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25-03-2025
- Automotive
- Buzz Feed
47 Useful Products To Help You Tackle Homeowner Issues With Ease
We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed and its publishing partners may collect a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page. 'Cause who said fixing your problems should be hard... 🤨 1. A set of Snug Plugs if your computer charger slips out every time you plug it into an outlet. Pop this right in the outlet for a tighter fit and watch your charging woes poof out of thin air. Snug Plugs is a small business that specializes in home improvement products. Promising review:"I saw Snug Plug on TikTok and immediately ordered them. I have outlets at home AND at work that I couldn't keep anything plugged into because they're so loose. Snug Plug quickly and easily solved that problem and now I can finally have a phone charger in my den. Yay! I highly recommend this product." — KSay Get a pack of 10 from Amazon for $10.99. 2. An oil stain remover that'll deeply penetrate and lift out the eyesore contaminating your driveway. Reviewers say it works *better* than a pressure washer to remove those dark, stubborn stains. Promising review:"Changed the oil on my girlfriend's car and some oil spilled on my NEW I didn't notice 'til four days later. Four spots all about the size of a dollar bill baking in the Arizona sun for four days. Put the stuff on (sits on the stain like pancake batter — don't be afraid to pour liberally) and let it sit from 6 p.m. 'til about 9 a.m. the next day. It dried and the instructions said to just sweep the stuff up (right, like I am not going to need a scraper and wire scrub pad for an hour. HA). Well it broke apart with the broom and the stains were gone, just swept up the powder pieces — took about a minute. I WAS SHOCKED! Something that actually works on oil and it's easy. Absolutely NO sign of anything that was there." — AmazonBob Get it from Amazon for $17.97. 3. Or some concrete paint reviewers use for garages, driveways, basements, and patios. It's designed to be slip-resistant, highly durable, and resist staining from chemicals, oil, and gasoline. Your concrete floors will look smoother and shinier just two hours after applying it! While this will be a fair amount of work, reviewers say they're happy with the product! Promising review:"Took about three hours to clean, prep, and paint our garage floor. Wasn't looking for perfection — just to cover up the old tan color the previous owners had on the floor. Great coverage, took a while to dry, but looks so much better." — BethSasser Get it from Amazon for $35+ a gallon (available in two shades of gray). 4. A lightweight extension pole with a trimming saw so you can reach those pesky branches that are just out of reach. It's cheaper than hiring a landscaper *and* you'll have full control over which branches are getting the chopping block. Promising review: "I was on the fence about buying this off Amazon thinking I'd get some cheaply made piece of junk. This thing kicks 🍑. Cuts off limbs like butter. Lots of reach too. Worked perfectly for trimming my neighbors redwood and another tree. Would recommend." — Erik Anderson Get it from Amazon for $24.99+ (available in four lengths). 5. A roll of faux ivy if you want to make your outdoor patio more ~vibey~ and private. Now you won't have to act like you didn't just hear your neighbor walk out to avoid awkward small talk when all you want to do is jam out to SZA in private. Promising review:"This is the second privacy screen I've purchased from Amazon. I have an area in my garden visible from the street. The screen hides all my gardening stuff (i.e., wheelbarrow, buckets, etc.). It truly looks like the real deal!!!" — soooz Get a roll from Amazon for $34.99+ (available in three roll sizes). 6. Cordless pleated paper shades that require no tools to install so you can revamp your bedroom that gets way too much sunlight in the mornings. Not only will you sleep better, but you'll also get more privacy! Now your neighbors won't see if you have a Risky Business dance break in your living room or not. Amazon Reviewers say these are easy to install! Promising review:"I went out on a limb and bought 24 of these bad boys. I hung them up all throughout my house. I didn't use the adhesive, though; I bought an 80-count pack of thumbtacks for $1. I live in Alabama, and the temperature outside is 99 today. I do not have my air conditioner on since I have put these up; it has literally cooled off so much in my house. TOTALLY worth it. I'm so happy I didn't drop hundreds of dollars on regular blinds. I'll never go back!!" — Amazon Customer Get it from Amazon for $24.49+ (available in four sizes and two colors). 7. A window film so you can have the privacy of curtains while still allowing the natural light to shine through and shimmer during ~golden hour~. Plus, it's super easy to install — just peel and stick! It takes a little patience but no hammering or drilling! Promising review:"I have a weird skinny window in my house where no normal window covering works. People walking on our community trail can see up into our upstairs bathroom when the light is on, and it's dark outside. Not a good plan at all. So I used this window film and cut different-sized circles and placed then on this window to interrupt the view into the house. Worked perfectly! Very easy to use." — Marsgard Get it from Amazon for $5.92+ (available in 14 sizes). 8. A mold-removal gel if there's any leftover grime in your front-loading washing machine gasket. You can let the gel sit overnight before laundry day, then wipe up *all* of that yucky grossness with a paper towel. Promising review: "I tried everything to scrub off the mold stains on my front loader washing machine door gasket. It was leaving my clothes smelling musty! This worked beautifully. It is thick and stays where you squirt it. The stains and smell were gone in two applications. I got most of it in the first go around and got the spots I had missed the second time around. I let each application set for 24 hours. Scrubbed it, wiped it down, and then ran a cleaning cycle on the machine settings." — C. Perillo Get it from Amazon for $9.99. 9. A portable mini washer/dryer because who wants to wait around for a maintenance guy when all you have is one pair of clean underwear left? No one. This will come in clutch when your machine is out of order and you *don't* want to reach into your dirty laundry bin for clothes. There are many reviewers who have used this appliance in between working appliances. Promising review: "We bought this for temporary use while our large one was being repaired. It washes, rinses, and spins clothes very well. It by no means works like a full-size washer and there is a lot more manual work to washing, but it worked wonderfully for what we needed and would work as well in a camper." — reader of many books Get it from Amazon for $87.99. 10. Plus a portable clothesline with 12 attached clips if you're super careful about how you dry delicate clothing and want to make sure it doesn't shrink in the dryer. Plus, it'll be perfect for fitted sheets, hoodies, or coats that still feel damp after running them through the dryer. And it comes with a waterproof bag! Promising review: "If you need to hang clothes to dry but can never find the clothes pins, try this. The clips are attached, so you can't lose them. The product is strong and stretches. Can't go wrong here." — Rebeka K Get it from Amazon for $6.96. 11. A standing weeder so you don't have to bend over and possibly throw your back out when clearing out those pesky plants. As you *stand* with the tool over the weed, center it, press it into the ground, lean the handle back, and ~voila~ — it's gone! Made with a bamboo handle and powder-coated steel, it uses a simple lever system to make weeding easy. Grampa's Weeder is a small biz. Promising review:"Oh my god, I friggin' love this tool. I bought this on a whim, given we bought our first house and know nothing about caring for a yard. Boy, has it come in handy. Our new house had a ton of weeds in the front yard, and this tool helped me get most of them out in no time. In fact, the process of yanking out the weed was strangely satisfying! I don't think anyone can say that weeding is fun, but this tool made it as close to fun as you can get, especially when you see a long root along with the weed you pulled." — JG Get it on Amazon for $39.99. 12. And a bottle of dog spot repair that regrows grass and repairs damage from your pet's urine, digging, and zoomie areas. Now you'll have fresher and more even-looking grass that everyone (including your fur baby) will love to run around in! Promising review: 'We purchased this to fill some patches in our backyard that were damaged by our puppy. Works like a charm. The one caveat is that you really do have to water it a bit every day. Once it takes off, though, it grows pretty quickly! Within one week of planting this, we had 1-inch long grass blades. One month later, all the patches are gone. Highly recommended!' — Jessica N. Get it from Amazon for $17.23. 13. Dishwasher-cleaning tablets because they clean what you can't reach easily (or at all), like your machine's tub, racks, pump and valve, and drain. If you've got funky odors coming out of your dishwasher, it's time to toss one of these in, run a cycle, and witness that yucky smell poof out of existence! Promising review:"After using this product, I am happy to report that my $5 investment saved me over $500. I was ready to replace my dishwasher due to super cloudy glasses, residue, and dishes just not getting clean. Then, I became aware that the water softener was no longer doing its job so I had the rental company replace it. Dishwasher performance improved somewhat. I decided to do two more loads before deciding to purchase a new one. Then I saw a product test review for Affresh. I tossed one of the tablets into the bottom of the full machine per the instructions and ran the regular cycle. I did not expect the results I got! The glassware that I thought was permanently etched and ruined came out like new. Same with cutlery. The difference is unbelievable. I will use this faithfully every month, as recommended." — Sheila Get them from Amazon for $8.99. 14. A foaming garbage disposal cleaner since those years' worth of lingering odors make you gag (and might *also* attract gnats). Those foul smells will be gone in an instant once you send one of these foaming lemon packets down the drain with some hot water. Amazon Promising review:"Saw on TikTok (don't judge) and automatically added to cart. So easy to use, takes probably a minute to fully bubble up and clean, and you're left with a clean sink! I use with other drain cleaning products, but would 100% recommend for weekly maintenance." — Jessica Hamilton Get a four-pack from Amazon for $6.99. 15. Plus a garbage disposal brush if you just finished cooking a big meal and you sent the scraps down the drain. This will help clean up every last bit of food and make sure you don't lose a finger in the process! Promising review: "Do you ever remove the rubber cap between your sink and disposal? It is beyond gross! This is shaped just right and makes quick work of a yucky job. Good to do to keep odors away." — Mom328LSA Get it from Amazon for $9.99. 16. A non-corrosive Green Gobbler Drain Clog Dissolver that'll help rid your pipes of hair, soap, and toilet paper. One reviewer used a WHOLE GALLON of Draino for their clogged bathtub and saw no results, but once they used this... voila! It was fixed. It's also designed to be odorless and free of fumes! Just pour half a bottle into your drain, let it sit for 15-30 minutes or overnight (depending on how bad the clog is), and pour *hot* water to get the best results. Promising review:"OK... So I have to do a little review on this product BECAUSE I have had a stopped-up kitchen sink and have LITERALLY tried EVERYTHING down to the industrial products with NO luck. I decided to go on Amazon and read a few reviews. This is the one I decided to go with. I only used one chamber, let it sit for an hour, and then used boiling water. My sink is NO LONGER stopped up!!! I saved a plumber bill, and this was $11.97. HUGE win for this woman!!" — Tabpeach Get it from Amazon for $11.84+ (available in two sizes). 