Simple Fixes Around The House: DIY Tips For Homeowners
The following Guest Blog was written by Bret Engle of DiyGuys.net
Owning a home can be a lot of work; when it comes to the big jobs, such as HVAC maintenance and roof repair, homeowners are often left with a lot of stress and a pretty big bill. It’s often the little tasks that catch us by surprise, however, such as broken cabinet handles or kitchen drawers coming off their tracks. When these issues occur, it’s extremely helpful to know some DIY fixes so you aren’t left with a home that’s seemingly crumbling around you. Even if you aren’t typically a “handy” person around the house, it will be to your benefit to learn a few tricks for fixing the little things, since it will save you money while preventing bigger issues down the line.
Fortunately for you, there are many simple ways you can fix small household problems, and most of them don’t take much time or money. Along with easy repairs, there are also a few DIY hacks you can learn for removing stains, repairing damage, and keeping your floors and furniture looking like new, even if you have small children or pets. This will help you get the most out of your belongings for years to come, and may even be beneficial in the future if you should decide to sell your home.
Here are a few things to think about when it comes to home maintenance.
Remove stains
Stains can do a number on your carpet and hard flooring, especially if you have pets. Even the most well-behaved dog can still have accidents from time to time, and that can really take a toll over the course of a year. Getting rid of stains and odors is a cinch with simple household items like vinegar and hot water, which will save you money at the same time. This is an especially helpful resource for urine stains, since the vinegar will work against the ammonia to reduce odors.
Fix a broken drawer handle
It happens to the best of us; sometimes, our furniture just takes a bit too much wear-and-tear and something breaks. When a drawer pull comes undone, it can make life much harder than it needs to be, and with older furniture, it can be hard to find a replacement that matches. Not to mention the fact that furniture hardware can be expensive! For a creative solution to a broken drawer handle, look no further than a couple of large beads and some medium-sized floral wire, which can be threaded through the drawer pulls and looped back onto itself for support.
Unstick those kitchen drawers
Over time, wood drawers can expand and contract with the weather, making them stubborn when it comes to pulling them out. If your kitchen drawers have been sticking to the point of frustration, pull them all the way out, lay them upside-down on the counter, and rub the tracks with the bottom of a plain wax candle to lubricate them. This will help the drawer come out smoothly every time. You can also use unscented soap.
Remove a dent from a wood surface
Wooden kitchen tables can take a lot of hits over the years, but you can keep yours looking new by removing dents with this easy trick: wet a washcloth and wring it out so it’s not dripping, and lay it on the affected area. Move an extremely hot iron back and forth over the cloth until it dries. This will allow the wood fibers to expand to their original position, thereby removing the dent.
Making simple repairs around the house is a great way to keep things looking new and to save money, and the more you can do yourself, the more confidence you’ll gain in your skills as a handyman. Keeping up with basic maintenance is a necessary part of making sure your home stays in great shape for years to come, and in some cases, can even work as a preventative measure.
Photo via Pixabay by Mamashaw