If you’re itching for a project to do or simply need some tips on how to tackle a few household jobs, we’ve put together some DIY tips, hints and how-to’s to get you feeling productive this week!

Clear guttering

The weight of leaves, trapped water and debris can bring a gutter crashing down. Deal with gutter blockages as soon as you notice them to avoid dangerous falls. For this task, you will need a gutter scoop to remove the blockage. If you lack certain tools, simply fetch an empty plastic soup container from your recycling bin and remove the lid. Alternatively, try cutting the bottom part of any small plastic container that will fit in the gutter. Hang a bucket on your ladder and empty the leaves and debris into it. Use a rag as a temporary bung in the top of the downpipe to prevent rubbish being swept into it as you scoop.

Clear blocked drain

Whether it’s the shower, bathtub or kitchen sink, blocked drains happen and it’s easy to sort out. If it’s in the bathroom, it’s going to be hair and if it’s the kitchen sink that’s blocked, it’s likely to be a build-up of food waste. To clear it, start by pouring hot water down your drain. Add baking soda and let that sit for a few minutes. Then, pour a mixture of vinegar and hot water on top of the baking soda. If you can, cover with a drain plug and let it sit for 5-10 minutes. Finally, flush with hot water.

Aligning latch or lock bolts

If recent work on your door hinges means that a lock or latch bolt no longer engages cleanly into its strike plate or keep, use shoe polish to reveal the distance by which it is overlapping the plate. Smear a little shoe polish on the end of the bolt, then close the door and operate the lock to leave a mark on the plate. Use a file to enlarge the cut-out if the discrepancy is small. If it is more than about 1mm, reposition the plate instead.

Upgrade the locks on external doors

It’s recommended that a deadlocking night latch is fitted on front doors, even more so when the doors glazed. When deadlocked, the internal lever cannot be operated, so a burglar cannot get in by breaking the glass, reaching through and turning it as they can with a non-deadlocking type night latch.

Improve your window security

An intruder could quietly remove the panes of louvred windows by bending the metal clips that hold them in place. Prevent this by gluing the glass to the clips with an epoxy-resin adhesive.

We hope to inspire your home improvement projects and offer a variety of high-quality products that excel in both aesthetic and performance. If you love all things interiors and style, check out our previous blogs and be sure to visit our Pinterest for more inspiration!