Company Is Coming - 5 Fast Touch Up Fixes

You just hung up the phone with Aunt Betty and she’s coming for the weekend so here’s 5 fast fixes to help get the house company ready.

1.       Squeaky floor – You know that one spot in the hallway that lets you know every time someone walks across it – just get out your baby powder and sprinkle a line of it in the seam or crack between the boards and walk on it back and forth several times (wear socks but be sure to change out of them so you don’t slip when you are done!) until the squeak is gone.

2.       Nail holes – You don’t have a container of joint compound or a spackling trowel laying around but those holes left by the nails from your previous picture arrangement are bugging you. Grab the toothpaste, just not the gel kind, put a little on your finger and swipe over the nail hole gently. Wipe off the excess with a barely damp sponge and let dry. You are ready for touch up paint in a couple of hours.

3.       Touch up paint wall scuffs and nail holes – Grab a liquid laundry soap cup with the cup within the lid and a small paintbrush or if you don’t have a paint brush grab a kitchen sponge. If you don’t have some left over paint grab one of the small tester paints at any hardware store, pour into the laundry cup, the extra lip will catch the excess when you wipe the edge of the brush and keep the paint from dripping on your floor. Gently swipe over the scuff or patched nail hole.

4.       Squeaky hinge – A candle stick or bar of soap is all you need, rub on the noisy hinge, wipe the excess off and your noisy hinge is gone. Or take a piece of cardboard and cut out a window the size of your hinge, place the cardboard over the hinge and spray with cooking spray, move the door back and forth a few times to work the spray in between the hinge and wipe off the excess.

5.       Stains on the counter top – Get out that box of baking soda, make a thick paste with a little water and cover the stain with the paste. Don’t rub, that will leave tiny micro scratches, let the paste sit for 1 to 2 hours and gently wipe off with a wet towel. If the stain is still visible, repeat until stain is gone.

There you have 5 fast fixes, while these are not meant to be permanent fixes they will get you through the weekend visit.  If you have a larger project or have a list of smaller projects call Fix My House Inc. Handyman at 630-888-4798 to fix your house! Support small businesses and shop local to strengthen our community. Small Business Saturday 2013 is November 30, 2013.