Unclogging a Toilet

When you flush a toilet and it fills up and refuses to drain, then your toilet is clogged. It's a dirty job to unclog the toilet, but someone has to get to it one way or another. If the toilet is full to the brim bail out half of it to prevent splashing while you work on unclogging it.

Get a plunger and place the cone securely ove the drain hole and pump vigorously a dozen times. If this does not unclog and dislodge the obstruction, wait for an hour and try again.

If plunging does not work, aim the bent end of the toilet auger into the drain. Crank the auger's handle clockwise to feed its snake into the hole until it meets the obstruction. Crank the handle just a bit more, then pull the auger out as you continue cranking clockwise.

If both don't work, then there is a big probability that the problem is the main drain. You may want to get a plumber and do the job as this may entail having the toilet bowl removed all together.

Repair a Carpet Burn

What do you do when a portion of your carpet got burned? You don't need to throw the carpet away. Save it by trimming away the burnt fibers with scissors. Carefully dab rubber cement into the hole with a toothpick. Cut matching tufts of carpet from the same carpet in an unseen area. This is very much like skin grafting, without the possibility of regeneration. Dab the ends of the cut tufts with rubber cement and insert them in the hole.

Work the tufts upright with a pin. When it is dry, use the pin and carefully blend them with the surrounding pile.

Basics in Managing a Leaky Faucet

Before you begin to attempt repairing your leaky bathroom faucets, make sure you have turned off the stop valve under th sink. Don't forget to cover chrome surfaces with electrician's tape to protect them from being scratched or damaged.

If what you have has a one piece ball, cartridge or valve make sure you have everything in hand and exactly what you need which are readily available in a home center or hardware. If you have a special faucet, then it will be wise to check with your manufacturer.