From holiday party guests to summer visitors,
welcoming others into your home can be hard work. Worn walkways, stuck
doors and dirty windows can be a nuisance, or a safety hazard, making
these household tasks a must before inviting others over. Before your
next event, try some of these easy updates around your house to ensure
everything is in working order.
1. Fix The Doorbell
Don't leave your holiday guests waiting out in the cold. Fixing your doorbell is a truly quick and easy fix to do on your own, and supplies are fairly inexpensive. To determine whether your chime or your transformer is the problem, purchase a $15 multimeter to test both. Replacement buttons are usually under $10, chimes are under $75 and transformers only cost around $10. In no time, you can easily have a functioning doorbell to ensure no one goes unheard.2. Fix A Worn Concrete Walkway
Pits and cracks on walkways are common, but they leave the pathway to your home marred, and potentially dangerous. Concrete resurfacing is an easy task that can be done over the course of a day. As long as the walkway isn't cracked all the way through, you can coat the area with concrete resurfacer, which typically costs around $20 for a 40-pound bag (covering approximately 35 square feet). Because the resurfacer is naturally dark gray, you can either cover your entire walkway or buy inexpensive concrete tint to help it match closer to your slab's color. Just be sure that the temperature following your DIY project will remain 50 degrees Fahrenheit or higher for 8 hours following the project, and anywhere above freezing for the 24-hour period following that.3. Fix A Sticking Door
Don't leave guests feeling tired or awkward each time they try to open a faulty, sticking door. This is particularly a problem with elderly guests, who may not be able to open a door with a severly sticking hinge. Doors naturally shift with age and time, making them so out of alignment that they can stick when opened or closed. There are a few culprits to examine before actually altering the door. First, check for a loose hinge. These are usually caused by stripped screw holes, which are easily plugged with glue. If the door still sticks, deepen the hinge mortises by 1/8 inch. Do this carefully and slowly to ensure you don't deepen the space too much. As a last resort (and on the condition that your paint is not lead-based), plane the door from the inside. This will make your door edges sharp, so round them slightly with some sandpaper before repainting and re-hanging the door.4. Fix A Running Toilet
Running toilets waste water, and they also make a lot of noise. Don't leave your guests awake at night listening to it. Fixing a running toilet is quick, easy and doesn't require any tools. First, turn off the water at the toilet's shut-off valve. Remove the rubber flapper from the flush valve inside the tank and inspect it for damage or discoloration. Check the location of the float on chain and adjust the float to water level. If adjusting the float doesn't solve the problem or if there is no float at all, then install a new flapper. To ensure the new flapper creates a watertight seal with the flush valve, flush the toilet.
5. Fix The Caulk Around Your Bathtub
Aging caulk is a mating ground for mildew, and the last thing you want your guests to view, let alone use, is an unsanitary bathroom. Luckily, caulk is cheap, and it with new caulk is relatively easy and can be done in an hour. You want your replacement caulk to be either silicone or acrylic latex, (acrylic latex is much easier to work with). For the longest-lasting results, ensure that you have a clean, dry surface by removing the old caulk completely, including residue that is harder or impossible to see. When removing the existing caulk, use a plastic razor blade to avoid scratching your tub or tile. After scraping, use a dry, nonabrasive pad to scour away the remaining residue. Wipe a damp cotton rag over the joint to remove caulk dust and prepare the surface for the new caulk. Thoroughly dry the area. Lay parallel strips of blue painter's tape about 3/8 inch apart on either side of the joint. Point the nozzle hole of the tube of caulk toward the joint and hold the tube midway between the two surfaces. Run the tube smoothly along the entire seam length. After filling the seams, dampen a lint-free rag and press it into the joint with your finger. Pull it in one continuous motion along the joint to shape the caulk. Immediately remove the tape, but do it slowly and carefully to ensure you don't touch or alter the fresh caulk. Use the rag to smooth the tiny edges left by the tape. Wait 24 hours following the project before using the shower or tub.6. Clean All Your Windows
Don't leave your guests inconvenienced and alarmed because they can't see out the window. Most people clean their windows ineffectively, pushing dirt around with paper towels that only build up static and attract more dirt. For the best results, wash the windows with a strip applicator soaked in warm water and dishwasher soap. The fewer suds, the better. Starting at the top left, wipe the soapy pane clean with a squeegee in a reverse S pattern. If you're left-handed, then you should start at the top right. At the end of each stroke, wipe the squeegee clean with a lint-free rag. To remove any remaining water at the edges, wipe down with a damp but wrung-out shammy. Use a rag to dry the windowsills. For smaller window panes, you'll have to customize the size of your squeegee to fit the pane's width as exactly as possible. You should also use a natural sponge soaked in dish soap and warm water for the panes, rubbing from left to right, top to bottom. Use a single top-to-bottom stroke with a squeegee to wipe the soap clean. Remove remaining moisture the same you would a larger window.Fixing up your home before guests arrive is a great way to ensure that both you and your guests are comfortable throughout their stay. Make sure your walkways, doors, windows, bathrooms and other areas of your home likely to be used are all functioning properly and safely. This will help prevent awkward or even dangerous situations for your guests, and save you from the embarassment of dealing with them afterwards.