Hot Home & Garden How-Tos

How To: Remove A Very Tight Lid

How to... Remove A Very Tight Lid? Use Items You Have Around The House! Step 1Want to remove a very tight lid? Do you have a weak grip or arthritic pain in your hands? Have you already tried tapping the lid with a spoon? Thumping the bottom of the jar with the palm of your hand, and it still won‘t come off? An easy, quick way to remove a very tight lid is to put on rubber gloves! Yes. Ordinary household rubber gloves. Hold the jar in one hand, then use the other hand to twist the lid off. Thi...

How To: Remove Almost Any Stain Using Alcohol

There are countless methods and cleaners aimed at eliminating stubborn stains from everything to clothing, carpet, and furniture. But completely removing every last trace of a stain doesn't require an arsenal of chemical cleaners and repeated cycles in the washing machine. Most stains can disappear in a matter of minutes with a dose of alcohol.

How To: Save Your Tomatoes From Rats And Rot

Every summer my husband and I plant a tomato plant. We do this to enjoy the plump red tomatoes right off of the vine.

How To: 10 Ways to Whiten Clothes Without Using Any Bleach

Whites are the hardest color to keep looking bright and new after just a few months' time. Your sweat and oils quickly become stains, and colors from other clothes will eventually bleed into the fabric, discoloring your bright whites into something merely whitish. But before you reach for the bleach, the ultimate chemical cleaner, try some a few of these safer, less-toxic DIY solutions out instead.

How To: Tie a slip knot in a plastic grocery bag

Have you ever wondered how to tie a slip knot on your grocery bags? When we go to the grocery store, the clerks always tie the bags in a carrying knot. With this easy to follow video, tying these knots is made easy. Knots always seem perplexing, but now they are easy to do. This is a must watch video for anyone who goes shopping.

How To: Identify hardened steel compared to mild steel

Hardened steel is very durable, but nearly impossible to work with at home. If you are trying to choose a piece of steel and can't tell if it's hardened or not, you're in luck, because this video contains a quick method for doing so. All you do is try to file an indentation in the steel with a file. If that doesn't make a mark, you've probably got hardened steel.

How To: Make wooden gears for complex woodworking projects

Most people think of gears as big pieces of metal, but for a long time gears were mostly wooden affairs. In this video you'll learn how to make small wooden gears that you can use in all sorts of complicated machinery oriented woodworking projects.

How To: Fix a broken Hotpoint dishwasher door lock

If you're having trouble with the door lock of your Hotpoint dishwasher, then you got a problem. Although it may not be as serious, it's something that should be solved soon, especially if you have dishes piling up on your countertop.

How To: Avoid detergent residue on your high efficiency washer

If you are finding white or colored marks on your clothes, it's more than likely going to be detergent residue. These unsightly stains can ruin your clothes and be a sign that something is wrong with your washer or with what you are using.

How To: Make a magic wooden disappearing box

The wooden magic disappearing box is a great project to work on if you are great at woodworking, this can be a great gift for someone or a great addition for your next magic trick. When working with wood and making specific sized cuts, it is important to measure as closely as you can.

How To: Make three-dimensional cuts with a scrollsaw

In this tutorial from the Scrollsaw Workshop, Steve Good will teach you to make basic 3D scrollsaw cuts using simple patterns. Watch as Steve takes you through the necessary steps while making a small jewelry box. Take a look!

How To: Build and install a cheap dumbwaiter in your home

Home improvement expert Danny Lipford shows how to build and install a cheap dumbwaiter in your home in this video tutorial.

How To: Replace the Dryer's High Limit Thermostat

The high limit thermostat can be found in gas and electric dryers and serves as a safety feature that helps to prevent the dryer from becoming too hot when it’s running. The thermostat is designed to shut off power to the dryer’s heater when the dryer vent is blocked or clogged. The high limit thermostat on your dryer is something that does need to be replaced from time to time. Fortunately, it is a job that you can do on your own with basic tools.

How To: Clean a 2 cycle engine carburetor from a Ryobi trimmer

If you own a Ryobi trimmer and wish to perform some regular maintenance work on it, you may want to check out this next video. In the tutorial, you find out how to clean a 2 cycle engine carburetor from the Ryobi trimmer using some simple pieces. It's not too difficult to do and can be really handy when you want to make sure your machine is working at optimal capability. So check out the video above, pay attention, be careful, and enjoy!

