c/easy-home-fixes

Had a cabinet door hinge strip out on me in the kitchen last night

I was all set to drill it out and put in a bigger screw but my neighbor stopped by and showed me how to just fill the hole with wood glue and toothpicks instead... Saved me from making a bigger mess, has anyone else tried that trick on soft particle board cabinets?

Bought a cheap snake camera for $25 and it found the clog my $200 plumber missed

My kitchen sink was backing up for weeks and the first plumber I called couldn't find the issue after an hour of snaking. I grabbed one of those basic endoscope cameras off Amazon and poked it down the vent pipe, spotted a plastic bottle cap stuck at a T-junction. Has anyone else had better luck with cheap tools over hiring pros for basic drain issues?

My landlord's tip saved me $300 on a plumbing fix

My bathroom sink was draining slow for weeks. I was about to call a plumber when my landlord saw me messing with the pipes. He said 'pour a cup of baking soda down the drain, follow it with a cup of vinegar, wait 15 minutes, then flush with boiling water.' Took me 20 minutes and zero dollars. Has anyone else tried this on a kitchen sink clog that's worse?

PSA: I saw a clever way to hide a cable run at the library

They ran the power cord for a floor lamp behind a baseboard that had a small gap. They just used a few clear adhesive clips to keep it tucked in, and you can't see it at all. Has anyone tried something similar for TV cords?

Update: I bought a $40 stud finder after years of guessing

For the longest time I just tapped the wall and guessed where the studs were, which worked okay for light stuff. Then I tried to hang a heavy mirror and put a screw right into nothing, making a huge hole. My buddy said to just get a basic electronic finder, so I grabbed one at the hardware store. It found the studs perfectly in seconds and saved me from patching more drywall. Anyone have a favorite brand for these things that won't break the bank?

The great caulk gun standoff of my bathroom redo

I had to pick between a cheap drip-free model from the hardware store and a nicer one my friend loaned me, which he swore by. I went with the cheap one, and halfway through sealing the tub, the release lever snapped clean off, leaving a solid bead of white silicone across my floor. Anyone have a good fix for dried caulk on vinyl plank, or should I just call it a feature?

My neighbor said my caulk line looked like a toddler did it... and he was right

I was sealing a window frame last weekend and thought my bead looked fine. My neighbor Frank walked by, squinted, and said, 'Parker, that looks like a toddler did it with a spoon.' Ouch. He showed me his trick: run the bead, spray it with a light mist of water from a spray bottle, and then tool it with your finger. The water keeps it from sticking and makes it super smooth. I tried it on the other side of the window and the difference was night and day. Anyone have other simple tricks for cleaner sealant work?

Finally tried that baking soda paste trick for a scratched sink and it actually worked after two applications.

I was sure it was just an old wives' tale, but rubbing a paste of baking soda and water on my scratched stainless steel sink for about 5 minutes each time made the marks almost vanish, so what other simple cleaning hacks have you guys found that actually deliver?

Thought I could swap a toilet fill valve in 20 minutes. It took me four hours.

The old one in the guest bath was making that constant hissing sound. I shut off the water, got my basin wrench, and figured it was a straight swap. The first problem was the old nut was totally seized. I sprayed it with penetrating oil, waited, and still had to use a lot of force. When I finally got the new valve in, the water line connection wouldn't stop dripping. I must have taken it apart and put it back together five times, changing the rubber washer each try. The last time, I saw a tiny crack in the plastic fitting on the new valve itself. Had to run back to the hardware store for a different brand. Anyone have a trick for dealing with those stubborn, corroded supply line nuts?

I spent $40 on a fancy drain snake kit when a $2 plastic hair grabber would have done the job

I thought those magnetic stud finders were just a gimmick.

Tried one on my 1940s plaster walls and it found every single nail in the studs. Anyone have a good trick for marking them without making a mess?

The day my kitchen sink drain decided to become a fountain

Last Tuesday, I came home to find a steady stream of water shooting straight up from the drain under my kitchen sink. The plastic nut on the P-trap had cracked clean through, probably from getting bumped one too many times. I had to run to the hardware store in the rain to get a new 1.5 inch trap kit for about $12. Has anyone else had a plastic trap fail like that, or is it just my luck?

My bathroom faucet drip turned into a full weekend project

I thought changing a worn washer would take maybe an hour, but the old shutoff valve under the sink was completely seized. After three hours of trying to free it, I had to call my neighbor to help me cut the water to the whole house. We ended up replacing the valve and the faucet cartridge, which took most of Saturday. Has anyone else had a simple fix blow up because of one rusty part?

My neighbor in apartment 4B told me his sink drain clogged because he never cleaned the pop-up assembly.

