Scratches really shows on wood furniture. Luckily, it’s easy to hide them or even make them disappear. Cover up minor scratches using only regular paste wax. For medium scratches, furniture-patching sticks are available in many different shades to match your wood finish. You can even fix deeper scratches with some wood stain and a small paint brush.

Steps to repair

Walnut Oil

1. Break open a walnut or pecan.

2. Rub the cut edge along the scratch. Natural oil in the nut will darken the scratch.

3. Buff the area with a clean, dry cloth.

Paste Wax

4. Apply a paste wax.

5. Use an extra-fine grade steel wool to rub very lightly along the wood grain.

6. Buff the surface with a soft cloth.

Furniture Patching Wax

7. Use a furniture-patching wax stick that matches the wood finish. Run the stick firmly along the scratch.
8. Apply a little pressure so the wax fills the scratch.
9. Scrape the excess off with plastic scraper or thin plastic card
10. Allow the wax to dry about 20 minutes. Then buff it with a soft cloth.

Staining Gouges

11. Paint the inside of the scratch with oil-based stain.
12. Use a small artists’ brush and work carefully, getting the stain only in the scratch. Let it sit for 15 minutes and wipe off excess with a soft cloth. Repeat if necessary until scratch blends in with the rest of the piece.

13. Let it dry for manufacturer’s recommended time.

14. Apply paste wax and buff with a soft cloth.

A water meter leak can cost a lot to repair while also costing you valuable water in the process. A water meter leak can come from a number of different locations and the most important step in fixing one is finding where the leak is coming from. Once the leak is located, general repair to the area will fix it. It is best to act fast so you can conserve as much water as possible.

Steps to repair

1. Turn off all appliances in the house that use water, including faucets, washing machines, showers, sinks and all others. Locate the water meter on the outside of the house. It will likely be covered by a water meter box. Remove the lid and lift off the register cover to expose the register face.

2. Look on the register face of the water meter for a small blue triangle. If the triangle is spinning, you have a leak. Find the main shut-off valve outside the house. It is usually located near the water meter. Turn off the shut-off valve. Test a faucet in the house to verify the water is off.
3. Check the meter face to see if the dial is still moving. If it is, there is a leak between the meter and the shut-off valve. A leak between the meter and the shut-off valve will require you to call the utility company for professional assistance.
4. Find the leak on an appliance in your house if the dial is not moving. Inspect the faucets on the inside of the house. Remove the faucet handle with an adjustable wrench and loosen the brass set screw that holds the washer in place. Take out the old washer and replace it with a new one.
5. Fix all other leaks that may be occurring in the toilet or other appliances according to the manufacturers instructions.

You can stop – or at least slow down – a leak to prevent water damage until a plumber can do the complete repair. These steps are for a temporary fix, not a long-term cure.

Steps

1. Tighten a threaded joint with a pipe wrench if the leak is there. If that doesn’t stop the leak, it may at least slow the leak until the joint can be replaced.
2. Plug a very small hole by sticking the tip of a sharp pencil in it. Break off the tip in the hole and cover the hole with duct tape, wrapping it in several layers.
3. Alternatively, apply epoxy putty specially formulated for leaks caused by cracks or small holes.
4. Fix larger holes by clamping a piece of hose around the pipe. With a knife, cut a length of hose at least 2 inches longer than the hole. (Rubber hose or even an old piece of garden hose will do.) You will also need three hose clamps. Slit the hose lengthwise and fit it around the pipe, then clamp the hose in place using a hose clamp at each end and one in the middle.
5. Discontinue use of the leaking plumbing or catch the spillage with a bucket until proper repairs can be made.

Tips

1. If tightening a threaded joint doesn’t work, some older plumbing may require brazing. Unless you’re familiar with this technique, it should be left to professionals.

Painting a house is both simple and challenging. The interior painting is relatively easy because it does not require as much preparation time and is possible to paint within a few days. Exterior painting requires meticulous preparation before starting the paint job and several days of clear, warm weather. It is possible to paint the interior and exterior yourself.

