Easy DIY fixes for annoying accidents at home

  • 11 years ago
  • DIY

‘Home sweet home’ might be a term used to describe the place you live as an oasis or sanctuary away from the world, but sometimes home repairs can really drive us up the wall. Some accidents and hiccups can inevitably happen throughout your home-owning life. Rather than paying out of your pocket, it’s worth learning some easy DIY fixes that you can carry out yourself when you come across these tricky situations. Here are a few that you can try the next time you have one of those frustrating moments!

A Leaky Tub

One of the reasons homeowners find unwanted mould and damp is due to water leakage through tiles and around the edge of their bathtubs, shower or faucets. It’s important to ensure that bathrooms are properly sealed and maintained, especially in places that are exposed to running water on a regular basis. If the grouting around your bath or shower is cracked or blackened then you can easily fix it with a couple of simple tools. Use a plastic putty knife to remove the old caulk around your bathtub and wipe it with denatured alcohol to remove any moisture. Apply the new caulk with a caulk gun and squeeze it into the seam of the tub by using the trigger. Now just wait 24 to 36 hours for the caulk to fully set and you’re all sealed and ready to go!

Broken Key in a Lock

One of the most frustrating accidents is struggling with a lock and breaking your key so that the bittings are stuck inside and you’re left holding the other end. But before you call the locksmith, there are actually a couple of easy ways that you can take matters into your own hands. Spray some lubricant such as WD40 into the lock and use a thin tool like a ‘broken-key extractor tool’ or a hand jigsaw blade to slide into the gap next to the key, twist and pull the key out. If this doesn’t work and you have a spare key already cut, you can easily replace the lock and handle on many doors, especially if it is a uPVC door with a euro lock like ones from Handle Store

Marks on the Walls

Scuff marks and dirty hands are the trademarks of a well-loved house by little family members but they can be highly irritating to the adults who have slogged away to give the walls a fresh lick of paint! Annoying marks on new walls can easily be removed with specialised cleaning products such as the ‘Magic Eraser’ or even some gentle alcohol like nail varnish remover. Just be sure not to scrub too hard or you’ll take off the paint as well.

Paint Drips

Speaking of paint, if you’re decorating your home, there’s always the niggling corners and edges of the ceiling to deal with. But apart from the neck ache that follows after, one of the annoying things about painting something above you is that paint soon starts to run down the brush, onto your hands and can even drip onto the floor or wall. Give this a quick fix by taping a small, absorbent cloth around the metal collar of the brush to catch the extra paint and stop it in its tracks before it ruins your clothes, carpet and your day!

Maintaining your home is really a labour of love and with regular care and smart strategies, you can always have a beautiful place to live in that’s not only welcoming but affordable too. 

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