A 9-part series
Home Maintenance 101
Cleaning, repairs, and household fixes for everyone who just realized they're an adult now.
There's a moment after you move out where you realize nobody is going to clean the microwave for you. Or fix the toilet. Or unclog the drain. Or paint the walls. These guides are for that moment.
What you'll learn
- ✓ How to fix a running toilet by replacing the flapper or adjusting the fill valve
- ✓ How to unclog a drain in your kitchen sink, bathroom sink, or shower
- ✓ How to hang a picture straight using the 57-inch gallery rule
- ✓ How to unclog a toilet with a plunger, hot water, or a toilet auger
- ✓ How to remove a stripped screw using six different methods from simple to advanced
- ✓ How to assess rust severity and choose the right removal method
How to Clean a Microwave
Soften dried splatter with 5 minutes of vinegar or lemon steam, let it stand for 5 more, and wipe the inside clean with a damp cloth.
How to Fix a Running Toilet
Fix a running toilet by checking the flapper, the float, and the fill valve, in that order, with no special tools.
How to Unclog a Drain
Unclog a kitchen or bathroom drain with hot water, pliers, baking soda and vinegar, and the P-trap under the sink, before you reach for chemicals.
How to Paint a Room
Paint a room with clean edges and no roller marks, from choosing and buying paint to taping, cutting in, rolling two coats, and cleaning up without paint on your floors.
How to Clean an Oven
Clean an oven with a baking soda paste left overnight, a vinegar wipe, and a long soak for the racks, without commercial oven cleaner.
How to Hang a Picture
Hang a picture straight and at the right height. Work out the hanging point from the 57-inch center, choose a hanger by its rated weight, scan for studs, wires, and pipes, and keep the frame level.
How to Unclog a Toilet
Unclog a toilet with a flange plunger, a hot water and dish soap soak, or a toilet auger. Stop an overflow first, test the drain with a bucket of water before you flush, and know when the clog is past the toilet.
How to Remove a Stripped Screw
Get a stripped screw out with a rubber band, a different bit, locking pliers, a cut slot, a screw extractor, or by drilling off the head, starting with the method that does the least damage.
How to Remove Rust from Metal
Remove rust from steel and cast iron with a vinegar soak, a commercial remover, or a wire brush and sandpaper, then seal the metal so the rust does not come back.