With all the daily goings-on, most have encountered small wear and tear problems in their decor's furnishings. Not all issues need to have a professional called in. It can be satisfying to learn how to handle fixing more things for ourselves. This is a great opportunity to get educated on how to do the simple home repair and cleaning projects on your own.
Do it yourself is easy with these 10 quick decor fix-it tricks that anyone can handle.
Keeping a Screw in Place
When screws are slipping out and not holding this means that the original screw hole has become worn and too large to hold the screw threads. Surprisingly this requires a very simple type fix only using an old fashioned wooden toothpick.
Simply place one or two (depending how large the hole is) wooden toothpicks in place in the hole.
Break off the toothpicks so that they are flush with the surface.
Now screw the original screw back in to hold your object in place. The toothpicks have made the hole smaller allowing the screw to grip again.
Filling Tiny Nail Holes
When moving artwork you will be left with unsightly tiny nail holes dotting the wall. No need to use spackle for these bitty punctures, simply use toothpaste. Make sure it is the plain paste, not gel.
Use your finger to spread the paste into the holes until they are flush with the wall surface.
If the walls are white, the paste will easily blend in. For colored walls retouch the spots after they dry with matching paint.
Peeling Wallpaper
As #wallpaper ages the paste can dry up and lift the paper off the walls on edges and corners. No reason to fret, this is an easy fix utilizing the old school standard of white glue.
Simply place ordinary white glue on a flat putty knife, or even a plain piece of paper, and slide it carefully under where the paper is lifting to stick the glue on the wallpaper’s back.
To prevent bubbling and to make sure that the paper is flat on wall, smooth the paper towards the edge or corner so it attaches to the surface again like new.
With a slightly damp cloth, or paper towel, wipe away any glue residue that may seep out between the seams.
Squeaky Doors
Squeaky doors can be made quiet again quite easily. Get out your oil can for a quick fix or grease up for a fix that will be sure to last.
Just lift the hinge pin creating the squeak and squirt some common fix-it penetrating oil into the hinge. This is considered a short-term fix that most likely will need to be repeated if the squeak returns.
For a more permanent fix, tap the hinge pin out of the hinge and coat the pin with white lithium grease. Both the top, middle, and bottom hinges should be lubricated for a complete remedy. Tap the pin back in place and you will now have a quiet door.
Drifting Door
Those doors that will not stay in place can drive a person batty. You want the door open a crack but it inevitably drifts completely open. Take your hammer to a hinge for an easy quick repair.
Merely remove just one of the hinge pins and lay the pin on a hard surface.
Strike the hinge pin with a hammer to purposely cause the pin to have a slight bend.
Then tap the pin back in place. The increased friction that the bent pin allows will keep the door in the position that it is opened to.
Sticky Drawers
Wooden drawers can tend to stick with age. This can be frustrating especially when rushing to find an item. Depending on your type of drawer slide will determine what is the best remedy to apply for a fix of the situation.
If you have wooden drawers with no metal track, then simply rub a wax candle onto the bottom corners at the base of each drawer.
For drawers with a metal track then pull the drawers out completely and apply some penetrating oil to the track. No more stick!
Sagging Sofa or Chair
There is nothing comfortable about sinking into a sagging sofa. No need to spend big bucks at the upholsterer or to go and purchase new furniture. This is a very simple fix using a piece of plywood.
Take the cushions off and measure the dimensions of the flat base under the seat cushions.
Cut plywood to your measurements.
Place the plywood, smooth-side up, on the seat base.
Replace the cushions on top of the base. You now have a comfy piece of furniture again.
Scratches on Wood Furnishings
For scratches on your favorite wood furniture, flooring and other wood furnishings there are surprisingly almost effortless fixes. Nuts, markers and crayons all work wonders in repairing scratches to return furnishings to gleaming like new condition.
Simply rub a walnut or pecan on the scratched areas. The oils from the nuts work wonders moisturizing the wood in a way to make scratches disappear.
Use of permanent colored markers is another wonderful easy fix. Just color in the scratches with a marker color that is the same shade as your wood. This works great for darker woods. You can blend a couple of shades to find a perfect match. Then feather the edges with your fingers. The scratch should virtually disappear.
For lighter toned wood, you can use a wood repair kit in a matching hue. These kits work like crayons and the colors can easily be blended together if your wood tone is between colors.
Mold on Ceiling and Walls
Nasty #mold creeping onto the ceiling and walls is not safe nor pleasant to look at. Before proceeding with the bleach cleaning, you should protect yourself first by covering your nose and mouth with a bandanna or mask.
Mix one part bleach to nine parts water and apply to the moldy surfaces with a sponge or spray bottle.
Scrub the area to ensure that the mold is removed.
Do a final cleaning to remove any residue.
Stay ahead of any recurring mold by cleaning every two months or as needed. For simple upkeep use a bleach bathroom spray cleaner.
Moldy Grout
Tile #grout in the #bathroom can get moldy quickly if not cleaned responsibly. The bathroom and kitchen bleach spray cleaners are excellent for cleaning and maintaining sparkly grout and tiled surfaces.
Spray the cleaner on area and scrub the grout clean with an old toothbrush.
For stubborn moldy grout allow for the spray cleaner to sit on area to soak in. The mold will disappear and you will have shiny clean surfaces once again.
I recommend keeping a melamine foam type eraser sponge in the shower to wipe the walls down and scrub grout as you are showering. This will ensure that your bathroom stays clean and mold free without harsh chemicals being sprayed too often.
Home upkeep and repairs can be easy breezy if you stay ahead of them. Do not let little items pile up until they are overwhelming to fix. Savor a rainy day off to attack a do it yourself #home improvement. You will be surprised how talented you actually are at fixing items yourself and take pride and satisfaction in the work you have accomplished and money saved.
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