33 Problem-Solving Home Fixes That Beat Hiring A Pro

Buzz Feed

26-05-2025

A jar of internet-beloved The Pink Stuff — it'll work wonders to remove dirt, oil, grime, rust, and stains from pretty much any surface. You'll be surprised that the ingredient list doesn't just say "magic" since it brings your things (stoves, pans, sinks, etc.) back to life with little to no elbow grease required and no need for calling the cleaners.
A fast-acting plug-in fly trap ready to catch all those little flying buggers that live in your house rent-free (so rude!). No more running around with the fly swatter or making desperate calls to the exterminators. Plus, the sticky cartridges are easily replaceable, so you can avoid touching those nasty bugs.
Plus, a cute lil' insect catcher for those who love their leafy green plant babies but hate the bugs and flies that come with them. You can stick these in a plant or near your compost bin, and the odorless sticky traps will stop those gnats, mosquitoes, and more from flying in and around your home.
A set of paint touch-up pens that doesn't require an entire painter's setup when you find a little (but very noticeable) uneven line of paint or chipped area that needs a quick fix. Fill with your color of choice and brush away!
A laundry stain remover made with an enzyme- and plant-based formula that tackles messes on everything from clothing and bedding to carpets and couches. So when your little one decides to fling their food at you and your nice shirt, this will come in real handy. No dry cleaner needed.
A foaming garbage disposal cleaner capable of turning your food graveyard into a lemon-scented haven. I think we all can collectively agree that shoving our hand down the disposal to deep clean is NOT it. Just place the packet in the disposal, let it soak, and turn on your disposal. Easy peasy lemon squeezy!
Plus, a sink and drain plunger, which is 10x more effective than a regular plunger. It'll magically unclog your kitchen and bathroom sinks and help rid the pipes of all that hair, gunk, and anything else that would fall under the "etc." category.
A roll of clear, heavy-duty, double-sided, removable tape to help things like picture frames, vases, carpets, and electrical cords stay in place. It's super sturdy but easily removable if you end up channeling your inner interior decorator and switch up the layout of your space.
A bottle of Angry Orange pet odor eliminator that quickly removes visual *and* fragrant stains from furniture and carpets like it's nobody's business! You love your pet with all your heart, but the little "presents" they leave you that make you consider replacing the entire carpet... not so much.
Plus, a Bissell multipurpose carpet and upholstery cleaner, which removes stains, spills, and any other messes that make your furniture or carpets an eyesore. When a new couch is not in the monthly budget, or you don't want to call in the carpet cleaners, this little green guy will do wonders for ya!
A power scrubber brush you can attach to a drill for some serious scrubbin'. If you've ever broken a cleaning brush while using too much elbow grease, this is the thing for you. Your back will thank you, your bathroom surfaces will sparkle, and it'll look as clean as it would if you paid a professional cleaner to do it.
A bottle of jetted tub cleaner so you can enjoy that big ol' tub of yours without the creeping thought of, "Has anyone ever cleaned these jets?" The results might make you gag a little, but it's way better than having to get down and dirty to scrub each jet. You just pour this in with a full tub, run the jets, and scrub away all the yuck!
A bottle of wood polish that will revive your hardwood floors or any other wood surface that looks like it could be considered "vintage" or from a Founding Fathers' original home furniture set.
Or a reviewer-beloved bottle of wood polish and conditioner to fix all those worn-down, scratched, and dinged-up cabinets and tables that are starting to become a real eyesore. Simply rub this on to not only refresh furniture, but also to help prevent it from further drying out and cracking.
A fume-free oven cleaner meant to tackle the hardest-to-remove buildup from last week's dinner that you just wish cleaned itself up. No more wasting money on weaker cleaning products; this stuff is literally called Easy-Off because it easily gets all the gunk off with a simple spray and swipe. No housekeeper required.
An all-in-one picture hanging and leveling kit so you can display all your favorite pics and paintings with pride, knowing that you did it all by yourself. The MagneKey makes it easy to accurately hang pictures like a pro — no guesswork and no extra holes.
