Ridiculously Easy Home Repair Tips You Need If You’re Not Handy

Owning a home can sometimes feel like a project in constant need of upkeep. From dealing with issues like a leaky toilet or faucet to staying on top of the wear-and-tear a busy family home receives, it can be exhausting and overwhelming to maintain a house.

Here are some ridiculously easy home repair tips that just about anyone can accomplish by using everyday items you probably have around the house.

First, find some dish soap — seriously, just about any dish soap — and squirt it all over the affected areas of your bathtub. No need to let it sit, as the work will be done as you brush. Which leads us to the second and last step. Take a broom or brush; scrub until the soap scum, mildew, or grease disappears; turn on the shower; and rinse the tub clean. Voila! Your bath should be as good as new — and quickly, too!

One note: While a broom is extra convenient because you won’t have to bend over to scrub — and it will cover more surface area than a smaller brush — any scrub brush with plastic bristles will do the job well. Just make sure to invest in a separate broom or brush from your normal household chores so you don’t spread messes from room to room. 

Use Ice Cubes To Clean Your Garbage Disposal

This is one you’ll want to run and try right now. You probably know that a lemon rind in your garbage disposal will leave it smelling fresh, but did you know that ice cubes really do the trick when it comes to getting the grinders clean? Try adding in a cup of ice cubes and letting them grind before running hot water and adding in citrus peels for freshness.

Drill A Hole In Your Trash Can Liner To Fight Suction

If you have a trash can with a liner in your kitchen, you know the pain of trying to remove a full bag without it tearing and garbage spilling everywhere. Combatting the suction generated between the bag and liner can help. All you need to do is drill a hole into the side of the plastic liner and voila! Suction solved. It’s important that you drill the hole on the side of the plastic liner and not the bottom so that your liner can still contain any leaks that may occur.

Unscrew A Broken Lightbulb With A Potato

Have you ever broken a light bulb while it’s still in the socket? If so, you know how frustrating it can be to remove it. But, you can use a potato to get it out without cutting your fingers.

Cut the potato in half, push the soft side into the broken bulb and turn it counterclockwise until the broken glass is embedded into the potato. Don’t forget to turn off the power and put on protective gloves before you attempt this hack!

Patch Nail Holes With A Bar Of Soap

This is yet another simple trick to easily fill those unsightly nail holes in your walls. Rub a basic bar of white soap in a counterclockwise circular motion over the hole. If the soap leaves a little residue on the wall, just use a warm wet cloth to wipe it off.

Repair Dents In Wood With A Hot Iron

You can quickly and safely remove small dents in furniture and hardwood floors with an iron. Wet the indentation with a small amount of water and place a moist towel over it. Then run the iron over the area in a circular motion.

Clean Grout With Toilet Bowl Cleaner

Apply toilet bowl cleaner to the grout and let it sit for 15 minutes. Then scrub with a small cleaning brush or toothbrush. Finally, mop the area with warm water and prepare to be amazed.

Got Leg Cramps? Try Sleeping With Soap

While this isn’t quite a home repair hack, it is a home remedy that many people swear by. And like many home remedies, it’s one that science can’t quite prove or explain. The problem? Cramping or restless legs disrupting your sleep. The fix? Placing a bar of soap under your fitted sheet. Experts guess that the reason this works may be due to the placebo effect — or possibly due to the presence of magnesium in soap. There isn’t consensus about which type or brand of soap works best, so you may want to test out a few different bars to find out which one (if any) works for you.

Clean Your Oven Door With A Dishwasher Cleaning Tablet

It seems too good to be true, but you can use a dishwasher tablet to clean the baked-on grease from your oven door. Make sure to wear gloves (the tablets contain bleach) and to wet — but not soak — the tablet before using it to scrub away the grime.

Use Common Household Ingredients To Unclog A Drain

A slow-draining sink, bathtub or shower is frustrating. Not only do you have to wait for the water to drain, but you’re left with a residue to clean up. Who wants that?

If you don’t want to use harsh chemicals to unclog your drain — or don’t have any on hand — you can follow the following DIY remedy: First, boil water and pour it down the drain. Then, pour 1/2 cup of baking soda down the drain (some DIYers recommend mixing in a 1/4 cup of salt) followed by 1/2 cup of white vinegar. Let it sit for 10 minutes, then flush again with hot water from the tap. Voila!

Use Aluminum Foil To Fight Static In Your Dryer

If you run out of dryer sheets or prefer not to use them on your clothes, simply ball up a few pieces of aluminum foil instead. This’ll cut down on static that clothes drying can produce and also help keep the items apart for faster drying.

Use Aluminum Foil As A Funnel

No funnel? No problem. Form foil into a cone shape and problem solved!

Prevent Doors From Rattling Or Slamming With A Cabinet Door Bumper

It’s amazing how the simplest things can have such a big impact—and this little hack is a prime example. By placing an inexpensive cabinet door bumper on the doorjamb, you can prevent a door from rattling or slamming. The same goes for drawers that slam closed.

