Home Style Decorating

1. Tiny hole in the wall
Disguise it with a dab of typewriter correction fluid or white toothpaste.

2. Clogged showerhead
Unscrew it and scrub with an old toothbrush. Poke a toothpick through the holes to clear them. Soak the plastic parts in a solution of 2 teaspoons white vinegar to one cup warm water to remove remaining mineral deposits.

3. Wobbly table
If one leg is shorter, cut a piece of cork to the right depth and width to balance the table. Glue the cork with woodworker’s glue.

4. Small hole in a window screen
Apply several layers of clear nail polish.

5. Scratches in wood furniture
Rub with paste shoe polish, a crayon or the meat of a wall nut. Test the color on a hidden part first.

6. Two glasses stuck together
Fill the top glass with cold water and submerge the bottom glass in hot water. Gently pull the top glass away.

7. Pet hair on furniture
Run a damp sponge or rubber gloves over upholstered furniture to get the hair. You can also use a roller lint remover.

8. Stuck plastic cling wrap
Wrap a piece of tape, sticky- side out, around your finger and move it slowly around the roll until the edge will lift up.

9. Broken glass
Pick up the tiny flecks by wiping the area with paper towels smeared with moistened bar soap. Rinse with a wet paper towel then wipe dry.

10. Sticking drawer
Pull out the drawer and lubricate the runners with a bar of soap.

11. Grease marks behind the stove
rub with heavy-duty household cleaner and plastic scrubbing pad. When the wall is clean, apply paste wax. Future spots will come off easily.

12. Crayon or tar in hardwood floor
Freeze by applying ice, then crack into fragments and scrape away with a wooden ice pop stick or even your fingernails. If residue remains, remove by carefully wiping with a damp cloth and a dab of toothpaste.

13. Grime on miniblinds
Put on old cotton gardening gloves. Dip them into a mixture of household cleaner and warm water. run fingers along each slat, top and bottom. Rinse.

14. Water spots on chrome
Wipe with a soft cloth moistened with vinegar. No need to rinse.

15. Tight seal
To make a tight fit for a screw that is loose in its hole, soak toothpicks in glue then insert as many as needed into the hole, be careful not to pack in too many. Carefully break them flush with the surface and let dry. The screw will just go in as if it were new wood.

16. Kitchen sink won’t drain
To break up grease clogs, pour 1 cup baking soda and 1 cup vinegar down the drain. Wait 5 minutes then flush with 2 quarts of boiling water.

17. A light bulb breaks off in the socket
Carve one end of a raw potato small enough to fit inside the base. Put the e nd of the potato in the socket and press firmly. Twist to unscrew the broken bulb.

18. Quiet a squeaky door
Lubricate the pin on the hinge with petroleum jelly instead of oil so that you won’t have to worry about drips on the floor.

19. Vacuum hose is blocked
Turn off vacuum and unplug. Unwind a metal hanger and leaving a slight hook on the end, slide the hook into the hose to remove the blockage.

20. Refrigerator hums continuously
Unplug the refrigerator first. Find the condenser coils at the back or bottom and remove dust buildup that prevents air flow over the coil. Check the ref’s manual.

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