50 Home Repair Hacks That We Wish We Knew Sooner

Get Some Superglue to Keep Screws Together

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Many people find it challenging to install simple screws because they slip, roll, or fall off. However, installing these screws becomes even more challenging when you have to do it at a certain angle. That is where this brilliant superglue home repair hack comes in.

You can grab some rubber glue, put the glue on the tip of the screwdriver, and you will not face problems with screws slipping anymore. It is one of the easiest hacks that will prevent the screw from slipping from the drill. After that, you can continue with your installation while saving time and effort.

Nail Holes Can Easily Be Filled With Toothpaste

When people leave a place, they take their belongings, such as pictures, art, and frames on the walls. However, when you move into the same place, you might find many holes in the walls because of this ordeal. You don’t need to worry because there is an easy home repair hack for this.

You can simply take some toothpaste and close those holes. Remember that the toothpaste should be white to blend in with your white wall color, or it will not blend in with the walls. You can also do this before you leave a place to avoid losing your security deposit.

Restore Wood Furniture with Coffee Grounds

Our furniture creates the atmosphere we want in our home, which is why it is something you need to take care of. All of us have been guilty of spilling drinks and many other things on our furniture. While some of them may be challenging to clean, you can use coffee grounds if you have unfinished wood furniture.

You can rub coffee grounds on the damaged area, and it will make your furniture look as good as new in no time. The coffee grounds give it a brown color that blends in with the furniture. That is why you will not have to paint your furniture.

A Super Simple Way to Protect Your Fingers While Hammering

Are you scared of hammering your fingers instead of the nails in the wall? If you are, we have the perfect home repair hack for you that will make your life incredibly easy. It will allow you to hammer anything you like without hurting yourself in the process.

For this hack, you can use bobby pins, clothing pegs, or any other such thing. For example, if you choose a clothing peg, you can hold the nail in between the peg and start hammering. It will protect your fingers and guarantee that you are not harmed during the nailing and hammering process.

Before Cutting Tiles, Soak Them

If you are planning on cutting tiles anytime soon, this home repair hack will make your life easy in no time. It will save you time, effort, and money in the long run as you can do it at home without a hassle. Begin the process by making a rivet or pre-cut into the tiles.

After that, measure how much you need and begin the cutting process. Once you are done, you should soak the tiles in warm water for a few hours at least. After that, it will become easy to chop off the tiles without using much effort.

​Soap Can Easily Silence Wooden Drawers

Do you have creaking and noisy wooden drawers in your home, and you don’t know how to fix them? If that is the case, then this home repair hack will be ideal for your problems. Soap is one of the best objects that can silence your noisy wooden drawers once and for all.

You can get a soap bar or liquid soap as both will work perfectly on the drawers. Rub the soap along the rails of the faulty wooden drawers for a few minutes, and you will see results in no time. If the noise acts up again, you can do this once more.

​Struggling With Removing Old Stickers? Use A Blow Dryer!

New and packaged things always come with stickers, and these can be annoying if you want your objects to retain a fresh and sleek look. Removing the stickers with your hands is also not a good idea as you might damage the object with leftover glue. That is why we have the best home repair hack for you.

To remove stickers, you can use a blow dryer on the sticker, and it will warm up the sticker for easy peel-off. The heat will ensure the glue becomes weak, which means you can take off the sticker flawlessly. Your appliances will look new after you are done.

​Vinegar Can Revitalize Shower-Heads

The problem with showerheads is that after a long time, there can be calcification, which leads to their flow slowing down. If you hate a slow flow on your showerheads, you can always use vinegar. Yes, it may seem odd at first, but you will realize it works wonders once you use this hack.

All you have to do is get a plastic bag and a vinegar bottle, fill the plastic bag halfway with vinegar, tie it around your showerhead, and let it stay this way overnight. You can remove it in the morning, and you will notice that the water flow has improved tremendously.

​Use Baby Powder to Finally Silence Those Noisy Floorboards

Hardwood flooring can cause a lot of noise and creaking sounds, especially if it has been in the home for a long time. Fortunately, a little bit of baby powder can fix this problem and silence your floorboards in no time. If you have this noise problem, then grab a bottle of baby powder.

