Stop buying everything new. Seriously. You’re bleeding cash on stuff that takes ten minutes and a bit of friction to fix. We live in this weird "throwaway" culture where the second a cabinet hinge squeaks or a wall gets a scuff, we assume it's time for a professional or a trip to a big-box retailer. Most do it yourself hacks you see on TikTok are, frankly, garbage—like using toothpaste to fix a shattered phone screen (it doesn't work, please stop doing that). But there is a subset of maintenance tricks that real contractors and frugal homeowners have used for decades because they actually rely on basic physics and chemistry.
Home ownership is expensive. Renting is getting worse. If you can't fix a stripped screw hole or a running toilet, you’re basically handing your savings over to a handyman who is going to charge you $150 just to show up at your door.
The Stripped Screw Hole Nightmare
We’ve all been there. You're trying to tighten a hinge on a kitchen cabinet or a bedroom door, and the screw just spins. And spins. And spins. The wood is bored out, the grip is gone, and you’re staring at a hole that’s now too big for the hardware.
Most people think they need to drill a new hole or use a massive, ugly screw that doesn't match the others. Wrong. You need toothpicks. Or a golf tee if the hole is big enough. Basically, you take a couple of wooden toothpicks, dip them in a bit of wood glue, and jam them into the hole. Snap off the excess so it’s flush with the wall or cabinet. Give it twenty minutes. Now, you’ve essentially "re-grown" the wood inside that hole. When you drive the original screw back in, the threads bite into the soft birch or bamboo of the toothpicks, creating a bond that is often stronger than the original MDF or particle board. It’s a classic among do it yourself hacks because it costs about three cents and works every single time.
Why does this work? It’s about displacement. You're increasing the surface area for the screw's threads to grab onto. Simple.
Why Your Drain Is Still Slow (And Why Drano Sucks)
Let’s talk about chemical cleaners. Most plumbers—actual licensed professionals like the guys at Roto-Rooter—will tell you to stay away from the caustic liquid stuff. It’s bad for your pipes, especially if you have older galvanized steel or thin PVC. It sits in the P-trap, generates heat, and can actually soften the plastic over time. Plus, if it doesn't clear the clog, you now have a sink full of toxic "burn-your-skin-off" soup that the plumber has to deal with when they finally arrive.
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Instead, try the Zip-It tool or a simple plastic drain snake. It's a $5 strip of plastic with barbs on it. You shove it down the drain, wiggle it, and pull. It's disgusting. You will pull up a hair monster that looks like it belongs in a horror movie. But it clears the physical obstruction without eating your pipes.
If it’s a grease clog in a kitchen sink, try the boiling water and Dawn dish soap method before you reach for the chemicals. Dawn is specifically formulated to break down grease (that’s why they use it on birds after oil spills). Squirt a generous amount down the drain, wait ten minutes, then dump a gallon of boiling water down there. The soap emulsifies the fat, and the heat carries it away.
Fixing Wall Scuffs Without Re-painting
Painters are expensive. Paint is expensive. Even a "sample" size of custom-mixed eggshell finish can run you $10 these days. If you have scuffs from furniture or "mystery marks" from kids, don't immediately grab the roller.
- Magic Erasers (Melamine Foam): These are essentially extremely fine sandpaper. They work by abrasion. If you rub too hard, you will take the sheen off your paint, leaving a dull spot. Use a light touch.
- The WD-40 Trick: For crayon or scuff marks on high-gloss or semi-gloss surfaces, a tiny bit of WD-40 on a rag can lift the wax right off.
- Rubbing Alcohol: This is the secret for getting permanent marker off of non-porous surfaces.
Honestly, the best thing you can do for your walls is to keep a "touch-up" jar. Whenever you finish a room, pour a small amount of the paint into a glass mason jar. Seal it tight. When a chip happens, use a Q-tip to dab the paint on. It blends better than a brush and saves you from opening a crusty 5-gallon bucket three years later.
Stop Ignoring the "Running" Toilet
A running toilet can waste hundreds of gallons of water a month. You can see it on your utility bill. Most people think the "insides" of a toilet are a complex machine. They aren't. It’s a lever, a chain, and a rubber flap called a flapper.
