Who doesn’t like saving a little money?
When you can repair items around your home successfully, it’s much easier to maintain their value without paying for additional help. Although some chores are more complicated than others, these money-saving tips can help the DIY handyman keep their property looking great all year long.
Here are some hints that you might not have thought about using to help you spend less and save more.
1. Don’t Throw Away Leftover Paint
If you have leftover paint from a project, don’t throw it away. You can mix it up to have it serve as a future primer. Since most walls need a fresh coat after 3-5 years, you can put multiple cans on interior latex together to help as an undercoat. If the color is too loud after mixing everything, you can add some white. You’ll just need to strain what you’ve combined to ensure no debris is in the final product.
2. Stock Up on Denatured Alcohol
When you have paint on a carpet, it might seem like your only option is to replace it. If you pour denatured alcohol onto a rag and scrub at it, you’ll remove the excessive hue. The trick is to use a cloth with a similar color to the flooring since some transfers can happen.
3. Turn Storage Containers into Locked Boxes
If you have clip-handle storage containers at home, you can secure them using zip ties to keep the handles closed. You’ll need to drill through each one so that you can run the link through the lid and container. After that, just lock it up! You can cut the tie later when you need to access the materials.
4. Rent the Specialist Tools
Several DIY projects at home require specific tools to complete the work. It can get expensive when you purchase them outright, especially if it’s for a one-time use. You’ll find that it’s a lot cheaper to rent them, which can be by the hour to save you even more. Carpet cleaners, jackhammers, specialty saws, and pressure washers all fit into this category.
5. Keep Your Wood Putty Fresh
Wood putty is usually a one-time-use product. By the time you get to it a second time, it’s usually dried out and not usable. If you fill an empty bucket, paint can, or small container with water, you can store this DIY necessity submerged so that air cannot enter the product. You’ll want to ensure the lid is on tight to prevent moisture from ruining it.
6. Make Your Own Natural Cleaners
If you have lots of cleanup work to do at home, you can help the environment and save some money by making DIY cleaners. Instead of using a glass cleaning agent, mix two cups of water with a half-cup of vinegar to create something that works just as well. You can also create a formula with four tablespoons of baking soda for every quart of warm water.
7. Use Zip Ties to Clean Drains
If a bathroom sink gets clogged, it is probably due to the hair or miscellaneous clutter that falls into the draw. Instead of using chemicals to clean those obstructions, you can use a long zip tie to remove the problematic gunk. If you cut several notches into the end of it, the sharper areas will latch onto the stuff down there so that you can pull it up.
8. Use Ice to Remove Sticky Stuff from the Floor
When gum or other sticky substances gets stuck to your floor (or most other surfaces), you can remove the offending item by getting it frozen. The best way to accomplish this outcome is to place a sandwich bag with ice cubes on top of the offending item. It’ll take about 30 minutes for the materials to freeze. Once it is hard and solid, you can break the stuff apart while pulling it out of the carpet.
9. Use Walnuts for Wood Scratches
Most furniture gets beat up as time passes. The same principle applies to hardwood floors, railings, mantles, and more. If you rub a walnut over a scratch in your wood several times, you’ll hide the blemishes that can develop. You’ll want to follow that up by rubbing your fingers over the area to help the wood absorb the nut’s oil. Then you’ll buff the spot with a soft cloth.
Although DIY chores take time, you can save some money by implementing these tricks at home. Which ones are your favorites to use?
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