Once you have the powder, you should sprinkle it between the floorboards as that is where the wood rubs together and makes noise. Make sure all the cracks are filled with baby powder, and you will not experience those noisy floorboards again. It is a quick and easy fix.

Use Soap to Help Screws Go Into Holes

Have you heard dealt with a screw that is too stubborn to go into a wall? If you have, then you understand how annoying and challenging it can be. However, you can solve this problem without any issues by using some soap to aid the screws with going into holes.

Grab a bar of soap you have in your home and rub the screw over it. Remember to rub all sides of the screw on the soap as it acts as a softener. Once all the sides have been rubbed with soap, you can try sliding in the screw again, and it will glide in no time.

Tape Can Make Hanging Predrilled Frames Much Easier

Many people don’t use predrilled frames, but there are always exceptions to this rule. If you want to use a simple way to frame your pictures and you are using predrilled frames, this hack is for you. It will allow you to place the nails in a perfect way to get the most out of them.

Get a masking or artist’s tape and mark the hole placements. After that, you only need to place the tape over the wall and understand where you should place each nail. Doing this will save you time and effort when it comes to placing nails.

​Use Your Microwave to Refresh Tape That Is Not-So-Sticky

If you have ever worked with tape that has lost its stickiness, you can understand how frustrating it can be to use that tape. It is natural when it comes to tape as it loses its stickiness after a while. However, there is a way you can use to regain the stickiness and use the tape.

You can put the tape in your microwave for a few seconds. Doing this will heat the tape a bit and ensure that its stickiness comes back again. You can use the tape perfectly after this hack as it will be as sticky as new.

​Use Some Ice Cube to Make Your Carpet Dents Even

We all love our home decor, especially our carpets, as a lot of thought and decision-making goes into choosing the perfect ones. That is why dents on the carpet because of furniture can cause your heart to break. However, you don’t need to worry too much as this problem can be fixed efficiently.

If you want to get rid of the dents on the carpet, you should place some ice cubes on the dents and let them melt away. Once you are done, soak up the excess water with a cloth and use a toothbrush to even the carpet out.

Use a Mic to Find Hidden Wires

If you are doing some drilling work in your home, you should be cautious of hidden wires as they can cause shocks and electrocution. To avoid this, there is a simple hack you can use to sport those hidden wires and prevent getting any shocks or electrocution. All you need is a working microphone for this.

Connect your microphone to the tape recorder to find hidden wires in a wall. When you place your microphone near a specific spot, and the tape recorder starts humming, it means there are hidden wires inside. So, if that happens, you will know where you should avoid drilling.

​Keep Your Paint Brushes Fresh With a Plastic Bag

If you love painting walls, then the paintbrushes are your biggest asset that you need to maintain and take care of. However, if you leave paint on the brush, it can become hard, which will make it challenging for you to paint again. That is why you need this home repair hack to keep your brushes fresh.

Once you are done using your paintbrush, you should take an airtight plastic bag and keep the paintbrush inside. When you take out the paintbrush from the plastic bag next time, it will be incredibly soft and allow you to paint with ease and perfection.

​A Potato Can Help You Unscrew a Broken Light bulb

If you have ever tried to remove a socket from a broken light bulb, you know how challenging it can be. If you don’t do it correctly, it will also lead to the light bulb shattering in your hands, leading to injury. That is where our home repair hack using a potato comes in.

Take a potato, cut it in half, and push the soft side inside the broken light bulb. To remove the damaged part, you should turn the potato counter-clockwise, and it will come out in no time. Yes, potatoes can be used for more than just food.

Use Kool-Aid to Diagnose a Leaking Toilet

A leaking toilet is not an easy fix as you will have to pay a plumber a lot of money to fix it or spend hours trying to fix it yourself. However, if you want to save your time, effort, and money, you can diagnose the problem yourself. All you need to do is buy a dark-color Kool-Aid for this purpose.

Take the Kool-Aid and pour it into your toilet tank. Wait for half an hour, and then check the toilet bowl. If the water is colored, it means you have a leak, but if it is transparent, your toilet is satisfactory.

