Get Rid Of Hard Water Stains With A Lemon

Hard water stains can be nearly impossible to remove. You can spend tons of money on special cleaners, but they don’t always get the job done as well as using all-natural methods. Instead of replacing your faucets every so often when the stains become unsightly, use this trick to get them to look brand new again. Place half a lemon in a plastic bag and secure it to the faucet with a rubber band. Leave it to sit for a few hours. When you return to remove the bag, the stains should be gone! The citric acid in the lemon breaks down the leftover mineral deposits that cause the hard water stains, leaving your faucet shiny and new.

Use Command Clips On Your Garbage Cans

There are a ton of great uses around the home for command clips, but you’ve probably never considered using them on your garbage cans! Plastic garbage cans like the one in this picture are notoriously unreliable. The bag tends to fall into the can, and then you end up with yucky food residue and waste all over the inside of the can. Who has time to clean that frequently? No one! Rather than deal with all that mess, try attaching command clips to the sides of your garbage can. You can slide the loops of your garbage bag’s strings or handles through the clip to hold it securely in place. No more mess, no more stress!

Make Your Home Smell Great

How much money do you spend on scented candles, air fresheners, or plug-ins every year? If you’re like most of us, then you probably don’t even realize how much you’re spending, but the cost really adds up on these items. An alternative way to make your home smell fabulous while saving huge is to use your furnace filters. These filters need to be changed about once every 90 days. When you change the filter, simply add a few drops of vanilla extract or your favorite essential oil. The fragrance will drift throughout your home and keep your space smelling marvelous.

Use Olive Oil On Squeaky Hinges

No one enjoys listening to their cabinets squeak and squeal every time they need to grab something. It’s a major annoyance, and most people believe there are only two solutions to this problem. You either replace the hinge or buy some fancy oil to stop the squeaking. There’s a way simpler solution to this problem! Reach into your cabinet and grab some olive oil. Drizzle the olive oil on the squeaky hinges and leave it to soak in. The olive oil will lubricate the hinge and prevent it from making that annoying sound. Just make sure to wipe off any drips from around the hinge because the leftover oil will become a magnet for dirt and dust if left behind!

Fill In Nail Holes With Caulk

Whether you’re redecorating or have accidentally put a nail in the wrong spot, plenty of homeowners have dealt with the headache of filling nail holes. It doesn’t have to be a complicated process, and we’re going to walk you through how to get this job done more easily. First, grab some caulk and a putty knife. Fill the nail holes with the caulk and use your putty knife to smooth it. Now you just need to apply a little paint over the area to make it look as good as new! If you don’t have any paint leftover of the same color, you can definitely get away with a crayon, as long as the color is a close enough match!

Remove Stripped Screws With A Rubber Band

Have a stubborn stripped screw that you need to remove? Don’t panic! There’s a really easy way to fix this. Just grab a rubber band and place it between your screwdriver and the screw. Then, press down with the screwdriver and watch in amazement as the screw easily comes loose! The reason this works is simple science. The rubber band creates a tight seal between the screwdriver and screw and also provides additional friction to help get the job done.

Use Wax To Silence A Squeaky Bedframe

No one wants to be woken in the middle of the night by a squeaking bed frame. If you’re sharing your bed with your partner, you might even be worried about repositioning during the night and getting comfortable in case the squeaking bothers them! You don’t need to run out and buy a new bedframe because there’s a super simple solution to this issue. Grab yourself some wax, like seen in this picture, and rub it along the contact points of the squeaky joint. Pro tip: if you don’t want to buy the wax, just use a wax candle you have lying around the house!

Use Soda Tabs To Hang Picture Frames

Hanging picture frames can be a challenge, but it’s nice to have family photos and other mementos hanging around your home. Don’t stress about the flimsy frame fasteners that come with the picture frames. Use soda tabs instead to make hanging the pictures even easier. Along with making the actual hanging process easier, you’ll also notice that the picture frames are a lot more stable. Speaking of stability, check out our next tip!

Use Hot Glue For Picture Frame Bumpers

Even when they’re installed properly, picture frames can move around when there’s a lot of commotion nearby. This movement can cause them to scratch the paint on your walls, which is a big pain when you’re aiming for a clean, seamless look in your home. A simple solution for this requires a hot glue gun. Put a dab of hot glue on the back corners of your picture frame and leave them to dry. When you hang the frame, it will have solid bumpers that prevent it from scratching your walls!