17. A water-mark-removing cloth so you don't have to stare at the white ring on your wooden end table after forgetting to use a coaster ONCE. It works so well that even reviewers describe it as a " miracle"! Promising review:"Worked wonders! I spilled nail polish remover on my nightstand. This worked like magic! Just rub lightly with the cloth." — JMac Get it from Amazon for $5.40. 18. A fillable touch-up paint pen for marks, dings, and scrapes that are just bumming you out when you walk into the room. You can even fill it with the *exact* paint you used on your walls! Amazon Slobproof is a US-based small business specializing in home improvement tools. Promising review:"Love this — absolutely perfect for touchin' up little spots that need touchin' up. I have several sets filled with different paints, and so far, they've stayed usable, without the paint drying out. I rinse the brush really well after each use (latex paints) and recap it. It would be nice if the manufacturer put an area on the pen where you could easily label the paint info, but I use a permanent marker, and it works okay." — Hooked on Amazon! Get a pack of two from Amazon for $14.99+ (also available in a five-pack). 19. Or a container of touch-up paint if you don't have leftover paint for the mark on your wall — and you still want to cover up that eyesore. This is way better than getting a huge bucket of paint since it's smaller and easier to store for future use. Promising review:"Rather than ditching furniture into a landfill, which is bad for the environment and one's pocketbook, this product allows you to give new life to existing furniture. Between the Soto touchup and new handles, my entertainment center looks like less than $35. If you can use liquid paper, you can use this. I just ordered another bottle for porcelain. This is a fantastic product. You will love it!" — LexiNYC Get it from Amazon for $12.95+ (available in 24 colors, four sizes, a custom three-pack, and a set of 12 neutral tones). 20. A set of wood repair markers for your furniture, desks, and cabinets because wear and tear is inevitable. You'll turn thrifted furniture all pretty again by just coloring in the scratches! Amazon, Promising review:"I can't believe how well these work! Much better than I was expecting. I just had my home interior painted, and the painters damaged a fiberboard medicine cabinet when they removed the masking tape. It ripped off the fake wood veneer. These markers completely filled in the ugly spots, and the colors blended well. I love that it appears to have some clear coat in it, too, as it dries with a slight shine that makes it look more like wood stain rather than marker. I also used them to stain wood filler in two spots in my maple kitchen cabinets where a previous homeowner had hung a paper towel holder, and I really struggle to see the hole! It looks fantastic. I highly recommend this set. It's a good value and works very well." — Shane Get a set of 13 from Amazon for $7.99. 21. Shrink wrap window insulation because cold or hot air can seep through drafty windows and make your HVAC work overtime. Instead of cranking up your AC or heat, just apply this to your windows so you can enjoy your space a little more *and* take in that precious sunshine. Promising review:"My husband and I put this kit on all our windows in about one hour. I was afraid it would look terrible having plastic on the windows but after you shrink and trim it is not so noticeable and it does keep out any draft and the stink bugs. I am going to try putting on the outside this summer on the cat door window to keep out the lady bugs and stink bugs which are terrible in our area." — Kat M. Get it from Amazon for $17.99+ (available in one- and three- packs). 22. A jetted tub cleaner that'll make you say "Yuck" after seeing the gunk it gets out of your pipes. Skip the game of chance and run this through your bathtub before using the jets to avoid a not-so-enjoyable bath. You'll feel squeaky clean and ensure a super relaxing bath after using this! You run your bath, add the cleaner, watch the gunk emerge, drain your bath, and then clean off the gunk! Promising review:"It's disgusting to see what comes out of your jets when you use this product. I can't believe we bathed in this! I 've run bleach and dish detergent through my jets before, and that combination never cleaned with this efficiency. I highly recommended this product." — Amazon Customer Get it from Amazon for $18.73+ (available in two sizes and a two-pack). 23. A rotating handle snake cleaner tool to take that stubborn log of ick out of your drain and into the garbage (where it belongs forever). The "micro-hook" plus the rotating handle can help get anything out, so you don't have to hire a $$$ plumber. But, fair warning... you will be disgusted by what comes out. It comes with five refill hooks for future use! Promising review: "Loved this product! Noticed my water in my shower drain was going slow. I decided to give this product a shot and it did just the trick." — Chelsea Johnson Get a handle and five refill wands from Amazon for $19.99. 24. A small but mighty plunger perfect for your showers, bathtubs, and sinks because your normal plunger (with a super long handle) just won't fit — and who wants toilet water touching literally anything anyway? It'll surely help move whatever's lodged in your drain. Amazon Promising review: "Been dealing with a slow drain for over a year. I tried boiling hot water, vinegar, baking soda, Liquid Plumr. All temporary fixes. The drain is cemented into the tile, so I also tried a plumbing snake, but it didn't fit through. Thought I'd try this before calling a plumber, and [I can't believe] that it worked after a few pumps. Definitely recommend." — Frauline Get it from Amazon for $11.99+ (available in three colors). 25. A ~flexible~ grabber tool reviewers say helped fish out things like hair, toothpaste caps, makeup brushes, and even acorns. If you have clogs deep in a U-bend pipe, this could easily do the trick! Amazon Promising review: "Works amazing for U-bend clogs. Actually purchased a 16-foot snake to use with this and ended up not needing it because this cleared out everything stuck in the U bend." — Matthew Witt-Dobski Get it from Amazon for $9.98+ (available in two sizes). 26. A set of three scrubbing attachments you can attach to power drills so your bathtubs, grout, and shower walls are cleaned *much* faster. Not to mention more easily, too. Useful Products is a US-based small business established in 2007 by car wash owner, electrician, and former bodybuilder Anthony LaPolla that specializes in drill-cleaning brushes and attachments. Each of the different brush colors indicates which tasks the brushes are meant for based on their bristle type, so be sure to check which one is best suited for whatever you need to for! Yellow is the 'all-purpose' medium bristle, but some are softer and harder depending on what types of surfaces you're cleaning (but none of them will scratch!). Promising review:"I'm in love with this. I manage many apartment properties and finding people to do the cleaning has been tricky business, so I end up having to get in and clean these horrendous filth pods tenants lived in and left me to deal with when they move out. The ovens and stove tops are usually the worst, and I absolutely hate cleaning. I came across this drill attachment set, and let me tell you, it helped me tremendously! I still had to get in with a putty knife on some of them but it really cut down my elbow-grease time. If it wasn't for this drill attachment, I think my arms would have just fallen off trying to clean it as good as I did! My only con would be that it doesn't have any extension of any sort, so I really had my drill all up in that oven, but well worth it." — alicia haats Get it from Amazon for $18.95+ (available in six color combos and two sizes). 27. A set of Command spray bottle hangers to keep your cleaning cabinets more organized — even if they're overflowing with products. Just stick these on, attach your favorite sprays, and now you'll conveniently grab your bottles when deep cleaning. Check out a TikTok of the Command spray bottle hangers in action. Promising review: "Love these! They have helped organize all my products underneath my kitchen sink. The Command hooks are strong and nothing has budged even with the weight of the spray bottles! Highly recommend." — Talayfor87 Get a set of two from Amazon for $8.13. 28. A bottle of wallpaper stripping spray if you want to change up the vibe of your walls without it taking forever. This will melt away any lingering residue and *not* corrode the paint on your walls in the process. Amazon, You can use the Chomp wallpaper scoring tool for $13.97 on Amazon to ease the process! Promising review:"I have been putting off removing this horrid wallpaper for years, mainly because of the removal horror stories. As it turns out it was rather easy. 1. I used the Chomp scorer. Use it gently moving it in concentric circles, horizontal and vertical. 2. Use the Chomp liquid liberally, let it soak, use more, let it soak until you see paper bubble up. If paper is not coming off easily use more and let soak. Key is letting it soak. 3. Use scraper to start removal. On a large part of mine the paper and glue came off in sheets with no scraping. Other times the top layer came off and the backing and glue needed some scraping. If it's not coming off easily use more liquid and let it soak." — Kindle Customer Get it from Amazon for $14.97. 29. Bissel stain-lifting pads designed to permanently remove stubborn pet stains that make your carpet look a little icky. Just stomp on it to release the formula on tough stains, and leave it for up to 24 hours. Once you peel off the pad, the stain will be gone! Promising review:"Our poor older pup started having some incontinence issues and had several accidents in the house. I was really frustrated until I found these. They work amazingly well. They're small, so if the area was larger, I had to use two or three, but they pulled up stains and saved the house from being smelly. I even used one on an older stain (that I'm pretty sure wasn't pet-related), and it came up after leaving it on for about 24 hours. I make sure to keep a supply of these in the house at all times now." — MC Get a pack of 20 from Amazon for $27.48. 30. An Angry Orange pet odor eliminator that makes harsh smells and very visible stains from cat or dog pee disappear on carpet, fabric, tile floors, and non-leather furniture. You'll turn that ammonia scent into a delightful citrus one, thanks to the orange oil! Promising review:"This product is amazing!!!! We have a Rottweiler pup and a bichon pup, and our house was feeling the PAIN! I tried everything and use to tell my wife, 'with all the science and technology in the world we still can't come up with something that gets rid of the dog mark smell! This product does everything and more. Just ordered another round. We were about to throw away some furniture due to the smell, and now after use, we can keep it. Saved me hundreds. Well worth the money." — clayton s tonkin Get it from Amazon for $17.96+ (available in two sizes and two- or three-packs). 31. A jar of The Pink Stuff you'll have on stand-by the next time you want an easier cleaning job. This can make grease, permanent marker, grime, pen, rust, and crayons disappear on stoves, kitchen floors, bathtubs, grills, wood, glass shower doors, AND MORE. It's a tub of magic, essentially. Promising review:"I need this in bulk!! I have tried so many cleaning solutions to get out hard cooking stains on my stovetop and nothing worked! This stuff took it right out without a problem!!" — Micaela Gunderson Get it from Amazon for $5.49+ (also available with a sponge). 