When it comes to home repair, the costs and physical work can give you a real headache. A lot of times you’d have to call in a professional, and you know how expensive and time-consuming that can be!
Wouldn’t it be nice to learn some home tips to make the process a little simpler? We’ve rounded up budget-friendly solutions that include items commonly found around your house or products that you can readily find at your local Home Depot, Lowe’s, or even grocery store. Now you can tackle that squeaky door, dirty grout, darn crayon marks, and a host of other problems.
Here are 17 easy and cheap home repair hacks that you can complete yourself. Visit the KCL coupons page to save even more on everyday items.
1. Make Kool-Aid your new DIY home hack to check for toilet leaks.
If you’re having a hard time figuring out whether that moisture around the base of your toilet is water or pee, it’s time to stop guessing. And, this home fix only costs about $0.25.
Remove the tank lid and pour in a packet of dark-colored Kool-Aid. Wait about 30 minutes without flushing the toilet. If any of the colored water appears in the toilet bowl, there’s a leak. You may just have to replace the flapper, or you may have to investigate further.
2. Try baby powder as a home repair solution for squeaky floors.
Via This Old House
Have floorboards that squeak every time you step on them? They’re probably rubbing against each other. Try baby powder as a quick home hack. Fill a plastic squeeze bottle (with a top) with powder, and lightly add it between the two floorboards. Use an old makeup brush or toothbrush to push the powder down between the cracks. Sweep up any excess and you’re done!
3. Make toilet bowl cleaner a home fix to clean grout.
Via Life Prekarious
Have you forgotten what color your original grout is because there’s so much caked-on dirt? As a home repair trick, toilet bowl cleaner seems to work better than actual grout cleaner. Simply fill the grout lines with the cleaner, let it sit for 15 minutes, then use a scrub brush to loosen any leftover dirt. Mop the area with clean water.
It’s always a good idea to spot treat an area to ensure that the result is what you want. In this case, some blue-colored cleaners may lighten darker grout.
Browse KCL Clorox coupons to save on toilet bowl cleaner.
4. Put cooking spray to use as a home repair trick for squeaky doors.
You use it to spray your pan before cooking, but is cooking spray really a DIY home hack for squeaky doors? You betcha! There are lots of reasons why doors squeak. It could be that the two hinge plates aren’t oiled enough, there’s old dirt and dust, or the hinge pins are bent.
Whatever the reason, cooking spray is the lubricant that can finally put an end to that annoying creaky sound. Spray it on the hinge and swing the door back and forth until the noise stops.
5. Use a cabinet door bumper as a house repair solution for doors.
Via Family Handyman
If you’re tired of your door slamming or rattling, we have a home repair tip that costs only $3. Place cabinet door bumpers on the doorjamb where the door makes contact. These peel-and-stick pads soften the noise when you close a door and protect the surface. The pads come in felt or rubber, and they’re also great for kitchen cabinet doors.
6. Use rubber bands as home hacks to unscrew stripped screws.
A stripped screw is tough to retrieve because the head indents are damaged, likely because of an over tightening or using the wrong tool. A manual screwdriver alone can’t help in this case, but with the help of a rubber band, your home fix project is on its way.
Place a wide rubber band over the stripped screw before inserting a screwdriver. Firmly turn the screwdriver to remove the screw. The rubber band fills in the screw head’s gaps and makes it easier for the screwdriver to turn it.
7. Nail polish is an easy home fix for loose screws.
I’m pretty sure you haven’t considered your clear nail hardener for home repairs. For loose screws, nail polish acts like superglue (or a sealant) and holds those pesky screws forever in place.
Paint a thin coat on the screw and then replace it. The polish will sink into the crevices of the screw and help it stay in place. Note: This also works great with those tiny eyeglass screws!
Use nail polish coupons to restock your supply. You deserve it!
8. Turn a potato into a house repair hack to remove a broken light bulb.
Via Hometalk
Breaking a light bulb in a socket and leaving glass shards is dangerous, but a root vegetable can be a speedy solution.