Close the Gap on a Too-Narrow Bolt with Coins

Whenever we need a bolt to do some work, we always fail to find one with an appropriate size at home. However, if the bolt is too big, you can always adapt it accordingly to suit your needs during that time. All you need are coins for this purpose, and we are sure you have some lying around.

So, please take a few coins, slip them into the gap between the bolt and the wrench, and fill it up as much as required. All the extra space will disappear, and you can do your work in no time. It is one of the best home repair hacks for bolts.

Find Nail Holes with Magnets

We love changing things around our home for some variety and change. For example, you might take off some pictures or art, but you might want to hang it up again in the same place. However, it might be challenging to fin the nail holes again to install the frame in the same place.

If that happens, you can always use magnets to find nail holes. Instead of drilling new holes, you can take a magnet and place them on the existing holes. When you feel like hanging your frames again, you will not have to spend hours looking for the right holes.

​Unclog Spray Cans with Gasoline

You might already know this, but companies that mass produce products use a tactic called planned obsolescence to limit the shelf life of products so you can keep buying them. One of the prime examples of this tactic is a spray can. You can hear that something is inside the spray can, but even then, nothing comes out.

If you want to solve this issue, you can soak the nozzle of the spray can in some gasoline for at least fifteen minutes. Doing this will unclog the nozzles, and you can easily your spray can again in no time.

Use Tape to Help You Drill into Tiles

Drilling is always challenging because there is always a risk of injury or damage while using it. However, it becomes even more difficult when drilling slippery tiles in the kitchen, bathroom, or any other place in your home. So if you plan on drilling tiles, this is the best hack you can use.

If you want to make the entire drilling experience anti-slip, you will require some tape. First, cover the tile with masking tape and drill over it. Doing this will ensure that the drill is firm and it doesn’t slip from your hands in any place while working.

Fix Squeaky Things with Cooking Spray

If you have lived in a place for a long time, you have experienced doors, cabinets, windows, or drawers squeaking. If the problem is persistent, there is an easy home repair hack to solve this issue. It takes a few seconds to fix this issue, so there is no reason for procrastination.

You need some cooking spray for this, and we are sure you have it in your home. So, grab the can and spray it on the hinges of the objects that are squeaking in your home. The noise will be gone in seconds, and you can use everything without this issue.

Use a Pool Noodle to Avoid Bumping Your Car Door in the Garage

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If you have a garage in your home that does not offer much room, you need to know an appropriate way to park your car without any damage. That is where this amazing hack comes in, as it will allow you to park your car in your garage without any hassles. To execute this, you will need a pool noodle.

All you need to do is take a pool noodle and screw it into the wall that makes it difficult to open the car door. Once you do, your car door will not bump into the wall. Doing this will prevent damage.

Prevent Rust Circles with Nail Polish

We all have endless metallic containers in our homes, from spray bottles to deodorant cans and much more. However, because of the humidity and moisture in our kitchens and bathrooms, these cans can accumulate rust on the surface. The rust circles will also come on the surface the container is placed on, which is why you need to get rid of them.

Take clear nail polish and coat the bottom of these metallic containers with the clear nail polish. It will prevent the rust from forming on the containers, which means no more rust circles on any other surfaces.

​Use a Plastic Bottle to Prevent a Mess after Drilling

Drilling projects mean that the area is going to be messy, and you will have to spend a lot of time cleaning it up once you are done. That is especially true if you are drilling a high place, such as a ceiling. So, if you don’t want to put sheets all over the drilling room, this hack is for you.

So, take a plastic bottle, cut off the top, and place it on the drill. When you do this, any mess that will fall while drilling will fall in the plastic bottle. You will not have to spend hours cleaning later on.

​Remove Stubborn Screws with a Rubber Band

Getting a solid grip on a screw can be incredibly challenging while you are completely engrossed in a DIY project. While losing the grip can happen to anyone, it doesn’t have to be the case. You can easily fix this problem with our best home repair hack you will love.

Get a rubber band, stick it between the screw and the screwdriver, and you will have the grip you need to work flawlessly. It is one of the top hacks that many people use during DIY projects. It will save you time and effort in the long run while preventing injuries.

