Quick Fixes For Everyday Disasters: Popular Mechanics’ When Duct Tape Just Isn’t Enough

As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases (more).

When_Duct_Tape_Just_Isnt_EnoughNot every job you face around the house is going to involve a mammoth amount of work – and thank Jebus for that! However, there are things that come up that could use a little more attention than duct tape, especially if you want to prevent future damage that WILL result in a buttload of work.

A collection of handy, well-organized tips can be found in When Duct Tape Just Isn’t Enough – a resourceful book by Popular Mechanics’ C.J. Petersen. The book details what you can do on your own and gives advice on when you might want to call in a pro – all with a conversational and sometimes humorous voice we think HomeFixated readers can appreciate.

Below are some examples of tips from the book:

For orange rust stains on concrete: Rub a lemon over the stain until it is saturated with lemon juice, then put a piece of plastic over the stain. Leave it for two to three hours, and then hose off. The stain should be gone. If some stain remains, repeat the process.

For a drooping wooden gate: Install an eye screw in the frame of the gate, about where it connects to the upper hinge. Attach a strong cable to the eye screw using a clip available at home centers, and fasten another cable kitty corner to the first, at the bottom outside of the gate frame. Now join the two cables with a turnbuckle, tightening until the gate is back in square.

For darkening grout between the bathroom tiles: Saturate a toothbrush in a glass of hydrogen peroxide, then dip and scrub to clean the grout line.

There are a lot more simple and effective tips in this book to help you maintain the home you’ve spent so much time and money getting the way you want it – the $10.15 for a copy of your own is a deal. Pick up Popular Mechanics When Duct Tape Just Isn’t Enough: Quick Fixes for Everyday Disasters by C.J. Petersen today.

Photo of author

About Jen

Jen (but never “Jenn”) Byck, aka the Fix'n Vixen, is a Toronto-based freelance writer and communication consultant who is undoubtedly home fixated (she is also TV fixated, really bad TV fixated and donut fixated). Her approach to home improvement has been rather trial and error, the latter of which is evidenced by the amount of spackle she buys on an annual basis.

Subscribe to our newsletter

Get access to free prizes, product sneak-peeks, reviews, how-to's and much more!

More Info | Email Privacy

Leave a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.