33. And a 2-in-1 Hoover carpet cleaner so you can not only extract pet hair that's deep inside your carpet, but also spot-treat any stains. Just push it forward to dispense the cleaning solution (and suck up the grime) and then pull it back to dry. No triggers or buttons, it's all automatic! Promising review:"I thought my carpets were ruined for good, after using both my old Bissell and the rentals offered by the local grocery store. Our last dog, rest in peace, had not left the world before thoroughly destroying my carpets from incontinence. Our newest dog had lived her entire life before us in a kennel, where she went at will. Suffice to say, my bedroom floor was an eyesore. The first use completely restored my aging carpet. It's still old carpet, don't get me wrong, but it's now CLEAN old carpet. The stains are gone. The odor is gone. I no longer cringe when I walk into the bedroom. Life is good. Not only has this machine done a spectacular job of cleaning, it is also easy to clean itself. The pieces come apart intuitively, and the dog hair rinses easily away. Previous carpet cleaners I've used have been a nightmare, losing suction quickly due to debris being caught in the front with no easy way to remove it." — Erica Get it from Amazon for $177.99+ (available in three styles). 34. And if a funky odor is still lingering, a UV black-light flashlight to light up any surface that wasn't *fully* cleaned. Instead of trying to track down the smell with your nose, the flashlight will be faster (and less traumatizing). Because who wants to smell dog pee up close? Promising review:"OMG this is disgusting!!! I hope this isn't all just cat pee that shows up cause there is a lot! I bought this because I thought my cat was peeing in one room and couldn't find the exact spot so I bought this. Found the spot and more. Would recommend." — Momof3boys Get it from Amazon for $12.99. 35. A set of Sticky Stake insect traps that'll make you gag and wonder how you ever went without one. These work like utter magic to catch fruit flies, gnats, and any other thing that are buzzing around. Next time you snore with your mouth open, you won't wake up in a sweat wondering if you swallowed a fly. Promising review:"I have many, many (too many) house plants, and I love them. Last year I had a massive fungus gnat infestation in my home, caused by fresh potting soil that I had purchased and didn't realize until it was too late that it was infested... I had repotted a few plants, and well, you know the rest. I had no way to control them. It was getting so out of control, and I was so grossed out by these pests all over the place — I even contemplated tossing all my plants. I was heartbroken. I started googling and found the yellow sticky traps to have positive results for many other plant lovers out there, so I gave it a shot — as a last result. These traps saved my life (well, more my plants than me ;)) — so thankful to have found them. Thank you Gideal!" — Kasia Get a pack of 20 from Amazon for $7.99. 36. Or a pack of two ready-to-use fruit fly traps if you don't want the remains of those pesky bugs on full display. Reviewers say this worked fast and solved their fruit fly problem. Each trap lasts for up to 45 days! Promising review: 'A miracle worker! I bought at least seven different types of products trying to destroy an army of fruit flies. This is freaking awesome stuff! I seriously am beyond thankful that this product works.' — JMC Get two traps from Amazon for $6.97. 37. A garbage guard for the flies that SWARM you after you open the lid when throwing away your trash. It'll help kill flies, maggots, roaches, or beetles *and* help prevent future infestations. Now throwing away your garbage can feel a little less gag-worthy. Promising review:"I've got an outdoor can, the kind with that the mechanical arm on the garbage truck picks up and tips over, with the lid opening by gravity. Placed this on the inside of the lid near the hinge to lessen the chances of it being scraped off during emptying and no flies/maggots! There's no apparent odor; it just seems to put a big hurt on the fly party that used to be my trash can (litter box contents, remnants of meat, etc.)." — Michael E. Bradley Get it from Amazon for $9.84 (also available in a two-pack). 38. A foam gap sealant that'll not only reduce drafts and save on your energy bill, but also help prevent unwanted guests from entering your home (like bugs and MICE). The foam expands to one inch to create a strong, durable seal in gaps and cracks. Amazon, Promising review:"This is very useful for closing up small holes. We had lots of water bugs, and they basically stopped after we used the foam." — A Get it from Amazon for $7.98. 39. A pack of six nontoxic pantry moth traps with pheromones to attract these unsettling bugs to their death so you don't have to whip out a fly swatter (or flip flop) in your kitchen. Just let it work its magic and toss it after your problem is solved — how easy! Promising review:"When I say these work fast, I mean it. I got these in hopes of killing my pantry moth problem once and for all. As soon as I set these traps out a SWARM of moths came out from who knows where. I felt like I was in The Birds, it was that intense. After my momentary panic I was shocked to find that the moths went straight to the traps and got themselves stuck and within a few hours the kitchen was eerily free of moths. Don't let the price scare you, this stuff works and works well!" — Taylor Get a pack of six from Amazon for $17.97 (available in two colors and a 20-pack). 40. A window fly trap so you can put down your swatter or dish rag when bug season gets the best of your home. This efficient catcher will be like the pet frog you *almost* bought for this problem. Just stick the adhesive onto the window and let it work its magic! Promising review:"Gross yet effective. We live in the country with animals so we have lots of flies. I did not want to hang a fly trap, but I caved when I saw this. I feel it's not as noticeable as others, is easy to hide, and works very well. Easy to hang and does not leave a sticky residue when removed." — Tina Get a pack of 12 pieces from Amazon for $7.99 (also available in a pack of 24, 48, and 96). 41. A drywall repair putty that'll ~roll~ over the very visible nail holes from that time you misjudged where to hammer — and quickly fix them. It's also *perfect* for renters because — paying for this > not getting your security deposit back. Amazon Promising review:"Does exactly what it says. Rather than getting spackle, waiting for it to dry, sanding it down, and tweaking as needed — this cuts the time/effort down! Just rub over the place in need of patching and wipe off the excess. The hardest part is not accidentally getting the product on parts of the wall that don't need it, but that's easy to clean up, so it's not a problem. I used this to patch holes in the wall from a former Wi-Fi router and modem, other than the color difference from the patch to the paint, you'd never know it was patched. Great price, easy to use." — Amanda Get it from Amazon for $14.98 (also available in a two-pack). 42. A garage door sensor shade for certain Genie models because they might not be working thanks to the sun's mighty glare. Don't worry, though; this will help it get back in perfect order. Etsy / Colorized Design Colorized Design is a Georgetown, Indiana-based small business that 3D prints a variety of problem-solving home solutions. Promising review: "We couldn't close our garage door due to the angle of the sun this time of year. Quick google search, Colorized Design came up. We followed his tips on ordering the correct cover. Received the cover within days, slid it on, and it works like a charm. Thank you again." — Linda R. Get it from Colorized Design on Etsy for $22.95. 43. A set of heavy-duty hangers reviewers use to help hang up lights, plants, and cute accent pieces to make their vinyl siding a little more exciting. This requires *no* drilling and is super easy to install! Amazon, Promising review: "These worked great. I actually bought them to hang something and cover up a hole my son put in the siding. Easy and inexpensive fix. Bonus: it looks great, and they seem to be very sturdy." — Joy Get a four-pack from Amazon for $6.99. 44. A 15-pack of nonslip stair tread tape because all it takes is one wrong move in your socks on wooden stairs to start 🎶soaring, flying🎶 down those steps. This will make your staircase safer and can help prevent any accidents. Amazon Promising review: "I fell down the stairs and dislocated my shoulder because my steps were too slippery. Immediately after coming back from the doctor, I knew I had to do something about my slippery steps because I knew the accident couldn't have been a lot worse. I had this installed,d and I haven't been afraid of slipping down the stairs since. This purchase was a couple of years ago, and other than some dust on the edges, I don't see the need to replace them as they're still stuck to the floor. I even got a new order of the same product for the stairs to my basement to avoid any accidents and because I know they last a long time." — Amazon Customer Get them from Amazon for $28.95+ (available in seven dimensions). 45. Special tape that'll help curtains slide if you're always trying to perfectly flick your shower or bedroom curtain across the rod — and it's barely moving an inch... This will prevent that eye-roll-worthy moment from happening again! Amazon Promising review: "If you don't have a straight curtain rod, your curtains catch on that little on that little rise where the two rods meet right? Well, this solves that problem. They glide like they're on ice, and it took my husband about a minute to put it on. These are a must!! Just a little heads up if you don't have a rod that has those little pins in it to keep it stationary, I'm going to need to use like a rubber band to keep the rod from turning. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!" — Jude S. Get it from Amazon for $11.45+ (available in three sizes). 46. A clear toy blocker because despite your ~pawfect~ throw, toys always end up underneath furniture and other dusty, crumb-ridden areas when playing with your pet. You can install these to avoid that frustration and cut them to fit any space perfectly — plus, they can be removed without leaving behind any residue, washed, and stuck back in place without losing their stickiness or causing damage! It can also help discourage pets from hiding under furniture! Promising review: " A must-have for ALL pet owners. This contraption is genius and will save cat (and dog) owners huge amounts of time and frustration retrieving toys. We used this beneath our oven and it works PERFECTLY. Cat can't destroy it (the way she shredded the foam insulation we had stuffed under there before) and we no longer have to get the yardstick out when literally all of her toys are 'gone.' Yes, this is a challenge to install, but 100% worth it. I'd buy it again in a heartbeat." — Allison Goldstein Get it from Amazon for $13.98+ (available in eight sizes). 47. A fireplace cleaner kit that comes with a brush so you can remove soot, ash, and grime that's making your cozy fireplace look straight out of a haunted mansion. Reviewers say they got amazing results, and it required minimal effort! Promising review:"This product works wonders! The difference in the before and after is jaw-dropping. I have never ever been able to truly see through the glass doors on my fireplace in the ten years I have lived in my home until now. I almost purchased both this product and the fireplace glass cleaner to clean my entire fireplace, but I am glad I saved my money. This product is all you need to clean up your fireplace, glass included. My husband and I still just cannot get over how well this stuff worked!! Now I am going to give my fireplace the makeover it deserves. Although giving it a simple cleaning with this made it look like a brand-new fireplace in itself!!! If you are planning on cleaning your fireplace, don't hesitate to just buy this stuff!!! You won't be sorry this product is like a miracle cleaner in a bottle!! I will be recommending Quick N Brite to all my family and friends." — Courtney Headrick Get it from Amazon for $18.99+ (available in various and kits). Reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.