How To: Install the moisture barrier over concrete subfloor

This video describes the process of installing a moisture barrier over a concrete subfloor. The presenter is using 6 mil thick poly barrier. The barrier comes in rolls about twenty-four inches wide. When rolling out the moisture barrier you want to go from wall to wall and cover the entire floor. For optimal moisture control you will want to overlap the poly barrier by at least six inches. The barrier plastic does not need to be taped or secured to the floor at all, it simply lays on top of t...

How To: Separate Two Glasses That Are Stuck Together

Learn how to separate two glasses that are stuck together with this Howcast video tutorial. You nested two glasses when you put them away — and now they're stuck! Gently pry them apart with this system.

How To: Diagnose washing machine bearings

Check out this home repair tutorial video that demonstrates how to fix and diagnose your appliance. These videos are for information purposes only. A qualified and proficient engineer should be employed to replace any faulty parts on your domestic appliance.

How To: Replace the Dryer's Idler Pulley

The dryer’s idler pulley provides tension to the dryer’s drum belt so the belt won’t slip when the drum is turning. It can become faulty over time due to increased friction. If your dryer is making a squeaking or squealing nose then the idler is probably faulty. Replacing this pulley is a simple project. Repair your noisy dryer with this step-by-step tutorial!

How To: Preserve your lampshades

This video is from FusionNW.com - Fusion: All about the Northwest home. In this video we learn some tips about preserving your lampshades. Bea Searles from Naomi's Lampshades & Lamps joins us to give us some advice. Lampshades come all wrapped in plastic and you may be tempted to leave the plastic on because you think it will protect your lampshade. But, actually, you always want to take that off, because the plastic holds the heat in and, while you think you're helping them, you're actually ...

How To: Remove a Shark Bite Fitting Without a Special Tool - Adjustable Wrench Trick

Here's a fast easy way to remove and disconnect your Shark Bite quick connect fitting, without a special tool to do it. We'll show you a awesome little trick using an adjustable wrench. This will work an all different size Shark Bite fittings.

How To: Make a Homemade Cat Repellent - Home Remedies for Repelling Cats

Are you searching for a homemade cat repellent solution? This article will cover natural indoor and outdoor deterrents for every scenario where cats are causing trouble. The first part will cover home remedies for training cats to stay away from furniture and other restricted areas inside your house. The second part will cover outdoor repellents for keeping cats away from your garden, plants and yard. Step 1: Indoor Repellents for Training Cats

How To: Transplant Papaya Trees

Papaya trees are very vulnerable to transplantation shock. Seedlings tend to recover slowly and poorly after replanting in a new location under a sunny sky. Many internet articles advise that papaya trees should be transplanted without injury to their root systems. Keeping the root systems intact is next to impossible if the papaya seedlings are too close to each other. However, you would be surprised to learn how a papaya tree with serverely broken root systems can survive a transplantation ...

How To: Hang Curtains Without Making Holes in the Wall

For anyone who lives in a space that may frown upon making holes in the walls, or for anyone who may not want to take on such a task, there's a simple alternative to hanging curtains or drapes. And the answer is brilliantly simple.

How To: Replace a toilet ballcock with a fill valve

Most older toilets have older-style fish and ballcock for toilets. But they are prone to fault, like running and constant water. Replacing them with a newer-style fill valve will save water and frustration now and later on. Watch this plumbing video tutorial to learn how to replace a toilet ballcock with a fill valve. It's a little more efficient and it's pretty straightforward, so see how to replace your valve!

How To: Easily Replace a Damaged Laminate Floor Plank

Laminate floor planks look beautiful and add elegance to a home. However, if a plank gets damaged, it detracts from the beauty of the flooring. Do you call in a professional and pay tons of money to replace the plank? Thankfully, no. There actually is an easy way to replace a damaged laminate plank if you are ready to spend some time and have a little bit of patience.

How to Build a Shed, Part 9: Building & Installing Gable Ladders (Rakes)

Using ladders (Rakes) to build your gable overhangs on the shed is one of the fastest and easiest ways to do this. Henry shows you how to layout, build and install the ladders on our shed.

How To: Attach Timber to Concrete Using Concrete Anchors

How to install concrete anchors.How to attach timber / wood to concrete or any other SOLID masonry surface using masonry anchors / DynaBolts. DynaBolts (that's the name for this particular anchor in Australia. They are know by other names in other countries) are the ideal anchor for attaching almost anything to solid masonry such as concrete. This video will look at attaching timber to a concrete floor.