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If your toilet runs, 90% of the time the flapper is old and warped. It’s not sealing. You can test this by putting a few drops of food coloring in the tank (the back part). Don't flush. Wait 15 minutes. If the water in the bowl turns color, your flapper is leaking. This is one of the most essential do it yourself hacks for renters because it's a $8 part that you can replace with your bare hands in two minutes. No tools required. Just turn off the water valve behind the toilet first unless you want a wet floor.
The Secret to Squeaky Floors
Old houses have character. They also have floors that announce your presence every time you try to sneak a midnight snack. That "creak" is usually caused by two pieces of wood rubbing together or a floorboard rubbing against a nail that has loosened over time.
If you have hardwood floors, try baby powder. Or graphite powder. Sprinkle it over the squeaky joint and walk on it to work the powder down into the cracks. The powder acts as a dry lubricant. No friction, no noise. It’s a temporary fix, sure, but it’s a lot easier than pulling up floorboards to add subfloor screws.
Dealing With "Stuck" Stuff
We spend so much money replacing things that are just... stuck.
- Windows: If an old wooden window won't slide, rub a white tea light candle (paraffin wax) along the tracks. It’ll glide like it’s brand new.
- Zippers: Same thing. Use a graphite pencil. Rub the lead (which is actually graphite) on the teeth of the zipper. It’s a natural lubricant.
- Lightbulbs: If you have an outdoor bulb that always gets stuck in the socket, rub a tiny bit of Vaseline on the threads of the new bulb before you screw it in. It prevents "galvanic corrosion," which is the fancy term for two metals bonding together because of moisture.
The Truth About Stainless Steel
Don't buy "stainless steel cleaner." It’s mostly mineral oil and fragrance sold at a 500% markup. If you want your fridge to shine without streaks, wipe it down with a damp microfiber cloth to get the grime off. Then, put a drop of olive oil or baby oil on a paper towel and buff it in the direction of the grain. It hides scratches and repels fingerprints.
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Actually, let's talk about the "grain" for a second. Even metal has a direction. If you look closely at your appliances, you’ll see tiny lines running either horizontally or vertically. Always wipe in that direction. Wiping in circles is how you get those annoying swirl marks that show up when the sun hits the kitchen.
Furniture Braced for Impact
If you have a wobbly chair, don't just keep tightening the screw until the wood splits. Wood moves. It expands and contracts with humidity. Over time, the holes get wallowed out (back to our toothpick trick). For chairs, the best fix is often a "corner brace" or a bit of wood swell. There’s a product called Swel-Lock that actually causes wood fibers to expand, locking the joint back into place. It’s a favorite among antique restorers because it doesn't involve messy glues that prevent future repairs.
Critical Actionable Steps for the Weekend
If you want to actually start saving money using these do it yourself hacks, you need a "Go-Bag" of supplies. You don't need a $400 power tool set. You need the basics that solve 80% of problems.
- A Multi-bit Screwdriver: Get one where the bits store in the handle.
- A Small Hammer: 12oz or 16oz is plenty.
- Needle-nose Pliers: For reaching things you dropped down the drain or pulling out staples.
- A Roll of Thread Seal Tape (Teflon Tape): This is the blue or white thin tape you wrap around showerhead threads. It stops leaks instantly.
- White Vinegar and Baking Soda: Not just for middle school volcanoes. This combo (followed by hot water) is great for freshening drains and removing hard water deposits from showerheads. Soak the showerhead in a bag of vinegar overnight. The calcium just falls off.
Start small. Fix the squeaky door today. Put the baby powder on the floorboard tomorrow. The confidence you get from not having to call a professional for a "nothing" task is worth more than the money you save. You realize that your house isn't a mysterious black box; it's just a collection of parts that sometimes need a little friction reduced or a hole plugged.
Don't overcomplicate it. If it moves and it shouldn't, use duct tape or a shim. If it doesn't move and it should, use WD-40 or wax. That's about 60% of home maintenance right there. The rest is just having the patience to look at the problem for five minutes before reaching for your wallet. It’s better for your bank account, and honestly, there’s a weirdly specific hit of dopamine you get from fixing a "broken" thing with a toothpick and some glue. Try it.
The biggest misconception is that you need a "handy" gene. You don't. You just need to realize that most things are held together by simple mechanical tension. Once you understand where the tension is supposed to be, fixing it becomes a logic puzzle rather than a chore. Keep your jars of leftover paint, keep your old toothpicks, and stop letting small household annoyances turn into expensive contractor bills. Your future self (and your savings account) will thank you when you aren't paying a $100 "service fee" for a five-minute fix.