An Erase-A-Hole putty, ideal for covering up holes, sealing up cracks, or any other damage that your walls have been through. This is a lifesaver when it comes to getting your security deposit back or just fixing those eyesores in your house. Just swipe it on, dust off the excess, smooth it out, and paint over it.
A watermark remover cloth, since you thought that using a coaster was not necessary until you found a visible reminder of your bad decision. Now, any marks left by water, alcohol, or heat will be gone in a snap!
A TubShroom, which easily catches hair so you don't have to mess with one of those drain snakes. This clever drain protector catches hair out of sight so you don't have to see the hairy mess blocking the shower drain.
Or a flexible drain snake if you don't have the TubShroom yet and already have globs of hair down your drain blocking the flow of water. This is narrow enough that you don't have to remove the drain cover, AND it has small micro hooks that grab onto hair easily. Yes, the results are kinda gross, but you'll be relieved because you, my friend, just saved yourself a FAT plumbing bill.
An insulated soundproofing strip that can prevent cold air or heat from escaping under your door, further saving you $$$ on heating and AC bills! Another big benefit: It'll help muffle the distracting sounds of car horns or your neighbor's loud music while working from home.
A heavy-duty grout cleaner because the white grout you chose to go with your white tile is now somehow very, very dark. 😣 Revive your grout with this solution, which comes with a flip-top cap for accurate application and no wasted product.
Or a grout pen that saves you from the headache of searching through Home Depot to figure out how to re-grout your entire tile floor. This precise little pen lets you simply color in the lines to give you a quick fix for that eyesore of a bathroom floor.
A bottle of wallpaper stripping spray, which makes saying goodbye to that hideous, hand-me-down wallpaper ridiculously easy. Just spray it on, and watch it work its magic — melting the glue without wrecking your walls or the paint underneath. Bye-bye to grandma's floral nightmare!
A mold and mildew removal gel so you can actually enjoy your "me time" in the shower or tub without the scary sight of gross black stuff growin' in your grout. Squeeze this on the affected area, leave it on for 6–8 hours, and wipe away to reveal a clean new surface.
A set of stainless steel cleaner and polish wipes to remove fingerprints, watermarks, and any other residues that get on your fridge, oven, or other appliances.
A can of self-priming paint, which takes out the most annoying part of switching wall colors — the priming layer. It offers excellent coverage with fewer coats, making it ideal for anything from an accent wall to a full room transformation. No matter what color you choose, all options are dirt-, grime-, and mildew-resistant.
A set of discrete, dimmable strip lights to add some subtle ambiance to the underside of your cabinets instead of turning on the bright overhead light when it's time for a late-night snack. This is especially great for renters because it doesn't require any drilling.
A set of peel-and-stick tiles so you can make it look like you put in a lot of time and effort into perfectly laying those thin little tiles when, in reality, you completed a whole backsplash in just a few hours... with no professional help!
Bioclean, to bring your glass doors, faucets, and shower heads back to their "what once was" state of clean. Now, with no more hard water stains or gross tile, you can go back to 🎶 singing in the shower 🎶 without a big ol' yikes in between the chorus and the verse.
A fireplace cleaner kit meant to tackle soot, ash, and all fire-related grime that's been building up on your stone and brick. This gel helps make it look brand-spankin' new, and it even comes with a brush for scrubbing.
A set of Shark Tank–featured no-drill curtain rod brackets for those who want a simple way to hang up those pretty curtains without the hassle of measuring, drilling, and leveling. Just hammer these into the window or door trim and voila.
A lawn dog spot repair treatment to help revive that grass of yours that has been in its "brown era" for a little too long. This is designed to reverse scorch marks, pet urine spots, and any high-traffic areas that are looking like they need some special attention. And you won't even have to hire a lawn service!