​Remove Old Wallpaper with a Water-Vinegar Mixture

Old wallpapers are not a pretty sight to witness as it starts chipping and tearing from many places. If you want to add some freshness to your room, you can replace the old wallpaper with a new one. However, many people struggle with removing the wallpaper flawlessly without damaging the wall.

To remove the wallpaper flawlessly, you can take equal parts of vinegar and hot water to mix them thoroughly. Dip the roller into the mixture and start rolling on your old wallpaper. Doing this will soften the wallpaper, and it will come out without any issues in no time.

​Fix Burst or Broken Pipes with a Sealant

Remember that fixing broken pipes with a sealant is a temporary solution, but it is the best solution if you need an emergency fix. Once you are done with the emergency, you can always call a professional to fix it properly, so your home system is not damaged. The hack is easy, and it will take you a few minutes to fix.

All you have to do is get some silicone sealant and inject it around the hole in the pipe. Doing this will solve your problem till you can call professional help and get the issue resolved permanently.

​Prevent Doors from Slamming With Cabinet Door Bumpers

Slamming doors can be one of the most annoying things an individual can do in their home, but there is one way to get rid of this problem once and for all. If you have cabinet door bumpers in your home, you can solve this problem in no time and silence those door slams once and for all.

So, take a pack of cabinet door bumpers and stick it in the door. Yes, that is all you have to do, and it will cushion the impact and solve your problem. It is one of the best quick fixes for slamming doors.

You Can Remove Unwanted Scratches with Toothpaste

It is normal for everyone with wooden furniture to incur some scratches on their beautiful furniture pieces from time to time. However, many people try to indulge in expensive solutions to fix the problem when they don’t require it. You can also fix the issue with some toothpaste and without spending too much money.

Just put a small amount of toothpaste on the marks and rub it with a clean cloth in circular motions. It will buff out all the scratches from your wooden furniture, and you will not have to spend too much money fixing this issue. It is a cheap, quick, and effective fix.

​Iron Dents in Wood to Get Rid Of Them

Start by grabbing a washcloth, soaking it, and ringing out the water to make it perfectly damp. Then place the washcloth over the dent. The water will wick through the wood, so don’t be alarmed as it is perfectly normal. Be sure that you have your iron ready and heated on the highest heating setting prior to placing the damp washcloth. Start by making small circular movements with your iron on the washcloth. Then press it down until the water has completely evaporated from the washcloth. Repeat the entire process until the dent within the wood has completely expanded to its original placement.

Nail Polish Can Fix Small Tears in Screens

To fix a small tear within your screen, all you will need is clear nail polish. First, start by cleaning and drying the area with a small tear. This is so that no impurities get stuck within. Next, you can either grab a thin paintbrush or use the nail polish brush to dab a thin layer of clear nail polish over the tear within the screen. Try not to double-dip, as you could transfer pollen or dirt to your nail polish. Let the first coat dry; you can use a hairdryer at the lowest speed to do this quickly. Then apply another coat and let dry.

​Use Rubber Bands to Prevent Doors from Shutting

For this to work, you will require a thick rubber band instead of the regular skinny ones. First, keep the door open and loop the rubber band around the door handle on one side. Next, stretch the rubber to reach the handle on the other side and use the same looping technique. Once your rubber band is stretched from one side to the other, ensure that the band runs both above and below the door’s latch. This helps in creating a bumper effect, preventing the door from shutting. If you do not have thick rubber bands, you can use multiple rubber bands to get the same result.

Use a Plastic Bottle to Make a Sprinkler

Grab a plastic bottle; the bigger, the better, and make sure that it is completely clean. You can rinse any liquids within by keeping the bottle under running tap water. Then, grab a tool with a sharp tip, such as a compass or a screwdriver, and begin punching around 12 to 14 holes at the bottom side of the bottle. Next, attach the tip of the bottle with your hose and use electric tape to secure it. Once you turn the water on, the water will fill the bottle, and due to the water pressure, the holes will act as a sprinkler.