Use Liquid Electrical Tape To Fix Frayed Cords

Our devices are such a massive part of our lives these days. It’s nearly impossible to go a day without checking your phone, tablet, or laptop, but what do you do when you discover your phone charger cord is frayed and has exposed wires? Most people would immediately throw the cord away and get a new one, but that can cost a pretty penny. Instead, grab a bottle of liquid electrical tape to keep on hand! It will completely seal around the cord, keeping the wires intact and from becoming exposed again. You can use this on pretty much any charger, and it’s far more durable than regular electrical tape!

Always Use Newspapers On Your Windows

This might be a trick you’ve heard from your grandparents and dismissed as an old wives’ tale, but there is a science to this method. Cleaning your windows with newspapers will give you a seamless, streak-free clean every time. The general theory for why this works is the ink scrubs at the mess on the windows, and since glass doesn’t absorb ink, no dark smudges are left behind! Seriously, give this a try. You’ll be amazed at the results.

Get Rid Of Unsightly Oil Stains

Working on your own car can be a great hobby and save you big on maintenance costs, but it doesn’t come without any issues. Oil stains are the most common problem people run into when working on their own cars. You don’t want your pristine driveway to look grimy by leaving an oil stain on it, so learning how to clean up this mess is helpful. First, grab some kitty litter, laundry detergent, and a scrub brush. Pour super absorbent kitty litter over the stain and leave it to sit for half an hour. Then, crush the litter under your shoes to flatten it out. Grab your detergent, pour it over the kitty litter, and then scrub the mess away with your brush. Sweep up the litter and rinse your driveway when you’re finished.

Sharing drinks with guests is a great way to spend your Friday evening, but you’re often left with a mess afterward. Unless everyone uses coasters religiously, you’ll deal with water marks on your table at some point. Don’t panic and start calculating the cost of refinishing your table just yet because we have an easy solution to this problem. Grab a dry soft cloth and your iron. Place the cloth over the water marks and press the medium-hot iron against it for a few seconds. The watermarks should disappear! If the marks are particularly stubborn, try dampening your cloth with some denatured alcohol and wiping the table gently. This should clear up any stragglers.

DIY A Non-Slip Rug In Seconds

Whether you have a 5×8 rug in the center of your living room or a runner going down your hall, odds are you’ve noticed some issues with them. A single wrong step can send your rug crumpling up and send you sliding across the floor, and no one wants to deal with the risk of falling every time they step on their rug! Rather than buying a new non-slip rug, try this trick to turn any rug into a non-slip. Grab your hot glue gun and flip your rug over. Put straight lines down the back of the carpet, staying close to the edges. After the glue dries, place your carpet back down. The glue will act as a stopper to keep the rug from moving under your feet! This trick is a must for homes with excitable pets or high-energy kids.

Use Screen Spline For Earring Backings

Earrings are an easy way to elevate your outfit to the next level, but the backings are constantly going missing. Buying a new supply of backings every time you hit the store gets pricy, so try this trick instead. Grab a foot of small diameter screen spline. It usually costs less than twenty cents at any hardware store! Then, when you need a new backing, simply use a utility knife to cut off a small piece of the spline. This trick works super well and will last you for years!

DIY Washing Machine Cleaner

Did you know you’re supposed to clean your washing machine once a month? Don’t feel bad if you didn’t know because most of us don’t realize this until we have to call a repairman and pay a massive bill to have the machine cleaned and get some parts replaced. To avoid dealing with all that hassle and expense, mix up a DIY washing machine cleaner and give your machine a good cleaning once a month. Here’s what you’ll need: a spray bottle, distilled white vinegar, baking soda, and essential oil. Start by putting two cups of baking soda in your (empty) machine. Run a normal washing cycle at a high temperature. When that’s finished, spray the vinegar along the inside of your machine. Scrub the inside of your machine, and add a couple of drops of your favorite essential oil when you’re finished. Run another wash cycle, and then you’re all done! This will effectively clean and sanitize your machine. Plus, the essential oil helps remove any leftover odors from your laundry and the cleaners.

Fix A Wobbly Ceiling Fan Like A Pro

Wobbly ceiling fans are dangerous, and it’s important to get them fixed right away. Thankfully, this issue is easy to fix and doesn’t usually require a professional. The first step is to grab your stepladder and screwdriver. Try tightening all the screws on your ceiling fan to see if that fixes the issue. If the wobbling persists, then you’ll want to try buying a balancing kit. Balancing kits are super simple to use, and they run anywhere from $5-$10 at your local hardware store or supermarket.