Buzz Feed
04-03-2025
- Automotive
- Buzz Feed
39 Solutions To Those Homeowner Problems That Are Quietly Ruining Your Day
We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed and its publishing partners may collect a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page. 'Cause that oil stain on your driveway is *quite* the eyesore... 1. A set of Snug Plugs if your computer charger slips out every time you plug it into an outlet. Pop this right in the outlet for a tighter fit, and watch your charging woes poof out of thin air. Snug Plugs is a small business that specializes in home improvement products. Promising review:"I saw Snug Plug on TikTok and immediately ordered them. I have outlets at home AND at work that I couldn't keep anything plugged into because they're so loose. Snug Plug quickly and easily solved that problem and now I can finally have a phone charger in my den. Yay! I highly recommend this product." — KSay Get a pack of 10 from Amazon for $10.99. 2. An oil stain remover that'll deeply penetrate and lift out the dark, stubborn stains that greet you as you pull into the driveway — and you'd rather they not... Reviewers say it works *better* than a pressure washer! Promising review:"Changed the oil on my girlfriend's car and some oil spilled on my NEW I didn't notice 'til four days later. Four spots all about the size of a dollar bill baking in the Arizona sun for four days. Put the stuff on (sits on the stain like pancake batter — don't be afraid to pour liberally) and let it sit from 6 p.m. 'til about 9 a.m. the next day. It dried and the instructions said to just sweep the stuff up (right, like I am not going to need a scraper and wire scrub pad for an hour. HA). Well it broke apart with the broom and the stains were gone, just swept up the powder pieces — took about a minute. I WAS SHOCKED! Something that actually works on oil and it's easy. Absolutely NO sign of anything that was there." — AmazonBob Get it from Amazon for $17.97+ (available in two sizes). 3. A lightweight extension pole with a trimming saw so you can reach those pesky branches that are just out of reach. It's cheaper than hiring a landscaper *and* you'll have full control over which branches are getting the chopping block. Promising review: "I was on the fence about buying this off Amazon thinking I'd get some cheaply made piece of junk. This thing kicks 🍑. Cuts off limbs like butter. Lots of reach too. Worked perfectly for trimming my neighbors redwood and another tree. Would recommend." — Erik Anderson Get it from Amazon for $24.99+ (available in four lengths). 4. A roll of faux ivy if you want to make your outdoor patio more ~vibey~ and private. Now you won't have to act like you didn't just hear your neighbor walk out to avoid awkward small talk when all you want to do is jam out to SZA in private. Promising review:"This is the second privacy screen I've purchased from Amazon. I have an area in my garden visible from the street. The screen hides all my gardening stuff (i.e., wheelbarrow, buckets, etc.). It truly looks like the real deal!!!" — soooz Get a roll from Amazon for $34.99+ (available in three roll sizes). 5. Cordless pleated paper shades that require no tools to install so you can revamp your bedroom that gets way too much sunlight in the mornings. Not only will you sleep better, but you'll also get more privacy! Now your neighbors won't see if you have a Risky Business dance break in your living room or not. Amazon Reviewers say these are easy to install! Promising review:"I went out on a limb and bought 24 of these bad boys. I hung them up all throughout my house. I didn't use the adhesive, though; I bought an 80-count pack of thumbtacks for $1. I live in Alabama, and the temperature outside is 99 today. I do not have my air conditioner on since I have put these up; it has literally cooled off so much in my house. TOTALLY worth it. I'm so happy I didn't drop hundreds of dollars on regular blinds. I'll never go back!!" — Amazon Customer Get it from Amazon for $19.99+ (available in four sizes and two colors). 6. Or colorful window film so you can have the privacy of curtains without making your room all dark. It's super easy to install — just peel and stick! It takes a little patience but no hammering or drilling! Promising review:"I have a weird skinny window in my house where no normal window covering works. People walking on our community trail can see up into our upstairs bathroom when the light is on, and it's dark outside. Not a good plan at all. So I used this window film and cut different-sized circles and placed then on this window to interrupt the view into the house. Worked perfectly! Very easy to use." — Marsgard Get it from Amazon for $7.99+ (available in 14 sizes). 7. A standing weeder so you don't have to bend over and get on all fours to rip out those pesky plants that seem to ruin the view every time you glance outside. Just *stand* with the tool over the weed, center it, press it into the ground, lean the handle back, and ~voila~ — it's gone! It's made with a bamboo handle and powder-coated steel and uses a simple lever system to make weeding easy. Grampa's Weeder is a small biz. Promising review:"Oh my god, I friggin' love this tool. I bought this on a whim, given we bought our first house and know nothing about caring for a yard. Boy, has it come in handy. Our new house had a ton of weeds in the front yard, and this tool helped me get most of them out in no time. In fact, the process of yanking out the weed was strangely satisfying! I don't think anyone can say that weeding is fun, but this tool made it as close to fun as you can get, especially when you see a long root along with the weed you pulled." — JG Get it from Amazon for $39.99. 8. And a bottle of dog spot repair that regrows grass and repairs damage from your pet's urine, digging, and zoomie areas — aka the areas that aren't the prettiest to look at. Now you'll have fresher and more even-looking grass that everyone (including your fur baby) will love to run around in! Promising review: 'We purchased this to fill some patches in our backyard that were damaged by our puppy. Works like a charm. The one caveat is that you really do have to water it a bit every day. Once it takes off, though, it grows pretty quickly! Within one week of planting this, we had 1-inch long grass blades. One month later, all the patches are gone. Highly recommended!' — Jessica N. Get it from Amazon for $19.47. 9. Dishwasher-cleaning tablets because they clean what you can't reach easily (or at all), like your machine's tub, racks, pump and valve, and drain. If you've got funky odors coming out of your dishwasher, it's time to toss one of these in, run a cycle, and witness that yucky smell poof out of existence! Promising review:"After using this product, I am happy to report that my $5 investment saved me over $500. I was ready to replace my dishwasher due to super cloudy glasses, residue, and dishes just not getting clean. Then, I became aware that the water softener was no longer doing its job so I had the rental company replace it. Dishwasher performance improved somewhat. I decided to do two more loads before deciding to purchase a new one. Then I saw a product test review for Affresh. I tossed one of the tablets into the bottom of the full machine per the instructions and ran the regular cycle. I did not expect the results I got! The glassware that I thought was permanently etched and ruined came out like new. Same with cutlery. The difference is unbelievable. I will use this faithfully every month, as recommended." — Sheila Get them from Amazon for $8.99+ (also available in a two-pack). 10. A foaming garbage disposal cleaner that'll clear out any odors if you get a whiff of something funky coming from the drain every time you wash the dishes. Just send one of these lemon-scented cleaning packets down the drain with some hot water and turn on your disposal — it'll help remove all of the gunk stuck to the blades that's stinking up your kitchen! Amazon Promising review:"Saw on TikTok (don't judge) and automatically added to cart. So easy to use, takes probably a minute to fully bubble up and clean, and you're left with a clean sink! I use with other drain cleaning products, but would 100% recommend for weekly maintenance." — Jessica House Get a four-pack from Amazon for $8. 11. Plus a garbage disposal brush if you just finished cooking a big meal and you sent the scraps down the drain. This will help clean up every last bit of make sure you don't lose a finger in the process. Promising review: "Do you ever remove the rubber cap between your sink and disposal? It is beyond gross! This is shaped just right and makes quick work of a yucky job. Good to do to keep odors away." — Mom328LSA Get it from Amazon for $9.99. 13. A fillable touch-up paint pen for marks, dings, and scrapes that are just bumming you out when you walk into the room. You can even fill it with the *exact* paint you used on your walls! Amazon Slobproof is a US-based small business specializing in home improvement tools. Promising review:"Love this — absolutely perfect for touchin' up little spots that need touchin' up. I have several sets filled with different paints, and so far, they've stayed usable, without the paint drying out. I rinse the brush really well after each use (latex paints) and recap it. It would be nice if the manufacturer put an area on the pen where you could easily label the paint info, but I use a permanent marker, and it works okay." — Hooked on Amazon! Get a pack of two from Amazon for $14.99+ (also available in a five-pack). 14. Or a container of touch-up paint if you don't have leftover paint for the mark on your wall — and you still want to cover up that eyesore. This is way better than getting a huge bucket of paint since it's smaller and easier to store for future use. Promising review:"Rather than ditching furniture into a landfill, which is bad for the environment and one's pocketbook, this product allows you to give new life to existing furniture. Between the Soto touchup and new handles, my entertainment center looks like less than $35. If you can use liquid paper, you can use this. I just ordered another bottle for porcelain. This is a fantastic product. You will love it!" — LexiNYC Get it from Amazon for $12.95+ (available in 24 colors, three sizes, a custom three-pack, and a set of 12 neutral tones). 15. And for less intense scratches, a set of wood repair markers for your furniture, desks, and cabinets because wear and tear is inevitable. You'll turn thrifted furniture all pretty again by just coloring in the scratches! Promising review:"I can't believe how well these work! Much better than I was expecting. I just had my home interior painted, and the painters damaged a fiberboard medicine cabinet when they removed the masking tape. It ripped off the fake wood veneer. These markers completely filled in the ugly spots, and the colors blended well. I love that it appears to have some clear coat in it, too, as it dries with a slight shine that makes it look more like wood stain rather than marker. I also used them to stain wood filler in two spots in my maple kitchen cabinets where a previous homeowner had hung a paper towel holder, and I really struggle to see the hole! It looks fantastic. I highly recommend this set. It's a good value and works very well." — Shane Get a set of 13 from Amazon for $8.99. 16. Shrink wrap window insulation because cold or hot air can seep through drafty windows and alter your perfect temp. Instead of making your HVAC work overtime, just apply this to your windows so you can enjoy your space a little more *and* take in that precious sunshine. Promising review:"My husband and I put this kit on all our windows in about one hour. I was afraid it would look terrible having plastic on the windows but after you shrink and trim it is not so noticeable and it does keep out any draft and the stink bugs. I am going to try putting on the outside this summer on the cat door window to keep out the lady bugs and stink bugs which are terrible in our area." — Kat M. Get it from Amazon for $15.99+ (available in one- and three- packs). 17. A non-corrosive Green Gobbler Drain Clog Dissolver that'll help rid your pipes of hair, soap, and toilet paper, so any annoying clogs are a thing of the past. One reviewer used a WHOLE GALLON of Draino for their clogged bathtub and saw no results, but once they used this... voila! It was fixed. It's also designed to be odorless and free of fumes! Just pour half a bottle into your drain, let it sit for 15-30 minutes or overnight (depending on how bad the clog is), and pour *hot* water to get the best results. Promising review:"OK... So I have to do a little review on this product BECAUSE I have had a stopped-up kitchen sink and have LITERALLY tried EVERYTHING down to the industrial products with NO luck. I decided to go on Amazon and read a few reviews. This is the one I decided to go with. I only used one chamber, let it sit for an hour, and then used boiling water. My sink is NO LONGER stopped up!!! I saved a plumber bill, and this was $11.97. HUGE win for this woman!!" — Tabpeach Get it from Amazon for $11.84+ (available in two sizes). 18. And a rotating handle snake cleaner tool to clear out the hair that's clogging your pipes and making you stand in a couple inches of water as you shower. The "micro-hooks" plus the rotating handle can help get anything out, so you don't have to hire a $$$ plumber. But, fair warning... you will be disgusted by what comes out. It comes with five refill hooks for future use! Promising review: "Loved this product! Noticed my water in my shower drain was going slow. I decided to give this product a shot and it did just the trick." — Chelsea Johnson Get a handle and five refill wands from Amazon for $19.99. 19. A small but mighty plunger, perfect for your backed-up sink that technically still drains, but it takes a hot minute. Besides, your normal plunger won't be able to fit under that tight space and you don't want anything that's been in your toilet to be in your sink... 'cause ew. Amazon Promising review: "Been dealing with a slow drain for over a year. I tried boiling hot water, vinegar, baking soda, Liquid Plumr. All temporary fixes. The drain is cemented into the tile, so I also tried a plumbing snake, but it didn't fit through. Thought I'd try this before calling a plumber, and [I can't believe] that it worked after a few pumps. Definitely recommend." — Frauline Get it from Amazon for $6.99+ (available in three colors). 20. Or, a ~flexible~ grabber tool if the plunger didn't do the trick — reviewers say it helps fish out things like hair, toothpaste caps, makeup brushes, and acorns? Yup, you read that right. If you have clogs deep in a U-bend pipe, this could easily take care of 'em! Amazon Promising review: "Works amazing for U-bend clogs. Actually purchased a 16-foot snake to use with this and ended up not needing it because this cleared out everything stuck in the U bend." — Matthew Witt-Dobski Get it from Amazon for $9.99+ (available in two sizes). 