The Vegetable Peeler in Your Kitchen Can Be Used As a Screwdriver

There are several tools that you can use for multi-functional purposes that you may have never thought of before. One such tool is the vegetable peeler that is commonly found in most household kitchens. This is because of the fact that many vegetable peelers come with screwdriver heads, which are a great substitute for screwdrivers with flat heads. Of course, you should ensure that the handle of your vegetable peeler is sturdy to avoid any type of injury. So, the next time you can find your flathead screwdriver, just head on over to the kitchen.

​​Use Aluminum Foil to Sharpen Scissors

Start by grabbing an 8- or 10-inch-long piece of aluminum foil and folding it lengthwise. Next, take your scissor and start cutting the folded aluminum foil lengthwise as well. Make sure that you cut thin strips allowing you to use the same piece of aluminum foil multiple times. If not, you can use more than one piece of folded aluminum foil. Make sure that every inch of the scissor blade comes in contact with the foil, so be sure to use full strokes. Once you have completed this process, grab a paper towel and dampen it using warm water. Then wipe the scissor to get rid of any debris.

Use a Regular Pencil to Free a Stuck Lock

A stuck lock usually requires lubrication in order for the key to work again. However, this should be done using any liquid but using graphite. Although, when you are in a bind, it is a bit tricky to find graphite powder. Instead, you can easily use a graphite pencil to lubricate the lock. We would not recommend you to stick the graphite pencil inside the lock as the pencil tip can break and cause a bigger issue. So, simply rub the graphite pencil over your key and insert the key within the hole. Repeat this several times and then unlock the stuck lock.

​Remove Snags in Woven Rugs to Make Them Look Like New

When removing snags from your rug, ensure that any piece you try to cut off using a scissor is at least a half-inch long to avoid damaging the rug. When you pinpoint the snags, hold the scissor completely parallel with the rug and snip the snag off. Then, tuck the ends of the cut area into the fibers surrounding it. You can use a small amount of hot glue to secure the ends in place and hide them from sight. For snags that are much longer, place masking tape on each side snag, forming a trench, and continue snipping and gluing.

Use Zip Ties To Unclog Blocked Drains

For this, you will need a wire cutter and several zip ties. If you have short zip ties, you can get past the length by linking two zip ties together. Link the zip ties together until they form one long tool with which you can easily reach down to unclog the drain. Using the wire cutter, snip halfway through the zip ties diagonally. These cuts should face downward and alternate each cut. Then, grab the slit tip and bend outwards to form a barb. Then feed this elongated tool into the drain and move it in circular and vertical motions to fish out the gunk. Pull it out and repeat the process until no gunk is left.

Use Cat Litter to Remove Oil Stains

If a fresh oil stain has appeared on your driveway, then don’t wait for it to stick; immediately grab some cat litter and get to work. First, cover the entire oil stain with a layer of cat litter and let it sit for a minimum of 30 minutes. If the stain isn’t too big, 30 minutes should be enough. Consider leaving the cat litter on the oil stain overnight if the stain is large. Next, sweep it all up and grab some detergent and a bristle brush. Start brushing in the detergent over the oil stain while applying pressure. Rinse the detergent off using water. Repeat the entire process if necessary.

​Measure Out the Depth of Holes with Some Tape

To measure the depth of holes using tape, you will need masking tape as well as a drill bit or machine. Cut off a long piece of masking tape and wrap it around the drill bit. Be sure to leave some space for the drill bit to actually create a hole in the material. You will also need to make sure that the masking tape you wrap around the drill bit is thick enough so that you notice once it has reached the material. Once you have created the hole, measure the length between the tips of the drill till where the masking tape begins.

Use a Small Magnet to Keep Nails in Place

When hammering in nails to hang something up, people often struggle with holding the hammer and nails at one time, which is why you will usually see people holding nails in their mouths. This can be quite dangerous. A great way to keep nails in place when in use is to attach a small magnet at the bottom of your hammer. This trick works best with hammers that have handles made of wood. Start by drilling a pit-like cavity at the bottom of the hammer, the size of a small magnet. Next, dab a little amount of super glue into the pit and insert the magnet carefully. Once the magnet is secure, you are good to go.