Before you start any electrical home repair project, turn off the main power so you won’t get fried (a little potato humor here), and wear protective gloves so you won’t cut yourself. Cut a large white potato in half, and push one half into the socket counterclockwise until the broken glass is removed.
9. Add painter’s tape to your home hacks list to get the perfect caulk edge.
Via SwingNCocoa
Typically in painting projects, the goal is a fresh color and the perfect straight edge. Think of it as Paint by Numbers for adults. Caulk is the home tip to make this happen.
You’ll want to remove the painter’s tape while the caulk is still wet to avoid uneven edges. If it dries, the line won’t be straight, and the dried caulk may be removed too.
10. Repurpose a crayon as a home fix to cover a nail hole.
Whether you’re preparing a home for sale/rent or just working on a house repair plan, crayons come in handy to fix nail holes in a wall. The wax in the crayon fills the hole. Just choose one that matches your wall color, rub it over the hole, and use a dry towel to wipe away any excess.
Stop by the KCL Crayola coupons page to save when you need a box.
11. Or, buy a bar of soap as a home repair trick for a nail hole.
Via Joyfully Home
Another easy home hack to fill a nail hole is with bar soap. Rub the bar in a circular motion until the hole disappears. Use a damp cloth to remove any leftover residue. If you choose a fragrant soap, think of this idea as a cheap air refresher and a hole filler.
12. Use ice as a home tip to remove carpet dents.
Via Rent.com
“Ice ice baby” is a classic song, and it’s also a house repair remedy for carpet dents. Allow an ice cube to fully melt over a carpet dent. As the water absorbs into the carpet and dries, the fibers should start springing back up. Once completely dry, use a wire brush (a spoon works too) to fluff any remaining dents.
13. Add a hot iron to your house repair list to remove dents in wood floors.
Via Bob Vila
Meet your new DIY home hack for removing floor dents. Place a damp washcloth over the dent, and run a hot iron (on the highest setting) over the cloth using circular motions for a few minutes. The wood will absorb the water from the towel and allow the dent to expand and rise. Continue on other areas until the wood floor is even.
See all the best household coupons and deals right here on KCL.
14. Tennis ball + broomstick = home tip to remove floor scuff marks.
Via Mark Taylor
This home tip is definitely for adults, because it involves cutting a tennis ball. On a flat surface (or clamped to a table), cut an “X” into the tennis ball — about a ¼” wide. Don’t attempt this in the palm of your hand. Next, insert a broomstick handle in the “X”. In a mopping motion, use this new broom to gently remove scuff marks from the floor.
If cutting the ball is too scary or if you don’t have the right tools, you can manually use the ball over the scuff marks.
15. Create a DIY home fix to remove crayon marks on a wall with WD-40.
Using WD-40 to remove crayon or marker from walls is an easy house repair that prevents you from having to paint the wall again. BUT, only use the spray on walls with a sheen to the paint — the oil in WD-40 can stain matte or flat paints! Then, wipe away the stain with a clean rag. For matte or flat paints, try a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser to remove the marks.
Want to learn more WD-40 hacks? KCL has already done the research for you.
16. Use clear nail polish for home repairs on torn window screens.
Say good-bye to insects coming through holes in your window screen. Clearly, nail polish is more useful for home fixes that you thought, huh? As a treatment for torn window screens, simply brush the clear polish over the screen. Ideally, the polish will seal the frayed edges and plug the holes.
17. Turn vinegar into a home tip to dissolve mineral deposits on a showerhead.
Mineral deposit buildup is a common issue for showerheads, but using vinegar as a home hack makes the process simpler. You can create a 50/50 vinegar and water solution for a spray bottle or soak the shower head in a Ziploc bag filled with the same concoction (and secured with rubber bands).
Either way, soak your showerhead overnight for best results and rinse with fresh water. Be sure to use a vinegar and water mix, as using vinegar alone may damage nickel, brass, or chrome finishes. Btw, the acid in vinegar helps to dissolve the minerals and unclogs the buildup.
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