Use A Magic Eraser To Clean Stained Walls

Megan Fenno for Simplemost

If you have yet to try this hack, you must. Stained or discolored walls are no match for a Magic Eraser. Score another point for this magical tool!

Prevent A Door From Shutting With A Rubber Band

If you’re doing something such as bringing in groceries, let a single rubber band lend you a hand. By looping it over both sides of the door knob, it will be in the perfect place to prevent the door from latching.

Treat Carpet Dents With Ice Cubes

Place an ice cube on the dented area of your carpet and let it melt. As the water is absorbed into the carpet, it should start to spring back to normal. After the carpet is completely dry, use a hard-bristled brush to fluff any areas that are still dented.

Use A Foam Pool Noodle As A Garage Wall Bumper

Cut a pool noodle in half and screw it into your garage wall at the height where your car door hits. This easy hack, as shown on Reddit, will protect both your wall and your car door from getting banged up. You’ll want to slice the noodle in half first for easier installation against the wall.

Rotate Your Ceiling Fans Correctly

Changing the rotation of your ceiling fan can save you heating and cooling costs. Fans should turn clockwise, at a low speed, during the winter to pull the warm air up and around the room. During the summer, set them to counterclockwise to push the cold air down. While a fan won’t actually change the temperature of the room, the warm or cool air on your skin will make you feel warmer or colder and you’ll be more likely to give your thermostat a break. Note: Most fans have a switch that can be flipped to change direction, while newer models offer the option on the wall panel.

Winterize Windows With Bubble Wrap

Fixing a window that bleeds heat doesn’t need to be complicated. Wet the window with a little water, then stick bubble wrap to the glass and voila! You have a low-cost DIY fix that’ll help keep heat in and the cold out. This isn’t the most sightly look for your home, so this trick is best used for out of the way windows like those in a guest room or basement.

Use Cooking Spray To Fix A Squeaky Door Or Cabinet

If you don’t have a can of WD-40 handy, no need to fret. Cooking spray will also work wonders on those squeaky doors or cabinets. Spray just a little on the hinges, and you should be squeak-free in no time.

Paint Screws With Nail Polish To Prevent Them From Coming Loose

It’s amazing what a thin coat of nail polish can do! By painting a screw with nail polish, which acts like glue, it is more likely to stay in place.

Revive A Scorched Pot With 3 Simple Ingredients

The blogger at Centsable Momma swears by a method of restoring burnt pots to their former glory by using three items you probably already have handy: hydrogen peroxide, baking soda and aluminum foil. She recommends covering the burnt area with baking soda before spraying hydrogen peroxide on it to form a paste. After leaving the paste for several hours, you can scrub it away with some foil!

Clean Your Grill With An Onion

Brittany Anas/The Delite

If you find yourself without a grill brush, using half an onion as an alternative to a grill brush is a tried-and-tested hack. Stick a fork in half of an onion and glide it up and down the grill grates. The onion has enough heft and texture to break up grill gunk.

Clean Your Microwave Without Scrubbing

Clean the microwave without having to do a lot of scrubbing. Simply pour equal parts water and vinegar in a microwave-safe bowl and then microwave it for about 7 minutes. The steam will help loosen any debris, making it easier to wipe away.

De-Ice A Frozen Lock With Hand Sanitizer

Adobe

The alcohol in hand sanitizer will melt the ice off your a frozen lock — whether on your car, home or elsewhere. Other ways to de-ice frozen locks in a pinch include breathing warm air onto the door handle, warming your key with a lighter or applying some WD-40.

Fix A Clogged Printer Cartridge With Windex

Adobe

If you’ve got a clogged printer cartridge, you can easily clean it with some Windex to delay the need for buying an expensive new one. Just spray some Windex on a paper towel before wiping the bottom of the cartridge, where the ink comes out, against the wet surface. You should see streaks of ink on the paper towel when the job is done.

Use Bread To Protect Hands From Broken Glass

Adobe

If you find yourself with broken glass scattered across the floor, don’t pick it up with your hand and risk cutting yourself. Use a slice of bread! The bread will latch onto both small and big shards of glass, making it a safer way to clean up an accident.

Prevent That Moldy Smell In Your Washing Machine With Baking Soda And Vinegar

It’s a good idea to clean your washing machine every so often; some experts advise as often as once a month, especially if you have a front loader. If you have a front loader, set it to the longest cycle and hottest water temperature. Pour three cups of white vinegar directly into the drum, then pour one cup of baking soda into the detergent well to ensure the well, internal hoses and other areas are flushed as the mixture is added during the cycle. Wipe the rubber gasket dry once the cycle has completed, leaving the door open so the entire machine can air out.

If you have a top loader, pour five cups of white vinegar directly into the drum, then two cups of baking soda into the water. With gloves on, dip a sponge or other cleaning tool into the water mixture and scrub the detergent well. Close the top and let the cycle run fully. When it’s complete, wipe the drum clean and leave the door open to air out.