Steps for Exterior Painting

1. Look over the exterior of the house for damage or potential repairs. Houses might need repairs before they are ready to paint. If there is damage, get the damage fixed before starting the painting project. Some minor damage is possible to fix yourself, but major damage, such as rotten wood or paneling, may need professional repairs.
2. Scrape off the last layer of paint if preferred. Otherwise, sand rough areas until the entire area is smooth. Go over the entire exterior of the house and sand any rough areas.
3. Clean the house. Always clean before starting a project. Remove dirt, sanding dust and any mildew or mold from the house. If there is mold or mildew, use bleach water to clean and kill the mold. Never put paint over mold or mildew growth because it will continue to grow under the paint and damage the house.
4. Recaulk the windows if necessary. Newer windows and homes do not require recaulking, but older windows will need to be recaulked for weatherproofing.
5. Fill in any gaps or cracks in wood with wood putty. Allow the putty to dry according to the package directions and then sand it smooth.
6. Apply a coat of primer over the entire house. Mix the primer according to the directions, usually just stirring, and apply using a paint roller. Work in small sections and prime the entire outside of the home. Take care to avoid dripping. Allow the primer to dry. On a clear, sunny and warm day, the primer could dry relatively quickly. Humidity can add to drying times. Usually, allowing overnight drying is recommended.
7. Mix the paint and pour it into a paint tray. Roll the paint onto the house. As with the primer, work in sections. Allow the first coat of paint to dry and then apply a second coat. Drying times differ for each type of paint. For exterior paint, use a paint specifically designed for exterior paint jobs. These are often weather-resistant paints that can handle weather changes.
Steps for Interior Painting

1. Prepare the room. Put masking tape along the floor at the edges to prevent getting paint on the floor corners and tape up any other edging work. Put down drop cloths on the floors. If painting the ceiling, put drop cloths over furniture as well. Remove any drapes, curtains or similar items that are not covered. Fill in any holes with an appropriate filling agent for the wall as necessary and sand it smooth after it dries. Sand any rough spots with a fine grit sandpaper, such as 400 grit. If there is mold or mildew, clean it with bleach and water.
2. Pour primer into a paint tray and apply primer to the entire room. If painting the ceiling, use a paint roller with a pole to reach. House Painting Info suggests using ½ inch rollers for smooth ceilings or ¾ inch rollers for textured ceilings. Edge the bottom of the wall, around windows or similar locations with primer using a paintbrush. This will minimize messes and allow access to the smallest edges. Edge small areas and then use the roller to apply primer to small sections within the edges. Allow the primer to dry.
3. Paint the room in a similar manner to the primer. Start with the ceiling and line the edges with paint. Paint in sections and allow the paint to dry. Apply two to three coats of paint.

Have you ever discovered unknown holes in your clothing that weren’t there when you hung up or stored the garment away? If so, you likely have moths in your closet because moths love eating fabrics. While moths seem harmless enough, there are actually a couple of diseases instigated by these critters. Just like all flies and mosquitoes, they tend to visit very dirty places such as sewage, gutters and mouldy walls. They transfer the bacteria, germs, virus and other micro organisms they carry from these places into your food or your walls of your home. These micro organisms can trigger a number of illnesses. There are also cases wherein moths and their caterpillars cause skin diseases. These creatures actually have very tiny spurs on their legs, especially the larger moths. If the moth happens to land on any part of your skin, some of the spurs in their legs will stay on your pores. This might sting or lead to a case of dermatitis. The spurs in the legs of moths might also cause allergic reactions. They can trigger the excessive production of histamine that might cause difficulty in breathing, enlargement of the tongue or tonsils, swelling of the skin and lips and even blisters

Treating moths can be done a number of ways, and using natural treatments is one way to ensure that you treat them safely without exposing your home to the abrasive chemicals that can be found in pesticides

Tips to treating moths

1. Remove any clothing or fabric or items from the area where moths are present. Wash any pieces that you can.
2. Vacuum the area thoroughly, making sure to get floors and any fabrics such as furniture. If there is hardwood or tile, sweep and mop it using a solution of half white vinegar and half hot water.
3. Purchase bins that can be sealed to store your items. Cut a piece of fabric 6 inches by 6 inches in size. Place one-half cup of cedar chips with a few drops of cedar oil in the center of the fabric and bunch the corners together and tie them up.
4. Make enough of these repellent satchels so there is one for each bin, or two or three for larger bins. These will keep moths away from your stored items. Also place two or three in the back of your closet or around any area moths are frequenting. Replace the satchels every six months.
5. Place items that can be stored into bins and seal the bins with lids. Place the bins in the closet. Place a box of baking soda in the area to keep moisture away and prevent a dusty or musty smell, which can attract moths.
6. Mix together 1 cup of water with half a cup of orange peel extract and put it in a spray bottle. Shake and spray items that are hanging, furniture or other fabrics in the area such as carpet. This will deter moths while providing a fresh citrus scent. Use the spray once or twice a week on areas.