He showed me the gunk he pulled out, and now I check mine every six months.

The great caulk gun disaster of my bathroom redo

I watched three separate online videos where people just squeeze the trigger until caulk comes out, then keep going. Every single one of them ended up with a huge, messy bead that needed a ton of cleanup. I did the same thing last week and got silicone all over my new subway tile. The trick is to cut a small hole in the tube and start slow, letting the bead form before you move the gun. Has anyone else learned this the messy way?

I finally figured out why my caulk lines looked so bad for years

I was redoing a bathroom in my old house last month and kept getting these lumpy, messy seams. My wife pointed out that the new tube of caulk had a diagram on the back showing you're supposed to cut the tip at a 45-degree angle, not straight across. I'd been doing it wrong for a decade. I tried it her way on a test piece of scrap trim and the bead came out smooth and even. How did I miss something that basic for so long? Has anyone else had a simple tool tip change their whole result?

Why does nobody talk about the right way to clean a clogged sink drain?

I watched my friend try to fix his kitchen sink with a whole bottle of drain cleaner last week, and it just made a bigger mess. Turns out you should pour a cup of baking soda down first, then a cup of vinegar, let it fizz for 10 minutes, and flush it with hot water. Has anyone else found a better method that actually works?

Stopped by a buddy's new place in Tempe and saw his fix for a wobbly ceiling fan

Honestly, I was over there helping him move a couch last weekend and I noticed his fan wasn't shaking at all. I asked him about it because mine has had a little dance for years. He showed me the whole thing. He didn't tighten any blade screws or balance them with those little kits. He just took off the fan's canopy, the cover over the mounting bracket, and found the metal box it hangs from was only attached to one joist. The other side was just screwed into drywall. He cut a simple piece of 3/4 inch plywood, about a foot long, to bridge between two solid joists, screwed the box into that, and put it all back together. Took him maybe 30 minutes and a scrap of wood. Ngl, I felt pretty dumb for never checking that first. Has anyone else fixed a wobbly fan this way, or did you go straight for the blade balancer?

Changed my mind about using duct tape for everything

My bathroom faucet handle was wobbling loose for a week, and I just kept wrapping more duct tape around it. It looked awful and got gummy. Yesterday, I finally took it apart and found the little plastic bushing inside was cracked. A new one cost 75 cents at the hardware store and took two minutes to pop in. The handle is solid now, no tape needed. Why do we always reach for the tape first instead of the simple five minute fix?

My kitchen sink started dripping a slow leak last Tuesday

I noticed a small puddle under the cabinet after doing the dishes. It was just a steady drip from the cold water handle. I watched a video online and saw I needed a basic wrench and a new washer. The whole fix took about twenty minutes once I turned off the water under the sink. The old washer was completely flat and cracked. I put in a new one from a pack I got at the hardware store for three dollars. Now the drip is gone and I feel pretty good about handling it myself. Has anyone else fixed a leaky faucet and found it was easier than they thought?

My uncle insisted I needed a $40 pipe wrench for a dripping faucet.

I mean, I just tightened the packing nut with a regular adjustable wrench from my kit and it stopped. Anyone know if that's actually a bad idea long-term?

My brother said to always use a new gasket on a toilet tank, but I fixed a leak last week with just plumber's putty.

The old wax ring on my upstairs toilet was shot, and the flange looked fine, so I cleaned it and packed on a thick bead of putty instead of buying a new kit. It's been a week with no drips and saved me a trip to the store. Has anyone else had a good fix with putty on a toilet base?

Hot take: I thought those cheap plastic drain snakes were a total scam

Honestly, my bathroom sink was clogged for like three weeks and I was about to call a plumber. Tbh, I grabbed a $5 plastic zip-it snake from the hardware store as a last try. I pushed it down the drain, felt it hook something, and pulled up a huge hairball. Ngl, I was shocked it actually worked. Has anyone else had a win with one of those little plastic things, or did I just get lucky?

My neighbor in Milwaukee showed me a trick for cleaning paint rollers that actually works

I used to just run water through them forever and still get dried bits. Now I wrap them in a plastic grocery bag right after use, and they stay wet until I can properly wash them the next day. Anyone have other ways to keep tools from drying out?

Found a weird fix for a wobbly ceiling fan that actually worked

My bedroom fan was shaking so bad it was making noise, and I didn't want to climb up there to balance it with those little weights. I remembered reading somewhere about using a binder clip. I took a medium sized one, clipped it onto the edge of one fan blade, and slowly moved it around until the wobble stopped. It's been solid for two months now. Has anyone else tried something this simple for a fan that won't stay still?