Ten things all homeowners should know

Being a homeowner is fantastic because you’re able to turn your property into your own little slice of heaven. However, there are downsides. When something breaks it’s now completely up to you to get things repaired. And, if you’re not DIY savvy, making necessary repairs can be extremely difficult and expensive. While there will sometimes be costs that simply aren’t avoidable, there are lots of DIY hacks that you can learn so that if and when something does go wrong, you’re equipped to tackle the repair. With that in mind, let’s take a look at some tips and tricks that are sure to help you out!

Unclogging a sink

Everybody dreads the moment where you’re washing your hands and you start to see the sink slowly fill up. Instead of rushing to call your plumber to come and fix the issue, put some baking soda and vinegar down your plug hole and leave it to sit for a while. Then, pour some hot water down the sink – this should easily clear any blockages! However, if your sink is still being stubborn, you can buy or make a drain hair removal tool. It’s not the nicest job in the world, but it absolutely works and will save you paying a plumber!

Repair scratches on wood

Wood gets scuffed no matter how hard you try to avoid it. The problem is, once wood is scuffed and you’ve noticed it, it’s quite literally all you notice. Don’t worry, there’s no need to spend any money to replace your furniture or flooring! In fact, all you need is a walnut. Rub it onto the scuff very gently and it will begin to blend the scuff and smooth things over! It really is as simple as that!

Drill with no dust

If you’ve got some odd jobs that need doing around your home that involve using a drill, there’s a good chance you might be putting them off because of the dust getting all over your walls and carpet. Totally understandable! However, there is a simple solution! Fold a sticky note and stick it underneath where you need to drill – it will collect all of the dust and all you need to do is throw it away once you’re done! If you’re not sure what we mean – here’s the sticky note hack. The great part about post-it notes is that it won’t damage any paint or wallpaper on your walls.

Repair those pesky squeaky floorboards

There’s nothing worse than trying to be quiet around your home – especially when the kids are asleep – and the floorboards are super squeaky. What’s the solution? Do you have to get a carpenter in to replace and refit your floorboards? Absolutely not! Talcum powder is amazing at getting into the cracks and preventing your floorboards from squeaking. And, you’ll have a lovely smell coming from your floors/

Tin foil and plastic wrap hack

Tin foil and plastic wrap are super useful to have around the house. Sure, they’re useful to have for all of your cooking needs, but they have other uses too! You can use tin foil for sharpening scissors, polishing silverware, making a funnel, ironing, and even to help seal off door knobs when painting your home.

Plastic wrap also has a multitude of uses including wrapping furniture for removal, keeping flowers and fruit fresh, insulating your windows, lining the bottom of your paint pan and even to trap fruit flies.

Essentially, stock up on both because you never know when they’ll come in handy.

Fill your toolbox

One of the biggest faux pas that homeowners make is failing to keep their tool box up to date. You might find that those odd jobs around your home are done much faster if you have the right tools or parts on hand. Making sure that your toolbox is full of the essentials like a hammer, a screwdriver set, spanners, wrenches, drills and clamps. It’s also worth stocking up on things like nuts and bolts because you’d be surprised at how often you’ll find yourself needing them!

Cleaning glass

Cleaning glass can be a laborious task. As soon as you think it’s clean you move and notice another streak. So, if you’re the one responsible for cleaning all of the windows and mirrors around your home, it’s understandable that you dread that job. Rather than struggling with a rag that keeps getting wetter by the second, try using a newspaper to buff up your windows, mirrors and shower screens. Once it starts getting wet, grab a new sheet and keep buffing! It’s a streak-free finish every single time!

Stop rugs from slipping

Having rugs around your home is great and all, that is until someone gets hurt. This is especially true if you’ve got hardwood flooring and your rugs are forever slipping out of place. A really simple solution to this is to get yourself a hot glue gun and glue the bottom of your rug in a zig-zag pattern. Let that glue dry and you’ll find that the glue will grip to the flooring and keep your rugs from slipping! And, the hardened glue won’t damage your floors either.

Easily unscrew out a stubborn screw

There’s nothing worse than trying to unscrew a screw that simply won’t budge. Luckily, there’s a really simple fix for this that could save you a lot of time and frustration. Grab a rubber band and pop it over the head of the screw. This will create the friction needed to start unscrewing the screw. It really is as simple as that!

Flipping your breaker switch

Finally, one of the most simple yet most useful things to know is how to flip your breaker switch. If your electric gets flipped for whatever reason, the last thing you want is to pay for an electrician to come out. This video quickly and easily shows you how to flip your breaker switch and get your electric back on as soon as possible! If that doesn’t work, then it might be time to call an electrician.

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