Bed bugs can be found at almost any location, from dormitories to luxury hotels and even hospitals. If you travel or have visitors, bed bugs can easily hitch a ride into your home on items such as a suitcase or purse. Bed bugs dwell in your bed, closet, drawers and other dark crevices and sustain themselves by feeding nightly on your blood as you sleep. So you can say that it is more like getting rid of vampires. it’s important to find the most effective treatment available. But with hundreds, if not thousands, of products on the market, finding the best bed bug treatment is like looking for a needle in the haystack.
Most people prefer calling in the professional exterminators to deal with their bed bug infestations. This could be a very expensive option and could cost you hundreds of dollars. When a professional exterminator comes in, you have to move out of your property while your house is being fumigated. The chemicals used to kill the infestation could also pose a significant health risk to those who are living in the house. So here is some simple instruction for you by which you can easily get rid of bed bugs..

Instructions

1. Wash all clothes in hot water even if you think clothing is clean. You can use your regular laundry detergent and one capful of Clorox for whites only.
Get plastic boxes and heavy duty plastic bags to put away clothing. At least for a month until you are sure you haven’t seen one.

2. Cover all mattresses, beddings,futons and sofas with heavy plastic covering resistant against dust mites and bed bugs and encasement to prevent any tears. You can buy inexpensive ones at a local home bedding and furniture place for 5 to 10 dollars.Make sure every cover you buy has a good sealing zipper, meaning no gaps or easily torn with hands. Bed bugs should die within a year when sealed in the mattress because their is no air or blood they can feed on even though they can live off no food for a year, they still need oxygen to breathe.
3. Mop walls and floors with Clorox. Why the walls because we are not able to cover all creases and cracks with plaster all day and Clorox brings them out while alcohol kills them. You might not be able to catch one during the day but definately at night. Prepare a spray bottle and fill it up with alcohol, if you can buy the 90% instead of the 70% alcohol normally sold, it is the best.Take a rag or sponge and wipe tables and electronics or other furnishings with alcohol.

Some tips and warning
1. It is best to start these procedures when children are away from home, due to the fumes of alcohol and Clorox.
2. Have all windows open or central ac on when cleaning
3. Even after you might see one or two bugs running around loose but a spray bottle filled with alcohol will kill them on contact.

A great kitchen setup can save you time, energy and stress. It can mean the difference between spending 20 minutes to prepare a simple meal and spending over an hour on the same meal. Coming up with the right organization style for a kitchen will depend on your cooking style, available space and the amount of equipment you have.

Instructions to setting up kitchen

1. Work with what you have. If your kitchen includes a pantry, use it to store food, paper plates and paper towels. If you only have cupboard space, find the best way to store nonperishable items according to how often you eat each food. Items such as flour, sugar, rice and cereals can be stored in airtight containers to preserve their freshness and keep common household bugs like ants from becoming a problem.
2. Maintain new, clutter-free countertops by only displaying the small appliances you use daily. Use cupboards to store toasters or waffle irons if you only use them occasionally. Use decorative canisters to store flour, sugar or dry pasta. Fresh fruit looks like a centerpiece when placed in a colorful bowl.
3. Place eating utensils near other items that you use with them such as plates and bowls. If you have plenty of drawer space, consider placing cooking utensils near the stove. Towels are most functional in a drawer near the sink because when your hands or dishes are wet, you’ll want easy access. The same goes for aluminum foil, plastic wrap and storage bags. Their best place is likely in a drawer near the counter where you prepare food for lunches or pack away leftovers. Plastic lids and containers should be stacked neatly in a cupboard or drawer.
4. Store plates, cereal bowls and dinnerware in a cupboard close to where you and your family will be able to easily reach them. Cups and mugs should be kept near the refrigerator because this will cut down on the liquids being carried across the room, and possibly spilling.
5. Keep pots and pans near the stove to save time for the cook. Bakeware should also be stored near the oven. Organize your kitchen around personal habits and comforts.

There’s nothing like the sound of rain on a metal roof – and there’s nothing as annoying as when one leaks. Here’s what you need to know to patch the hole and get your roof back into shape.

Steps to repair

1. Identify the metal that the roof is made of, and get a piece of the same metal to make a patch.
2. Clean the damaged area with all-purpose cleaner and let it dry, then go over it with a wire brush to remove debris.
3. Cut a patch at least 2 inches larger than the damaged area
4. Use tin snips to cut the corners off the patch.
5. Fold the edges under about 1/2 inch, and sand the folded parts until they’re shinier than the rest of the patch.
6. Put flux both on the surface to be patched and along the folded edges of the patch.
7. Put the patch into place and weight it with a cinder block or brick.
8. Hold solder to the seam, and use a soldering iron to heat it until it melts and runs under the patch.
9. Follow the patch all the way around with the solder and soldering iron. Try not to leave any open spaces, or the patch will be ineffective.
10. Cut a pair of patches larger than the hole.
11. Coat the roof area with roofing cement.