How To: Open a supra combination lock box

The supra combination lock box has been one of the most trusted door locks for the past forty years, and is commonly used by real estate agents for protecting their houses. Generally a supra combination lock operates with a four-digit password.

How To: Read a Tape Measure

If you don't work in construction or are a woodworking master, you probably aren't entirely sure what all those marks are on a tape measure. Sure, you likely know the basics, like there are 12 inches to a foot, but what are all those little tick marks for? Don't let all those little lines dissuade you from using a tape measure. Follow these guidelines to help you read all those little ruler marks.

How To: Use different lampshades to create different looks

In this video from FusionGuy09 we learn how to use different lampshades to create different looks in your home. This video is from the store Naomi's Lampshades and Lamps. When buying a shade you want to bring your lamp to the store. Bea Searles shows us a bunch of different lampshades on different lamps and how they look and the different type of looks they will give to a room. Also in many cases you can just change the shape of the harp in the lamp to fit other kinds of lampshades. She shows...

How To: Build a Puzzle Box

Watch the video and animation for to see how it works. The drawing(free PDF download) is included in the description of the videos.

How To: Replace an old doorknob and install a new front entry handleset

Tired of your old front entry doorknob? Get rid of it in lieu of something a little classier (and safer). A handleset is the perfect way to make your front door stand out, and this video will show you how to install one— specifically, Schlage Plymouth Handleset. You'll need a phillips head screwdriver, tape measure, battery drill, 3/8" drill bit and a Sharpie or other marking device. To see how to install the matching deadbolt, click here.

How To: Fix an oil leak on a KitchenAid stand mixer

In this DIY guide from the folks at the eReplacementParts], we learn how to repair an oil leak on a KitchenAid stand mixer. It's easy! So easy, in fact, that this clip can present a complete overview of the technique in about two minutes. For all of the details, and to learn how to repair a leaky KitchenAid mixer, take a look.

How To: Make wooden salad tongs with woodworking tools

Looking for your next woodworking project? Why not a pair of wood salad tongs? They're easy! So easy, in fact, that this DIY guide can present a complete overview of the process in about minutes. For all of the details, and to get started making your own one-of-a-kind salad tongs, take a look.

How To: Pick a combination lock using a soda can

In this tutorial, we learn how to pick a combination lock using a soda can. To begin, have your lock next to you and an empty soda can and scissors. When your lock won't open, cut the soda can in the middle so you have a small square. After this, cut off strips, then measure the size of your pinkie on the foil. Next, cut the foil out so it's the exact size of your pinkie and then stick this piece of foil into the lock. Move the foil around until it comes undone and you will have the lock unlo...

How To: Change the oil on a riding lawn mower

It is very important to change the oil on your lawn mower just as important as changing the oil in your car. The oil liberates, cools and cleans the engine. It is best to check your manufacturers information to know how often to change the oil. To change the oil you will need the following: a wrench, gloves, a drop cloth, a socket wrench, oil container, a brush, a new oil filter, an oil filter wrench and fresh oil.

How To: Fix a faucet leaking from around the handle

This video is a do it yourself project which will show viewers how to fix a leaking kitchen faucet which is leaking water from around the base of the handle. This problem is most likely caused by a broken cartridge, a Moen 1225B cartridge is used to replaced it. The first step which should be taken is to shut off the flow of water from the sink using the shutoff valves under the sink. Then, remove the handle and its adapter depending on the style of the handle which is leaking and remove the ...

How To: Hang heavy art on lath and plaster walls

This Home and Garden video tutorial shows how to hang heavy art on lath and plaster walls. This is really very easy and simple to do. Heavy objects of art will need big size nails for hanging. Hammering big size nails on lath and plaster wall is not possible. The nails just go in after a little distance. Then what do you do? There’s a really very simple and easy method of hanging heavy art objects on lath and plaster walls. You just need to screw in. Take a screw, hold it perpendicular to the...

How To: Install ceramic tile on concrete using thinset mortar

In this video, Tim Carter, of Ask the Builder, shows you how to install tile on a concrete floor. As Carter explains, you want to use thinnest to apply the tile. But before you do, be sure to clean the concrete first with a wet sponge. A lot of floor installers don't do this, and the floor is still dusty when they put the thinnest down. This can create problems later.

How To: Measure your home's square footage

If you’re selling your home, you’ll need to know its square footage. Why pay a professional when you can measure it yourself?