Hot Home & Garden How-Tos

How To: Replace a Whirlpool Washer Motor Coupling

The motor coupling goes between the motor and the transmission. If it fails the washer will not spin or agitate. If the washer fills with water but then does not agitate, but you hear the motor running, the coupler could be the problem. You may hear some clicking noises as the broken pieces spin around. You may also see a pile of black rubber pieces on the floor under the middle of the machine. You can follow the steps in this video to help you do the repair.

How To: Build a Rustic Timber Table

These three videos will show you how to build a rustic, distressed kitchen table. I'll be walking you through the process of selecting some recycled timber from a junk pile, and with a little care and some simple joinery techniques, transform that waste timber into a distressed timber kitchen or dining table. In fact, you could use the table for whatever you wanted really.

How To: Install a Hanging Room Divider - IKEA KVARTAL

Whether you own or rent, it’s not always easy to decorate a studio apartment to keep the bed out of sight. In this episode, you’ll see how to divide a studio apartment with an IKEA KVARTAL system. Panels, curtains and art hanging from the ceiling tracks give the illusion of a wall, creating a separate living room that’s easy to open up anytime. All it takes is a few simple tricks and you’ll see what an easy project this is for decorating a studio apartment or any space that could use a room d...

How To: Restore and Sharpen Rusted Scissors

Leaving scissors wet or forgetting them outside can cause them to rust. Rusty scissors, if you can even open them, will leave brown marks on everything you attempt to cut through. Attempt is the truth—rust dulls the blades of the scissors making it virtually impossible to cut through any type of material, ranging from paper to fabric. But don't toss the scissors in the trash just yet. You can restore rusted scissors to a usable condition provided they are not completely covered and have rust ...

How To: Use a power drill to unlock a lock

Some locks are easier to drill through than to try and pick, especially if you need to get through them in a hurry! You will need one large power drill and an assortment of drill bits to be able to use this method. First, drill a 1/8 inch pilot hole just above the keyhole. Then follow through with a 1/4 inch or larger drill. After just a minute or so of drilling, you should be able to get through the lock!

How To: Pop a Car Lock with a Coat Hanger

You've done it, I've done it, almost everyone who owns a car has done it: they've gone an locked themselves out. Well, this good how-to shows how to get back into your older model car with nothing more than a coat hanger. It will requre some trial and error to get it done, but this video is a good primer.

How To: Install a Sliding Glass Cabinet Door

Cabinets that open straight out and shut to close make so much ruckus, especially when you've got someone who's angry in the house. Sliding doors, meanwhile, are super chic, classy, and easily draw open and close without a fuss. Not to mention that most sliding cabinet doors are made of glass, which means you can show off your newest Wedgewood dinnerware set and Rosenthal cups.

How To: Grow lavender provence in a container

We know that spring seems ions away, but if you're a gardener then it's time to begin thinking about what flowers you'll be planting to bloom during the spring. If you don't have much garden space but would love a very fragrant bloom, check out this video to learn how to grow lavendr provence in a container.

How To: Repair your lawn mower's pull starter with silicone spray

You're trying to mow your lawn, but the engine on your pull-string push mower isn't turning over— why won't it power up? Well, if your lawn mower was stored outdoors for a large amount of time, chances are that the recoil has built up some corrosion or is simply sticking. This video will show you a very simple repair, where you only need to remove 2 or 3 screws to gain access to the mechanism, then grease with silicone spray.

How To: Get oil out of carpet and clothing

Oil gets on everything and is nearly impossible to get out again. Cooking, motor, it doesn't really matter. If you've got oil on your clothes, your carpet, or some other fabric, watch this video to learn how you can get it out with vinegar and other household products.

How To: Repair and seal an asphalt driveway with Lowe's

In this tutorial, we learn how to repair and seal an asphalt driveway with Lowe's. First, make sure you wear appropriate clothing and have taken all the safety precautions before starting. Now, brush off all the dirt from the driveway, then clean it and scrub off any oil spots from the asphalt. After this, patch any cracks that are in the asphalt with crack filler. Allow this to cure according to the directions, now get ready to seal the driveway. Grab your asphalt sealer and brush it over th...

How To: Help seeds grow faster by nicking them

Most seeds have a thick outer shell meant to protect the soft inner seed. 'Nicking' is a gardening technique to remove the outer shell so the seed will germinate faster in your garden after planting. You can use water, sandpaper, a nail file or even sulfuric acid to nick your seeds.

How To: Mend Wall Holes Bigger Than Nails

Do you know how wonderful toothpaste is? Here's the scoop. If you've hung pictures or other thing on the wall that required a molly or anchor bolt, and you have to move them and you have holes exposed in your wall. Well "FEAR NOT", toothpaste to the rescue. You will need household items like - toilet paper, or paper towel, or paper napkin, or Kleenex tissue, a utility knife, hammer putty knife, sponge, primer/sealer, paint of your choice and of course the toothpaste.

How To: Flush the lines on a Delta kitchen faucet to stop unwanted noises

One of the main causes of noise in a kitchen faucet (when turned on or off) is from obstructed lines. And the only way to stop the noise is by flushing them. Lowe's brings you this video from Delta on just that: flushing your Delta kitchen faucet to silence the noise. You'll need a cloth, towel, 1/8" allen wrench, adjustable wrench, bucket or mixing bowl, white vinegar, channel lock pliers, screwdriver and an extra set of hands.

How To: Stop Bed Bugs from Entering Your Suitcase

To prevent bed bugs from entering your suitcase, you will need to pre-treat it, with diatomaceous earth. Bed bugs often hitchhike home with you when you stay overnight in hotels or on long trips. They will normally stow away in your suitcase. To prevent that from happening, dust your suitcase with a diatomaceous earth (DE) compound. For this, you will need a paintbrush, diatomaceous earth, and a large plastic bag. Sprinkle a little onto your suitcase, and use a dry paintbrush to spread the di...

How To: Kill bed bugs by using boric acid

Boric Acid is often used to treat or eradicate bedbugs. However, it doesn't work particularly well. It has to be ingested to kill them, but they don't necessarily consume it. There would need to be a bait that they can ingest that contains boric acid. Unfortunately, people are the bait that they respond to. Cockroaches, on the other hand, ingest it, because they clean themselves. Therefore, it gets ingested in that way.

How To: Drywall your attic & loft with Fermacell

In this tutorial, we learn how to drywall your attic & loft with Fermacell. First, you need to consider the nature of your build and how much you will need to drywall. It is recommended that you install a film to ensure air tightness. You can place this down with a staple gun and tape it down as well. Large holes should be properly sealed as well, to enforce building regulations. Once you do this, you can add the boards on top of what has already been installed. Insulation will be now place o...

How To: Reinforce a ceiling fan

In this tutorial, we learn how to reinforce a ceiling fan. If you are hanging a ceiling fan, you need to make sure the electrical box is reinforced and can carry the weight. The ceiling fan can weigh 20 lbs or more. First, remove the existing ceiling box and push the wiring through. Next, push the bracket through the hole until it's completely in. Next, twist the brace until it's tight. After this, put the bracket in and then take your electrical box and line it up to the bracket so you can s...

How To: Read a ruler

Everyone has used a ruler at some point in their life, whether for art sizing, blueprint plans, or sizing up your widescreen television on your living room wall. But there's a lot of little ticks on the ruler that you may not be aware of. Your ruler shouldn’t be used only to draw a straight line. Make sense of all those little lines and take advantage of its intended use.