​Use Foil to Line Paint Your Trays

When using a paint tray to complete the task of roller painting your walls, a good trick is to line your paint tray with aluminum foil. This foil makes cleaning up much easier as the paint will dry on the aluminum foil instead of the actual tray. So, the foil can function as a great and effective paint tray protector. Start by cutting a piece of aluminum foil a few inches longer and wider than your tray. Place it over the tray and start pressing down so that the foil conforms to the shape of the paint tray. To secure it in place, fold the extra foil down the outer edge of the tray.

​Remove Excess Paint with A Few Rubber Bands

Make sure that you keep a couple of thick and long rubber bands at hand when you’re working on a painting task. This is because the rubber bands will help you remove excess paint from your paintbrush and allow it to fall directly into the paint can. Grab your rubber band and start stretching it around your paint can, starting from the top and carefully around the bottom. Be sure to do this step with care as you don’t want your paint can to spill over. Then grab the paintbrush from which you want to remove the excess paint and wipe it across the rubber band.

Make Rowdy Pipes Quiet by Turning off The Water

If you are someone who is struggling with dealing with consistently rowdy and loud pipes, then we have a great temporary solution. Loud and rowdy pipes are not to be underestimated as they can easily tamper with the peace you have at home, enough to disrupt your focus and attention. Not to mention that it is a big struggle to deal with the rowdy pipes when you are trying to sleep. The issue arises when pinpointing exactly which pipe is that is causing the trouble. So, a great way to combat the issue is to turn off the main water supply of your home when you know the water won’t be in use.

Use Liquid Soap and Water to Unclog a Toilet

First, measure out a gallon of water and place it over the stove to heat up. While the water heats up and before the water comes to a boil, pour in your liquid soap. Once the water has heated up quite substantially, take it off the heat and carefully pour it into your clogged up toilet. Again, be sure that you take the water off the heat before it comes to a boil. Then, wait for around 10 to 15 minutes, allowing the combination of the extremely hot water and the liquid soap to soften up whatever is clogging your toilet. Then flush freely to ensure that the pipe is completely clear.

Plan Out Your Gallery Wall with Newspapers

With the use of a newspaper, you can easily plan out the layout of your gallery wall and create a template to ensure that you are satisfied with the planning. Start by placing a frame over the newspaper and outlining it using a black marker. Take the frame off and cut the shape that you just outlined and label it with a number that you have given to that particular frame. Once you have completed this process with each frame, grab painter’s tape and tape the newspaper cutouts onto the wall. The painter’s tape will allow you to remove the newspaper without damaging the wall’s paint.

Use Plastic Tubes to Stop the Noise Created By Fan Chains

It doesn’t matter whether your fan is perfectly leveled; the flow of air created by the fan itself can cause the pull chains of the fan to come into contact with the fan itself, which creates an incredibly annoying sound. You can solve this issue and eliminate the noise with the use of a plastic tube. First, turn your fan is off and carefully remove the fan chains. Then grab a plastic tube that has a diameter of a quarter of an inch and slide your fan chains into it. Then simply secure the fan chains back onto the fan and enjoy your noise-free air.

​Use Rope to Silence Water Drips in Gutters

Noisy gutters can easily become a nuisance. These noisy gutters are usually caused by a water drip within it and this issue can easily be resolved with the use of a rope made of nylon. Start by attaching one end of the nylon rope on the top of the downspout of the gutter and let it run down. This is because once the nylon rope comes in contact with the nylon rope, the water will begin to use the rope as a pathway within the gutter, which eliminates the noise caused by water drips. Then grab a sponge and insert it in the downspout’s corners to absorb the water drips.

​Use a Baking Soda and Vinegar Mix to Unclog the Sink

The combination of baking soda and vinegar is a great way to unclog your clogged-up sink, and the great thing is that these ingredients are readily available in most kitchens. First, boil some water and pour it down the clogged sink. Then create a solution of baking soda and vinegar, with one cup of baking soda and vinegar. So, you will end up with a solution equivalent to two cups. Pour this solution down the drain and plug up the drain of your sink. Wait for 5 to 10 minutes, during which you can grab water and bring it to a boil. Once the time frame is over, and water is boiling, pour it into the drain. This will cause a bubbling reaction that will unclog your sink.