21. A set of Command spray bottle hangers to keep your go-to sprays more organized — especially if they jumble out onto the floor when you open your cleaning cabinet. Just stick these on, attach your favorite sprays, and now you'll conveniently grab your bottles when deep cleaning. Check out a TikTok of the Command spray bottle hangers in action. Promising review: "Love these! They have helped organize all my products underneath my kitchen sink. The Command hooks are strong and nothing has budged even with the weight of the spray bottles! Highly recommend." — Talayfor87 Get a set of two from Amazon for $9.39. 22. A bottle of wallpaper stripping spray if you want to change up the vibe of your bathroom 'cause the previous homeowner made a wallpaper choice that... let's just say... isn't your favorite. This will melt away any lingering residue and *not* corrode the paint on your walls in the process. You can use the Chomp wallpaper scoring tool for $14.97 on Amazon to ease the process! Promising review:"I have been putting off removing this horrid wallpaper for years, mainly because of the removal horror stories. As it turns out it was rather easy. 1. I used the Chomp scorer. Use it gently moving it in concentric circles, horizontal and vertical. 2. Use the Chomp liquid liberally, let it soak, use more, let it soak until you see paper bubble up. If paper is not coming off easily use more and let soak. Key is letting it soak. 3. Use scraper to start removal. On a large part of mine the paper and glue came off in sheets with no scraping. Other times the top layer came off and the backing and glue needed some scraping. If it's not coming off easily use more liquid and let it soak." — Kindle Customer Get it from Amazon for $15.97. 23. Bissel stain-lifting pads designed to permanently remove stubborn pet stains that make your carpet look a little icky. Just stomp on it to release the formula on tough stains, and leave it for up to 24 hours. Once you peel off the pad, the stain will be gone! Promising review:"Our poor older pup started having some incontinence issues and had several accidents in the house. I was really frustrated until I found these. They work amazingly well. They're small, so if the area was larger, I had to use two or three, but they pulled up stains and saved the house from being smelly. I even used one on an older stain (that I'm pretty sure wasn't pet-related), and it came up after leaving it on for about 24 hours. I make sure to keep a supply of these in the house at all times now." — MC Get a pack of 20 from Amazon for $25.89. 24. And an Angry Orange pet odor eliminator that makes harsh smells from cat or dog pee disappear on carpet, fabric, tile floors, and non-leather furniture. You'll turn that ammonia scent into a delightful citrus one, thanks to the orange oil. Promising review:"This product is amazing!!!! We have a Rottweiler pup and a bichon pup, and our house was feeling the PAIN! I tried everything and use to tell my wife, 'with all the science and technology in the world we still can't come up with something that gets rid of the dog mark smell! This product does everything and more. Just ordered another round. We were about to throw away some furniture due to the smell, and now after use, we can keep it. Saved me hundreds. Well worth the money." — clayton s tonkin Get it from Amazon for $17.96+ (available in two sizes and two- or three-packs). 25. A jar of The Pink Stuff you'll have on standby the next time your grimy faucet, greasy stovetop, or rusted appliance looks a little... rough. This can make grease, permanent marker, grime, pen, rust, and crayons disappear on stoves, kitchen floors, bathtubs, grills, wood, glass shower doors, AND MORE. It's a tub of magic, essentially. Promising review:"I need this in bulk!! I have tried so many cleaning solutions to get out hard cooking stains on my stovetop and nothing worked! This stuff took it right out without a problem!!" — Micaela Gunderson Get it from Amazon for $5.97+ (also available with a sponge). 26. A carpet cleaning solution designed to work with many vacuum machines and rentals so you can kiss deep-set stains goodbye. It eliminates any suspect odors that make you say "yeesh" and leaves your home smelling like spring mint, fresh summer, or light lavender (depending on the scent you choose)! It's from a family-run small business that specializes in cleaning products, especially ones for homes with pets! Promising review:"After reading the reviews, I thought I could at least try it, and holy smokes, this is a miracle cleaner!!! I think I have tried every cleaner on the market for pet stains and nothing ever really works on my carpets. Even if I get it off the top, it somehow comes back up. My dogs hate the rain, and they have one spot that they always go on when they decide they are not going outside. I have cleaned the spot probably 100 times. I cleaned this area one time with this cleaner and my spot steam cleaner, and it is completely gone! The stain and smell are 100% gone, not just covered up like before, completely and absolutely gone. Miracle cleaner for sure!" — PLLane Get it from Amazon for $19.99 (available in three scents). 27. And a 2-in-1 Hoover carpet cleaner so you can not only extract pet hair that's deep inside your carpet, but also spot-treat any stains. Just push it forward to dispense the cleaning solution (and suck up the grime), and then pull it back to dry. No triggers or buttons; it's all automatic! Promising review:"I thought my carpets were ruined for good, after using both my old Bissell and the rentals offered by the local grocery store. Our last dog, rest in peace, had not left the world before thoroughly destroying my carpets from incontinence. Our newest dog had lived her entire life before us in a kennel, where she went at will. Suffice to say, my bedroom floor was an eyesore. The first use completely restored my aging carpet. It's still old carpet, don't get me wrong, but it's now CLEAN old carpet. The stains are gone. The odor is gone. I no longer cringe when I walk into the bedroom. Life is good. Not only has this machine done a spectacular job of cleaning, it is also easy to clean itself. The pieces come apart intuitively, and the dog hair rinses easily away. Previous carpet cleaners I've used have been a nightmare, losing suction quickly due to debris being caught in the front with no easy way to remove it." — Erica Get it from Amazon for $227.86+ (available in three styles). 28. And if a funky odor is still lingering, a UV black-light flashlight to light up any surface that wasn't *fully* cleaned. Instead of trying to track down the smell with your nose, the flashlight will be faster (and less traumatizing). Because who wants to smell dog pee up close? Promising review:"OMG this is disgusting!!! I hope this isn't all just cat pee that shows up cause there is a lot! I bought this because I thought my cat was peeing in one room and couldn't find the exact spot so I bought this. Found the spot and more. Would recommend." — Momof3boys Get it from Amazon for $10.79. 29. A set of Sticky Stake insect traps to catch the gnats, flies, and other flying insects flocking to the greenery inside your home. These work like utter magic to catch any small, buzzing creature you want six feet under. Now, the next time you snore with your mouth open, you won't wake up in a sweat wondering if you swallowed a fly. Promising review:"I have many, many (too many) house plants, and I love them. Last year I had a massive fungus gnat infestation in my home, caused by fresh potting soil that I had purchased and didn't realize until it was too late that it was infested... I had repotted a few plants, and well, you know the rest. I had no way to control them. It was getting so out of control, and I was so grossed out by these pests all over the place — I even contemplated tossing all my plants. I was heartbroken. I started googling and found the yellow sticky traps to have positive results for many other plant lovers out there, so I gave it a shot — as a last result. These traps saved my life (well, more my plants than me ;)) — so thankful to have found them. Thank you Gideal!" — Kasia Get a pack of 20 from Amazon for $7.99. 30. Or a pack of two ready-to-use fruit fly traps if you don't want the remains of those pesky bugs on full display. Reviewers say this worked fast to solved their infestation. Each trap lasts for up to 45 days! Promising review: 'A miracle worker! I bought at least seven different types of products trying to destroy an army of fruit flies. This is freaking awesome stuff! I seriously am beyond thankful that this product works.' — JMC Get two traps from Amazon for $6.97. 32. A foam gap sealant that'll not only reduce drafts and save on your energy bill, but also help prevent unwanted guests from entering your home (like bugs and MICE). The foam expands to one inch to create a strong, durable seal in gaps and cracks. Amazon, Promising review:"This is very useful for closing up small holes. We had lots of water bugs, and they basically stopped after we used the foam." — A Get it from Amazon for $8.18. 33. A window fly trap so you can put down your swatter or dish rag when bug season gets the best of your home. This will help catch any annoying fly so you *don't* have to just deal with it. Just stick the adhesive onto the window and let it work its magic! Promising review:"Gross yet effective. We live in the country with animals so we have lots of flies. I did not want to hang a fly trap, but I caved when I saw this. I feel it's not as noticeable as others, is easy to hide, and works very well. Easy to hang and does not leave a sticky residue when removed." — Tina Get a pack of 12 pieces from Amazon for $7.99 (also available in a pack of 24, 48, and 96). 34. A drywall repair putty that'll ~roll~ over the very visible nail holes from that time you misjudged where to hammer — and quickly fix them. It's also *perfect* for renters because — paying for this > not getting your security deposit back. Amazon Promising review:"Does exactly what it says. Rather than getting spackle, waiting for it to dry, sanding it down, and tweaking as needed — this cuts the time/effort down! Just rub over the place in need of patching and wipe off the excess. The hardest part is not accidentally getting the product on parts of the wall that don't need it, but that's easy to clean up, so it's not a problem. I used this to patch holes in the wall from a former Wi-Fi router and modem, other than the color difference from the patch to the paint, you'd never know it was patched. Great price, easy to use." — Amanda Get it from Amazon for $14.89 (also available in a two-pack). 35. A garage door sensor shade for certain Genie models because they might not be working thanks to the sun's mighty glare. Don't worry, though; this will help it get back in perfect order. Etsy / Colorized Design Colorized Design is a Georgetown, Indiana-based small business that 3D prints a variety of problem-solving home solutions. Promising review: "We couldn't close our garage door due to the angle of the sun this time of year. Quick google search, Colorized Design came up. We followed his tips on ordering the correct cover. Received the cover within days, slid it on, and it works like a charm. Thank you again." — Linda R. Get it from Colorized Design on Etsy for $17.21 (originally $22.95). 36. A 15-pack of nonslip stair tread tape because slipping and sliding down your wooden stairs in socks is simply NOT it. This will make your staircase safer and can help prevent any accidents. Amazon Promising review: "I fell down the stairs and dislocated my shoulder because my steps were too slippery. Immediately after coming back from the doctor, I knew I had to do something about my slippery steps because I knew the accident couldn't have been a lot worse. I had this installed,d and I haven't been afraid of slipping down the stairs since. This purchase was a couple of years ago, and other than some dust on the edges, I don't see the need to replace them as they're still stuck to the floor. I even got a new order of the same product for the stairs to my basement to avoid any accidents and because I know they last a long time." — Amazon Customer Get them from Amazon for $28.95+ (available in seven dimensions). 37. Special tape that'll help curtains slide if you're always trying to perfectly flick your shower or bedroom curtain across the rod — and it's barely moving an inch... This will prevent that eye-roll-worthy moment from happening again! Amazon Promising review: "If you don't have a straight curtain rod, your curtains catch on that little on that little rise where the two rods meet right? Well, this solves that problem. They glide like they're on ice, and it took my husband about a minute to put it on. These are a must!! Just a little heads up if you don't have a rod that has those little pins in it to keep it stationary, I'm going to need to use like a rubber band to keep the rod from turning. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!" — Jude S. Get it from Amazon for $9.95+ (available in three sizes). 38. A clear toy blocker because despite your ~pawfect~ throw, toys always end up underneath furniture and other dusty, crumb-ridden areas when playing with your pet. Just cut them to fit your space! Btw, they can be removed without leaving behind any residue, washed, and stuck back in place without losing their stickiness or causing damage! It can also help discourage pets from hiding under furniture! Promising review: " A must-have for ALL pet owners. This contraption is genius and will save cat (and dog) owners huge amounts of time and frustration retrieving toys. We used this beneath our oven and it works PERFECTLY. Cat can't destroy it (the way she shredded the foam insulation we had stuffed under there before), and we no longer have to get the yardstick out when literally all of her toys are 'gone.' Yes, this is a challenge to install, but 100% worth it. I'd buy it again in a heartbeat." — Allison Goldstein Get it from Amazon for $11.98+ (available in eight sizes). 39. A fireplace cleaner kit that comes with a brush so you can remove soot, ash, and grime that's making your cozy fireplace look straight out of a haunted mansion. Reviewers say they got amazing results, and it required minimal effort! Promising review:"This product works wonders! The difference in the before and after is jaw-dropping. I have never ever been able to truly see through the glass doors on my fireplace in the ten years I have lived in my home until now. I almost purchased both this product and the fireplace glass cleaner to clean my entire fireplace, but I am glad I saved my money. This product is all you need to clean up your fireplace, glass included. My husband and I still just cannot get over how well this stuff worked!! Now I am going to give my fireplace the makeover it deserves. Although giving it a simple cleaning with this made it look like a brand-new fireplace in itself!!! If you are planning on cleaning your fireplace, don't hesitate to just buy this stuff!!! You won't be sorry this product is like a miracle cleaner in a bottle!! I will be recommending Quick N Brite to all my family and friends." — Courtney Headrick Get it from Amazon for $17.99+ (available in various sizes and kits). Reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.
