5 Fast Fixes for your Rental

Without your parents to literally take care of the roof over your head, the college experience is an eye-opener when things inevitably go wrong around the house.  When you rent your own place, you’ll have to call your landlord when you need something fixed.  However, there are a few fixes you can make on your own so you don’t have to get your landlord involved.  Here are five things you may not have had to do at home, but you’ll have to do when you’re away at college.

Clogged Drain

Whether too much hair went down the shower drain or your sink is acting up, you should try fixing it yourself before you call in reinforcements.  Drano is a lifesaver and does a great job in unclogging drains fast. If your shower still isn’t draining properly, unwind a metal clothes hanger and use it as a claw of sorts to get out whatever is clogging the drain.   If your kitchen sink is clogged and you have a garbage disposer, don’t use Drano. Instead, put a bit of dish soap down the drain and let cold water flow as your disposer is running. To avoid clogs, try not to put pasta and rice down the sink, because these expand with water.

Dings in Wood

If you accidentally scuff any of the wood around your rental, a great way to make the scuffs less noticeable is to rub a walnut on the damage. This might sound nutty, but it really works.

Weird Smells

If your place is starting to smell a little funky, try a simple hack to freshen up your rental space. Attach dryer sheets to a portable fan and let it run. Your place will smell better in no time.

Nail Holes

If you went a little gung-ho with nails and a hammer, there’s an easy way for you to patch up the holes.  Apply some spackle and let it dry, then run a damp sponge over the area. This is also great to keep in mind when you move out so you won’t get charged for damage to the place.

Squeaky Floors

Are squeaky floors driving you nuts? Sprinkling some baby powder or baking soda on the squeaky culprit does the trick.  According to HGTV, this method lubricates the floorboards and keeps them from rubbing against each other, which is what causes the annoying squeak.

-From Uloop.com