Locked Out? Grab A Pencil

A secure lock on your door is necessary for personal safety, but sometimes these locks get sticky over time. Dealing with a sticky lock is a major annoyance, especially when you just want to get inside and relax after a long day at work. Don’t worry about calling a locksmith just yet because there’s an easy fix to this issue. Grab a pencil and run the point along the teeth of your key. Then, stick your key into the lock and wiggle it for a moment before pulling it back out. Repeat this process several times until the key slides easily in and out of the lock. The graphite from the pencil helps lubricate the lock, and this is a trick you can repeat as often as needed!

Clear A Clogged Drain With This DIY Solution

No matter how careful you are with your sink drains, they’re still likely to get clogged occasionally. You could run out and buy an over-the-counter drain de-clogger, but that stuff is usually filled with harsh chemicals that can damage your plumbing. So, you’re left with two options; call a plumber or try to fix it yourself! Save yourself time and money by skipping the plumber and going straight to this DIY drain de-clogging solution. Start by pouring 1/2 cup of baking soda down the drain. Follow that up with 1/2 a cup of distilled white vinegar. Let the solution sit for 30-60 minutes, and try flushing the drain with hot water. If the clog persists, try repeating the treatment.

Remove Scuff Marks With A Tennis Ball

Are you having visitors over and want to impress them with your gorgeous hardwood floors? Want to give your home that showroom appeal? All you need is a tennis ball and a spare broom handle! Stick the tennis ball on the end of your broom handle (or use a long stick or ruler) and use it to buff out any scuff marks on your floor. The tennis ball will easily pick up any rubber transfer on the floor, and putting it on a stick will give you better control over the direction and pressure of the tennis ball. Plus, it won’t hurt your back as much as it would if you tried to get down on your hands and knees with the tennis ball.

Bring Old Screws Back To Life

Do you have a bunch of old screws lying around you’d love to reuse? Working on a crafts project and want to use some old screws from the garage rather than buy new ones? This simple trick can bring even the most rusted screws back to life! All you need is distilled white vinegar. Place your screws in a sealable container filled with white vinegar and leave them to sit. Shake the container once every few hours to help accelerate and encourage the process. After 12-72 hours, your screws will look as good as new!

Eliminate Mold From Grout

Mold can be a very serious problem if it gets inside the walls of your home, but it’s very common in bathrooms. The grout in your bathroom tiles is the perfect spot for mold to grow. It’s important to make sure you’re cleaning this regularly because mold can cause a ton of health problems, especially for young kids or those with certain health problems. Here’s an easy way to clean mold from your grout. Create a paste by mixing three parts baking soda with one part water. Put the paste on the grout and leave it for 1-2 hours. Scrub the grout and spray with hot water. You might need to scrub a few times to remove all the mold. To prevent the mold from coming back, put a sealant on the grout once it’s clean.

DIY Durable Plastic

Whether you’re looking for the perfect material for your next craft project or have some minor holes to repair around your home, this trick is the perfect solution for you! All you need is some regular superglue and a little baking soda. There’s definitely some science behind this reaction, but all you need to know is when you mix these two materials together, you create a malleable, super-durable plastic-like substance. Simply pour out some baking soda, add a few drops of superglue, and press down with a soft cloth until it turns into a plastic type of material. You can do this directly to your wall or furniture if you’re trying to seal up a crack or hole, and it’s guaranteed to last a very long time.

Clean Stainless Steel With Olive Oil

Stainless steel appliances give your home a clean, seamless look, but they get dirty so easily! Between food residue and fingerprints, you may find yourself struggling to keep up with endlessly cleaning these appliances. An easy way to get any mess off your stainless steel and revive its natural sheen is to use olive oil! Dab a little olive oil on a clean cloth or paper towel and wipe the appliance well. The mess will come off with little effort, and your appliance will look sparkling clean again.

Clean Your Toilet With Kool-Aid

People living in homes with hard water know the struggle of removing the mineral deposit buildups. Often, even the strongest chemical toilet bowl cleaners won’t remove hard water stains completely, and no one wants to use a toilet that looks filthy! Instead of wasting more money on chemical cleaners, spend twenty-five cents on a packet of Kool-Aid instead. Pour it into your toilet, scrub it with your toilet brush, and flush. You’ll be amazed at how well this trick works! It doesn’t matter which flavor of Kool-Aid you use, but we suggest getting one of the lemonade packets for an extra kick of fragrance.