Buzz Feed
24-02-2025
- Automotive
- Buzz Feed
Face (Nearly) Any Homeowner Problem Like A Pro With These 47 Essential Solutions
We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed and its publishing partners may collect a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page. Shopping · Fixing up your place can feel overwhelming, but these products will make sure you'll handle issues with ease. 1. A set of Snug Plugs if your computer charger slips out every time you plug it into an outlet. Pop this right in the outlet for a tighter fit and watch your charging woes poof out of thin air. Snug Plugs is a small business that specializes in home improvement products. Promising review:"I saw Snug Plug on TikTok and immediately ordered them. I have outlets at home AND at work that I couldn't keep anything plugged into because they're so loose. Snug Plug quickly and easily solved that problem and now I can finally have a phone charger in my den. Yay! I highly recommend this product." — KSay Get a pack of 10 from Amazon for $10.99. 2. An oil stain remover that'll deeply penetrate and lift out the eyesore contaminating your driveway. Reviewers say it works *better* than a pressure washer to remove those dark, stubborn stains. Promising review:"Changed the oil on my girlfriend's car and some oil spilled on my NEW I didn't notice 'til four days later. Four spots all about the size of a dollar bill baking in the Arizona sun for four days. Put the stuff on (sits on the stain like pancake batter — don't be afraid to pour liberally) and let it sit from 6 p.m. 'til about 9 a.m. the next day. It dried and the instructions said to just sweep the stuff up (right, like I am not going to need a scraper and wire scrub pad for an hour. HA). Well it broke apart with the broom and the stains were gone, just swept up the powder pieces — took about a minute. I WAS SHOCKED! Something that actually works on oil and it's easy. Absolutely NO sign of anything that was there." — AmazonBob Get it from Amazon for $17.97. 3. Or some concrete paint reviewers use for garages, driveways, basements, and patios. It's designed to be slip-resistant, highly durable, and resist staining from chemicals, oil, and gasoline. Your concrete floors will look smoother and shinier just two hours after applying it! While this will be a fair amount of work, reviewers say they're happy with the product! Promising review:"Took about three hours to clean, prep, and paint our garage floor. Wasn't looking for perfection — just to cover up the old tan color the previous owners had on the floor. Great coverage, took a while to dry, but looks so much better." — BethSasser Get it from Amazon for $35+ a gallon (available in two shades of gray). 4. A lightweight extension pole with a trimming saw so you can reach those pesky branches that are just out of reach. It's cheaper than hiring a landscaper *and* you'll have full control over which branches are getting the chopping block. Promising review: "I was on the fence about buying this off Amazon thinking I'd get some cheaply made piece of junk. This thing kicks 🍑. Cuts off limbs like butter. Lots of reach too. Worked perfectly for trimming my neighbors redwood and another tree. Would recommend." — Erik Anderson Get it from Amazon for $24.99+ (available in four lengths). 5. A roll of faux ivy if you want to make your outdoor patio more ~vibey~ and private. Now you won't have to act like you didn't just hear your neighbor walk out to avoid awkward small talk when all you want to do is jam out to SZA in private. Promising review:"This is the second privacy screen I've purchased from Amazon. I have an area in my garden visible from the street. The screen hides all my gardening stuff (i.e., wheelbarrow, buckets, etc.). It truly looks like the real deal!!!" — soooz Get a roll from Amazon for $34.99+ (available in three roll sizes). 6. Cordless pleated paper shades that require no tools to install so you can revamp your bedroom that gets way too much sunlight in the mornings. Not only will you sleep better, but you'll also get more privacy! Now your neighbors won't see if you have a Risky Business dance break in your living room or not. Amazon Reviewers say these are easy to install! Promising review:"I went out on a limb and bought 24 of these bad boys. I hung them up all throughout my house. I didn't use the adhesive, though; I bought an 80-count pack of thumbtacks for $1. I live in Alabama, and the temperature outside is 99 today. I do not have my air conditioner on since I have put these up; it has literally cooled off so much in my house. TOTALLY worth it. I'm so happy I didn't drop hundreds of dollars on regular blinds. I'll never go back!!" — Amazon Customer Get it from Amazon for $24.49+ (available in four sizes and two colors). 7. A window film so you can have the privacy of curtains while still allowing the natural light to shine through and shimmer during ~golden hour~. Plus, it's super easy to install — just peel and stick! It takes a little patience but no hammering or drilling! Promising review:"I have a weird skinny window in my house where no normal window covering works. People walking on our community trail can see up into our upstairs bathroom when the light is on, and it's dark outside. Not a good plan at all. So I used this window film and cut different-sized circles and placed then on this window to interrupt the view into the house. Worked perfectly! Very easy to use." — Marsgard Get it from Amazon for $5.92+ (available in 14 sizes). 8. A mold-removal gel if there's any leftover grime in your front-loading washing machine gasket. You can let the gel sit overnight before laundry day, then wipe up *all* of that yucky grossness with a paper towel. Promising review: "I tried everything to scrub off the mold stains on my front loader washing machine door gasket. It was leaving my clothes smelling musty! This worked beautifully. It is thick and stays where you squirt it. The stains and smell were gone in two applications. I got most of it in the first go around and got the spots I had missed the second time around. I let each application set for 24 hours. Scrubbed it, wiped it down, and then ran a cleaning cycle on the machine settings." — C. Perillo Get it from Amazon for $9.99. 9. A portable mini washer/dryer because who wants to wait around for a maintenance guy when all you have is one pair of clean underwear left? No one. This will come in clutch when your machine is out of order and you *don't* want to reach into your dirty laundry bin for clothes. Amazon There are many reviewers who have used this appliance in between working appliances. Promising review: "We bought this for temporary use while our large one was being repaired. It washes, rinses, and spins clothes very well. It by no means works like a full-size washer and there is a lot more manual work to washing, but it worked wonderfully for what we needed and would work as well in a camper." — reader of many books Get it from Amazon for $87.99. 10. Plus a portable clothesline with 12 attached clips if you're super careful about how you dry delicate clothing and want to make sure it doesn't shrink in the dryer. Plus, it'll be perfect for fitted sheets, hoodies, or coats that still feel damp after running them through the dryer. And it comes with a waterproof bag! Promising review: "If you need to hang clothes to dry but can never find the clothes pins, try this. The clips are attached, so you can't lose them. The product is strong and stretches. Can't go wrong here." — Rebeka K Get it from Amazon for $6.96. 11. A standing weeder so you don't have to bend over and possibly throw your back out when clearing out those pesky plants. As you *stand* with the tool over the weed, center it, press it into the ground, lean the handle back, and ~voila~ — it's gone! Made with a bamboo handle and powder-coated steel, it uses a simple lever system to make weeding easy. Grampa's Weeder is a small biz. Promising review:"Oh my god, I friggin' love this tool. I bought this on a whim, given we bought our first house and know nothing about caring for a yard. Boy, has it come in handy. Our new house had a ton of weeds in the front yard, and this tool helped me get most of them out in no time. In fact, the process of yanking out the weed was strangely satisfying! I don't think anyone can say that weeding is fun, but this tool made it as close to fun as you can get, especially when you see a long root along with the weed you pulled." — JG Get it on Amazon for $39.99. 12. And a bottle of dog spot repair that regrows grass and repairs damage from your pet's urine, digging, and zoomie areas. Now you'll have fresher and more even-looking grass that everyone (including your fur baby) will love to run around in! Promising review: 'We purchased this to fill some patches in our backyard that were damaged by our puppy. Works like a charm. The one caveat is that you really do have to water it a bit every day. Once it takes off, though, it grows pretty quickly! Within one week of planting this, we had 1-inch long grass blades. One month later, all the patches are gone. Highly recommended!' — Jessica N. Get it from Amazon for $17.23. 13. Dishwasher-cleaning tablets because they clean what you can't reach easily (or at all), like your machine's tub, racks, pump and valve, and drain. If you've got funky odors coming out of your dishwasher, it's time to toss one of these in, run a cycle, and witness that yucky smell poof out of existence! Promising review:"After using this product, I am happy to report that my $5 investment saved me over $500. I was ready to replace my dishwasher due to super cloudy glasses, residue, and dishes just not getting clean. Then, I became aware that the water softener was no longer doing its job so I had the rental company replace it. Dishwasher performance improved somewhat. I decided to do two more loads before deciding to purchase a new one. Then I saw a product test review for Affresh. I tossed one of the tablets into the bottom of the full machine per the instructions and ran the regular cycle. I did not expect the results I got! The glassware that I thought was permanently etched and ruined came out like new. Same with cutlery. The difference is unbelievable. I will use this faithfully every month, as recommended." — Sheila Get them from Amazon for $8.99. 14. A foaming garbage disposal cleaner since those years' worth of lingering odors make you gag (and might *also* attract gnats). Those foul smells will be gone in an instant once you send one of these foaming lemon packets down the drain with some hot water. Amazon Promising review:"Saw on TikTok (don't judge) and automatically added to cart. So easy to use, takes probably a minute to fully bubble up and clean, and you're left with a clean sink! I use with other drain cleaning products, but would 100% recommend for weekly maintenance." — Jessica Hamilton Get a four-pack from Amazon for $6.99. 15. Plus a garbage disposal brush if you just finished cooking a big meal and you sent the scraps down the drain. This will help clean up every last bit of food and make sure you don't lose a finger in the process! Promising review: "Do you ever remove the rubber cap between your sink and disposal? It is beyond gross! This is shaped just right and makes quick work of a yucky job. Good to do to keep odors away." — Mom328LSA Get it from Amazon for $9.99. 