Whether you are a homeowner or a housesitter household DIY jobs will occur, some more often than others. Here are some of the most common that occur in occupied homes, and how to deal with them.

Surprisingly Easy Solutions to Annoying Household Troubles

Certain damages incurred in your household may be inevitable, especially if you have been living in it for a relatively long time. There are instances wherein only precious handyman, a professional, can resolve your household issue because of the extent of the damage, but there are also cases wherein simple solutions do the trick. Hence, here are some surprisingly easy solutions to some of the most annoying household troubles.

Household DIY in older homes are prone to squeaky wooden floors

Most homeowners love their hardwood floors and they like to maintain it that way. At some point, these hardwood floors may become squeaky and it can be irritating over time. In order to resolve this issue instantly, sweep some talcum powder between the floorboards that are rubbing against each other. Otherwise, you just need to secure the floorboard to the subfloor.

Aside from squeaky wooden floors, you may also have watermarks on your wooden floor or furniture. In this case, cover the watermark with a dry cotton cloth and go over it with a hot iron. Another alternative is to wipe the watermark with a cloth that is dampened with denatured alcohol. It can also be irritating to find structural damage to your hardwood floors caused by termite infestation. In this case, the best thing to do is to call professional exterminators.

Holes in the Wall

Tiny holes in your wall which are often due to nail holes can be patched using common household items such as a bit of plain white toothpaste, a bar of soap, or even a white crayon. If you plan for a wall repaint, you may need to use a putty knife and a patching plaster. After which, you are free to hang picture frames and artwork on your wall.

Clogged Drains –  A common household DIY challenge

Slow water draining from your kitchen sink or bathroom drain is not only annoying, but it can also be a risk hazard. There can be various causes of a blocked drain such as hair, plants and dirt, grease build-up, toiletries or foreign objects. Clogged drains can also be caused by heavy rains and storms, broken pipes, or a bad drain pipe installation. In terms of the former, you can try using a plunger or a drain snake, or some chemical-free solutions composed of ingredients found in your pantry.

An equal part of baking soda and vinegar is effective in clearing a clogged drain. You don’t need to mix the two, but rather you need to pour the baking soda down the drain first followed by the vinegar. Let it sit for about an hour and repeat the process as necessary. For a kitchen sink that is clogged by grease, you can use baking soda and salt. First pour a cup of baking soda down the drain, followed by half a cup of salt. After which, pour two cups of boiling water immediately and check whether the water flows easily right after.

Household DIY in the bathroom

Grimy Shower

In cleaning your bathroom, make sure that you don’t leave your shower head behind. It is important to clean the grime in your shower head to ensure that all that dirt is not transferred in your hair when you shower. Put a cup of vinegar in a zip lock, unscrew your shower head and let it sit in the vinegar for an hour or so. Watch the grime slowly coming out of the shower head.

Moldy Grout

Mold and mildew may prove to be challenging to remove but you can do so using a carpet cleaner. Otherwise, cleaners with bleach may just work wonders. A sealer may help keep your grout mold-free, but if your problem with mold and mildew still persists, you may already need to remove and regrout.

Stripped and Loose Screws

You may think that you are doomed if you are trying to remove a stripped screw but there is really no need to fret. All you need is a rubber band and you will be able to effortlessly remove a stripped screw. Place the rubber band on top of the screw head before using your drill to remove the screw as normal. The friction added by the rubber band will help the drill grip the screw.

Meanwhile, a steel wool can help you in tightening a loose screw. The first thing you need to do is to remove the loose screw entirely and wrap a small amount of steel wool around it. After which, screw it back to the hole and the steel wool will add an extra grip that will keep the screw in place.

Loose drawer knobs a common household DIY issue

You can easily secure loose drawer knobs using a wood glue or a fingernail polish. Just unscrew the knob completely and dip the end of the knob in either of the solutions. Let the knob sit overnight and your knob drawer won’t be left wobbly.

Sticky Lock

A sticky lock is very difficult to open even with the original keys. To resolve your issue with sticky locks, you can use a graphite pencil to loosen it up. Just scribble the inside of the lock hole with a pencil, sharpen the pencil, and repeat the process until your keys are able to open the door effortlessly.

Window Screen Tear

A clear nail polish will solve your problem with a tear in your window screen. The nail polish will keep the tear closed, but in case your problem is a hole in the screen, you may need to arrange for a window screen replacement. Nevertheless, you can do this on your own as long as you have the proper materials to do so, such as an exterior wood glue, finishing nails, or staples.

There are certain household mishaps that can be resolved only by the professionals. However, there are also annoying household troubles that you can address using surprisingly easy solutions such as fixing a squeaky hinge using a shortening or tightening a loose screw with a bit of steel wool. You can also clean your shower head or clear a blocked drain with a vinegar solution. Perhaps it is about time to look around your house and find items that can help you address some of your most annoying household problems.