12. Press one patch over the area and apply another coat of cement.
13. Repeat with the last patch and a final coat of roofing cement.

A squeaking bed is annoying and can ruin a perfect night rest. Squeaky bed springs can interrupt your sleep and make you feel tired in the morning. The noise might not necessarily be the bed itself, it might be your floorboards or it could be that your bed frame is too old. Whatever may be causing the squeaking, it is essential to know how to fix the problem yourself to avoid such annoyance and to cut costs of outsourcing help. Below are discussed the various steps you will have to follow in order to fix a squeaking bed.

Do a check up of your mattress and box springs. Usually a mattress can last between five to seven years. However the mattress can also age quite fast if you have children who jump on the mattress making it to wear out more quickly. If it was purchased from a discount shop there is also a possibility that its time has come and it needs replacement. Try feeling the springs of the bed through the mattress or if the springs are sticking out of the box springs, then this is a clear indication that you need to replace the springs.

Check if the mattress is centered on top of the box spring. There is the possibility that over time the mattress may be dislocated as a result of the bed being made each day. If this is the case then it means that this has been the cause of the bed squeaking. Fix the mattress as soon as possible to do away with the squeaking of the bed.

Check out your metal bed frame.  There is a possibility that the frame may have loosened up thereby leading to the squeaking sound. It is important to analyze the bolts and screws as they may have loosened. Remove the bed’s screws each one at a time and rub them with dry soap. This will fill the creases of the screws thereby eliminating the squeaks. To ensure that the metal bolts and screws don’t rub against the metal bed frame, add plastic washers in between the pieces.

Lubricate the bed’s springs using a lubricant if available or some cooking oil. If you are able to identify which particular spring is causing the squeak then you can lubricate that one only, else you will have to lubricate all of them. You will need to re-lubricate the spring(s) when the lubricant wears off.

You will then have to check the bed’s legs and see if they are evenly secure. If they are not accurately centered even a small movement of the bed will cause the bed to squeak. You will have to correct them to do away with the squeaking of your bed.

If all this efforts don’t amount to anything fruitful, it is time to test if the floor is actually causing the squeaking. This can be achieved by moving your metal bed to another part of the room then walking where the bed was back and forth to determine which part of the floor is actually causing he squeaking. Then you will have to rearrange your bedroom furniture so that in the end the bed does not still rest on that part of the floor.

Fixing your leaky bathtub faucet will not only save the money you would have spent on water bills, it will prevent stains from forming in your bathtub. A leaky bathtub faucet may be as a result of a bad stem or a worn washer. The stem controls flow of water through the faucet. The stem is connected to the faucet handle which when turned; it raises and lowers the rubber washer thus allowing water to flow. Fixing it is an easy job which can be done with simple tools if you have the knowledge on how to go about it. The tools needed are a sharp knife, pliers and wrench. The steps discussed below will guide you on how to fix a leaky bathtub faucet.

Shut off your water supply for the bathtub faucet. Depending on your homes setup you may turn off the water supply to the bathtub separately or you will need to turn off the entire household water at the main water cut off valve which is usually next to your water meter. This way you will save on water that would have otherwise spilled while you were fixing the leaky bathtub faucet.

Then open the faucet and allow the water that is inside to flow out. Take off faucet handle screw cover by placing the sharp knife under the cap. This is a difficult part when fixing a leaky bathtub faucet as the handle may be stuck to the stem.

If there is any kind of shield with a coat of arms present, commonly known as escutcheon, you will have to remove it. It may be held in place by a screw on the down side that needs to be removed by screwing it out.

Then there is the packing nut, a hexagonal nut which is at the top of the valve stem. Remove it using the adjustable wrench. Then remove the valve stem by unscrewing the second hexagonal nut which is at the base of the stem, and then pull the valve out of the socket.

The leak may also be caused by a cracked or broken valve. If after analyzing, you get this as the problem, then you will have to replace it.

Turn the stem over to analyze the rubber O-ring washer. If it is torn then this might be the cause. You will thus have to replace the washer. If you don’t know the size of the washer your bathtub faucets use, you will have to visit the nearest hardware store to talk to a customer care agent. Then replace your old washer with a new one and secure it with a screw. You can then lightly apply a coat of silicone grease at the bottom of the washer.

Then on the threads on the valve stem, apply pipe thread compound. Put it back into the socket and tighten with the wrench. Put the packing nut over the stem and tighten it. Then replace the escutcheon.

Replace the faucet handle and handle insert. Make sure you do not screw the faucet handle too tight or it will be difficult to open your water faucet.

Turn on the water supply and check the faucet for its required proper operation.