16. A non-corrosive Green Gobbler Drain Clog Dissolver that'll help rid your pipes of hair, soap, and toilet paper. One reviewer used a WHOLE GALLON of Draino for their clogged bathtub and saw no results, but once they used this... voila! It was fixed. It's also designed to be odorless and free of fumes! Just pour half a bottle into your drain, let it sit for 15-30 minutes or overnight (depending on how bad the clog is), and pour *hot* water to get the best results. Promising review:"OK... So I have to do a little review on this product BECAUSE I have had a stopped-up kitchen sink and have LITERALLY tried EVERYTHING down to the industrial products with NO luck. I decided to go on Amazon and read a few reviews. This is the one I decided to go with. I only used one chamber, let it sit for an hour, and then used boiling water. My sink is NO LONGER stopped up!!! I saved a plumber bill, and this was $11.97. HUGE win for this woman!!" — Tabpeach Get it from Amazon for $11.84+ (available in two sizes). 18. A fillable touch-up paint pen for marks, dings, and scrapes that are just bumming you out when you walk into the room. You can even fill it with the *exact* paint you used on your walls! Amazon Slobproof is a US-based small business specializing in home improvement tools. Promising review:"Love this — absolutely perfect for touchin' up little spots that need touchin' up. I have several sets filled with different paints, and so far, they've stayed usable, without the paint drying out. I rinse the brush really well after each use (latex paints) and recap it. It would be nice if the manufacturer put an area on the pen where you could easily label the paint info, but I use a permanent marker, and it works okay." — Hooked on Amazon! Get a pack of two from Amazon for $14.99+ (also available in a five-pack). 19. Or a container of touch-up paint if you don't have leftover paint for the mark on your wall — and you still want to cover up that eyesore. This is way better than getting a huge bucket of paint since it's smaller and easier to store for future use. Promising review:"Rather than ditching furniture into a landfill, which is bad for the environment and one's pocketbook, this product allows you to give new life to existing furniture. Between the Soto touchup and new handles, my entertainment center looks like less than $35. If you can use liquid paper, you can use this. I just ordered another bottle for porcelain. This is a fantastic product. You will love it!" — LexiNYC Get it from Amazon for $12.95+ (available in 24 colors, four sizes, a custom three-pack, and a set of 12 neutral tones). 20. A set of wood repair markers for your furniture, desks, and cabinets because wear and tear is inevitable. You'll turn thrifted furniture all pretty again by just coloring in the scratches! Promising review:"I can't believe how well these work! Much better than I was expecting. I just had my home interior painted, and the painters damaged a fiberboard medicine cabinet when they removed the masking tape. It ripped off the fake wood veneer. These markers completely filled in the ugly spots, and the colors blended well. I love that it appears to have some clear coat in it, too, as it dries with a slight shine that makes it look more like wood stain rather than marker. I also used them to stain wood filler in two spots in my maple kitchen cabinets where a previous homeowner had hung a paper towel holder, and I really struggle to see the hole! It looks fantastic. I highly recommend this set. It's a good value and works very well." — Shane Get a set of 13 from Amazon for $7.99. 21. Shrink wrap window insulation because cold or hot air can seep through drafty windows and make your HVAC work overtime. Instead of cranking up your AC or heat, just apply this to your windows so you can enjoy your space a little more *and* take in that precious sunshine. Promising review:"My husband and I put this kit on all our windows in about one hour. I was afraid it would look terrible having plastic on the windows but after you shrink and trim it is not so noticeable and it does keep out any draft and the stink bugs. I am going to try putting on the outside this summer on the cat door window to keep out the lady bugs and stink bugs which are terrible in our area." — Kat M. Get it from Amazon for $17.99+ (available in one- and three- packs). 22. A jetted tub cleaner that'll make you say "Yuck" after seeing the gunk it gets out of your pipes. Skip the game of chance and run this through your bathtub before using the jets to avoid a not-so-enjoyable bath. You'll feel squeaky clean and ensure a super relaxing bath after using this! You run your bath, add the cleaner, watch the gunk emerge, drain your bath, and then clean off the gunk! Promising review:"It's disgusting to see what comes out of your jets when you use this product. I can't believe we bathed in this! I 've run bleach and dish detergent through my jets before, and that combination never cleaned with this efficiency. I highly recommended this product." — Amazon Customer Get it from Amazon for $18.73+ (available in two sizes and a two-pack). 23. A rotating handle snake cleaner tool to take that stubborn log of ick out of your drain and into the garbage (where it belongs forever). The "micro-hook" plus the rotating handle can help get anything out, so you don't have to hire a $$$ plumber. But, fair warning... you will be disgusted by what comes out. It comes with five refill hooks for future use! Promising review: "Loved this product! Noticed my water in my shower drain was going slow. I decided to give this product a shot and it did just the trick." — Chelsea Johnson Get a handle and five refill wands from Amazon for $19.99. 24. A small but mighty plunger perfect for your showers, bathtubs, and sinks because your normal plunger (with a super long handle) just won't fit — and who wants toilet water touching literally anything anyway? It'll surely help move whatever's lodged in your drain. Amazon Promising review: "Been dealing with a slow drain for over a year. I tried boiling hot water, vinegar, baking soda, Liquid Plumr. All temporary fixes. The drain is cemented into the tile, so I also tried a plumbing snake, but it didn't fit through. Thought I'd try this before calling a plumber, and [I can't believe] that it worked after a few pumps. Definitely recommend." — Frauline Get it from Amazon for $11.99+ (available in two colors). 25. A ~flexible~ grabber tool reviewers say helped fish out things like hair, toothpaste caps, makeup brushes, and even acorns. If you have clogs deep in a U-bend pipe, this could easily do the trick! Amazon Promising review: "Works amazing for U-bend clogs. Actually purchased a 16-foot snake to use with this and ended up not needing it because this cleared out everything stuck in the U bend." — Matthew Witt-Dobski Get it from Amazon for $9.98+ (available in two sizes). 26. A set of three scrubbing attachments you can attach to power drills so your bathtubs, grout, and shower walls are cleaned *much* faster. Not to mention more easily, too. Useful Products is a US-based small business established in 2007 by car wash owner, electrician, and former bodybuilder Anthony LaPolla that specializes in drill-cleaning brushes and attachments. Each of the different brush colors indicates which tasks the brushes are meant for based on their bristle type, so be sure to check which one is best suited for whatever you need to for! Yellow is the 'all-purpose' medium bristle, but some are softer and harder depending on what types of surfaces you're cleaning (but none of them will scratch!). Promising review:"I'm in love with this. I manage many apartment properties and finding people to do the cleaning has been tricky business, so I end up having to get in and clean these horrendous filth pods tenants lived in and left me to deal with when they move out. The ovens and stove tops are usually the worst, and I absolutely hate cleaning. I came across this drill attachment set, and let me tell you, it helped me tremendously! I still had to get in with a putty knife on some of them but it really cut down my elbow-grease time. If it wasn't for this drill attachment, I think my arms would have just fallen off trying to clean it as good as I did! My only con would be that it doesn't have any extension of any sort, so I really had my drill all up in that oven, but well worth it." — alicia haats Get it from Amazon for $18.95+ (available in six color combos and two sizes). 27. A set of Command spray bottle hangers to keep your cleaning cabinets more organized — even if they're overflowing with products. Just stick these on, attach your favorite sprays, and now you'll conveniently grab your bottles when deep cleaning. Check out a TikTok of the Command spray bottle hangers in action. Promising review: "Love these! They have helped organize all my products underneath my kitchen sink. The Command hooks are strong and nothing has budged even with the weight of the spray bottles! Highly recommend." — Talayfor87 Get a set of two from Amazon for $8.13. 28. A bottle of wallpaper stripping spray if you want to change up the vibe of your walls without it taking forever. This will melt away any lingering residue and *not* corrode the paint on your walls in the process. Amazon, You can use the Chomp wallpaper scoring tool for $13.97 on Amazon to ease the process! Promising review:"I have been putting off removing this horrid wallpaper for years, mainly because of the removal horror stories. As it turns out it was rather easy. 1. I used the Chomp scorer. Use it gently moving it in concentric circles, horizontal and vertical. 2. Use the Chomp liquid liberally, let it soak, use more, let it soak until you see paper bubble up. If paper is not coming off easily use more and let soak. Key is letting it soak. 3. Use scraper to start removal. On a large part of mine the paper and glue came off in sheets with no scraping. Other times the top layer came off and the backing and glue needed some scraping. If it's not coming off easily use more liquid and let it soak." — Kindle Customer Get it from Amazon for $14.97. 29. Bissel stain-lifting pads designed to permanently remove stubborn pet stains that make your carpet look a little icky. Just stomp on it to release the formula on tough stains, and leave it for up to 24 hours. Once you peel off the pad, the stain will be gone! Promising review:"Our poor older pup started having some incontinence issues and had several accidents in the house. I was really frustrated until I found these. They work amazingly well. They're small, so if the area was larger, I had to use two or three, but they pulled up stains and saved the house from being smelly. I even used one on an older stain (that I'm pretty sure wasn't pet-related), and it came up after leaving it on for about 24 hours. I make sure to keep a supply of these in the house at all times now." — MC Get a pack of 20 from Amazon for $27.48. 30. An Angry Orange pet odor eliminator that makes harsh smells and very visible stains from cat or dog pee disappear on carpet, fabric, tile floors, and non-leather furniture. You'll turn that ammonia scent into a delightful citrus one, thanks to the orange oil! Promising review:"This product is amazing!!!! We have a Rottweiler pup and a bichon pup, and our house was feeling the PAIN! I tried everything and use to tell my wife, 'with all the science and technology in the world we still can't come up with something that gets rid of the dog mark smell! This product does everything and more. Just ordered another round. We were about to throw away some furniture due to the smell, and now after use, we can keep it. Saved me hundreds. Well worth the money." — clayton s tonkin Get it from Amazon for $17.96+ (available in two sizes and two- or three-packs). 31. A jar of The Pink Stuff you'll have on stand-by the next time you want an easier cleaning job. This can make grease, permanent marker, grime, pen, rust, and crayons disappear on stoves, kitchen floors, bathtubs, grills, wood, glass shower doors, AND MORE. It's a tub of magic, essentially. Promising review:"I need this in bulk!! I have tried so many cleaning solutions to get out hard cooking stains on my stovetop and nothing worked! This stuff took it right out without a problem!!" — Micaela Gunderson Get it from Amazon for $5.49+ (also available with a sponge). 33. And a 2-in-1 Hoover carpet cleaner so you can not only extract pet hair that's deep inside your carpet, but also spot-treat any stains. Just push it forward to dispense the cleaning solution (and suck up the grime) and then pull it back to dry. No triggers or buttons, it's all automatic! Promising review:"I thought my carpets were ruined for good, after using both my old Bissell and the rentals offered by the local grocery store. Our last dog, rest in peace, had not left the world before thoroughly destroying my carpets from incontinence. Our newest dog had lived her entire life before us in a kennel, where she went at will. Suffice to say, my bedroom floor was an eyesore. The first use completely restored my aging carpet. It's still old carpet, don't get me wrong, but it's now CLEAN old carpet. The stains are gone. The odor is gone. I no longer cringe when I walk into the bedroom. Life is good. Not only has this machine done a spectacular job of cleaning, it is also easy to clean itself. The pieces come apart intuitively, and the dog hair rinses easily away. Previous carpet cleaners I've used have been a nightmare, losing suction quickly due to debris being caught in the front with no easy way to remove it." — Erica Get it from Amazon for $177.99+ (available in three styles). 34. And if a funky odor is still lingering, a UV black-light flashlight to light up any surface that wasn't *fully* cleaned. Instead of trying to track down the smell with your nose, the flashlight will be faster (and less traumatizing). Because who wants to smell dog pee up close? Promising review:"OMG this is disgusting!!! I hope this isn't all just cat pee that shows up cause there is a lot! I bought this because I thought my cat was peeing in one room and couldn't find the exact spot so I bought this. Found the spot and more. Would recommend." — Momof3boys Get it from Amazon for $12.99. 35. A set of Sticky Stake insect traps that'll make you gag and wonder how you ever went without one. These work like utter magic to catch fruit flies, gnats, and any other thing that are buzzing around. Next time you snore with your mouth open, you won't wake up in a sweat wondering if you swallowed a fly. Promising review:"I have many, many (too many) house plants, and I love them. Last year I had a massive fungus gnat infestation in my home, caused by fresh potting soil that I had purchased and didn't realize until it was too late that it was infested... I had repotted a few plants, and well, you know the rest. I had no way to control them. It was getting so out of control, and I was so grossed out by these pests all over the place — I even contemplated tossing all my plants. I was heartbroken. I started googling and found the yellow sticky traps to have positive results for many other plant lovers out there, so I gave it a shot — as a last result. These traps saved my life (well, more my plants than me ;)) — so thankful to have found them. Thank you Gideal!" — Kasia Get a pack of 20 from Amazon for $7.99. 36. Or a pack of two ready-to-use fruit fly traps if you don't want the remains of those pesky bugs on full display. Reviewers say this worked fast and solved their fruit fly problem. Each trap lasts for up to 45 days! Promising review: 'A miracle worker! I bought at least seven different types of products trying to destroy an army of fruit flies. This is freaking awesome stuff! I seriously am beyond thankful that this product works.' — JMC Get two traps from Amazon for $6.97. 37. A garbage guard for the flies that SWARM you after you open the lid when throwing away your trash. It'll help kill flies, maggots, roaches, or beetles *and* help prevent future infestations. Now throwing away your garbage can feel a little less gag-worthy. Promising review:"I've got an outdoor can, the kind with that the mechanical arm on the garbage truck picks up and tips over, with the lid opening by gravity. Placed this on the inside of the lid near the hinge to lessen the chances of it being scraped off during emptying and no flies/maggots! There's no apparent odor; it just seems to put a big hurt on the fly party that used to be my trash can (litter box contents, remnants of meat, etc.)." — Michael E. Bradley Get it from Amazon for $9.84 (also available in a two-pack). 38. A foam gap sealant that'll not only reduce drafts and save on your energy bill, but also help prevent unwanted guests from entering your home (like bugs and MICE). The foam expands to one inch to create a strong, durable seal in gaps and cracks. Amazon, Promising review:"This is very useful for closing up small holes. We had lots of water bugs, and they basically stopped after we used the foam." — A Get it from Amazon for $7.98. 39. A pack of six nontoxic pantry moth traps with pheromones to attract these unsettling bugs to their death so you don't have to whip out a fly swatter (or flip flop) in your kitchen. Just let it work its magic and toss it after your problem is solved — how easy! Promising review:"When I say these work fast, I mean it. I got these in hopes of killing my pantry moth problem once and for all. As soon as I set these traps out a SWARM of moths came out from who knows where. I felt like I was in The Birds, it was that intense. After my momentary panic I was shocked to find that the moths went straight to the traps and got themselves stuck and within a few hours the kitchen was eerily free of moths. Don't let the price scare you, this stuff works and works well!" — Taylor Get a pack of six from Amazon for $17.97 (available in two colors and a 20-pack). 40. A window fly trap so you can put down your swatter or dish rag when bug season gets the best of your home. This efficient catcher will be like the pet frog you *almost* bought for this problem. Just stick the adhesive onto the window and let it work its magic! Promising review:"Gross yet effective. We live in the country with animals so we have lots of flies. I did not want to hang a fly trap, but I caved when I saw this. I feel it's not as noticeable as others, is easy to hide, and works very well. Easy to hang and does not leave a sticky residue when removed." — Tina Get a pack of 12 pieces from Amazon for $7.99 (also available in a pack of 24, 48, and 96). 41. A drywall repair putty that'll ~roll~ over the very visible nail holes from that time you misjudged where to hammer — and quickly fix them. It's also *perfect* for renters because — paying for this > not getting your security deposit back. Amazon Promising review:"Does exactly what it says. Rather than getting spackle, waiting for it to dry, sanding it down, and tweaking as needed — this cuts the time/effort down! Just rub over the place in need of patching and wipe off the excess. The hardest part is not accidentally getting the product on parts of the wall that don't need it, but that's easy to clean up, so it's not a problem. I used this to patch holes in the wall from a former Wi-Fi router and modem, other than the color difference from the patch to the paint, you'd never know it was patched. Great price, easy to use." — Amanda Get it from Amazon for $14.98 (also available in a two-pack). 42. A garage door sensor shade for certain Genie models because they might not be working thanks to the sun's mighty glare. Don't worry, though; this will help it get back in perfect order. Etsy / Colorized Design Colorized Design is a Georgetown, Indiana-based small business that 3D prints a variety of problem-solving home solutions. Promising review: "We couldn't close our garage door due to the angle of the sun this time of year. Quick google search, Colorized Design came up. We followed his tips on ordering the correct cover. Received the cover within days, slid it on, and it works like a charm. Thank you again." — Linda R. Get it from Colorized Design on Etsy for $17.21. 43. A set of heavy-duty hangers reviewers use to help hang up lights, plants, and cute accent pieces to make their vinyl siding a little more exciting. This requires *no* drilling and is super easy to install! Amazon, Promising review: "These worked great. I actually bought them to hang something and cover up a hole my son put in the siding. Easy and inexpensive fix. Bonus: it looks great, and they seem to be very sturdy." — Joy Get a four-pack from Amazon for $6.99. 44. A 15-pack of nonslip stair tread tape because all it takes is one wrong move in your socks on wooden stairs to start 🎶soaring, flying🎶 down those steps. This will make your staircase safer and can help prevent any accidents. Amazon Promising review: "I fell down the stairs and dislocated my shoulder because my steps were too slippery. Immediately after coming back from the doctor, I knew I had to do something about my slippery steps because I knew the accident couldn't have been a lot worse. I had this installed,d and I haven't been afraid of slipping down the stairs since. This purchase was a couple of years ago, and other than some dust on the edges, I don't see the need to replace them as they're still stuck to the floor. I even got a new order of the same product for the stairs to my basement to avoid any accidents and because I know they last a long time." — Amazon Customer Get them from Amazon for $28.95+ (available in seven dimensions). 45. Special tape that'll help curtains slide if you're always trying to perfectly flick your shower or bedroom curtain across the rod — and it's barely moving an inch... This will prevent that eye-roll-worthy moment from happening again! Amazon Promising review: "If you don't have a straight curtain rod, your curtains catch on that little on that little rise where the two rods meet right? Well, this solves that problem. They glide like they're on ice, and it took my husband about a minute to put it on. These are a must!! Just a little heads up if you don't have a rod that has those little pins in it to keep it stationary, I'm going to need to use like a rubber band to keep the rod from turning. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!" — Jude S. Get it from Amazon for $11.45+ (available in three sizes). 46. A clear toy blocker because despite your ~pawfect~ throw, toys always end up underneath furniture and other dusty, crumb-ridden areas when playing with your pet. You can install these to avoid that frustration and cut them to fit any space perfectly — plus, they can be removed without leaving behind any residue, washed, and stuck back in place without losing their stickiness or causing damage! It can also help discourage pets from hiding under furniture! Promising review: " A must-have for ALL pet owners. This contraption is genius and will save cat (and dog) owners huge amounts of time and frustration retrieving toys. We used this beneath our oven and it works PERFECTLY. Cat can't destroy it (the way she shredded the foam insulation we had stuffed under there before) and we no longer have to get the yardstick out when literally all of her toys are 'gone.' Yes, this is a challenge to install, but 100% worth it. I'd buy it again in a heartbeat." — Allison Goldstein Get it from Amazon for $13.98+ (available in eight sizes). 47. A fireplace cleaner kit that comes with a brush so you can remove soot, ash, and grime that's making your cozy fireplace look straight out of a haunted mansion. Reviewers say they got amazing results, and it required minimal effort! Promising review:"This product works wonders! The difference in the before and after is jaw-dropping. I have never ever been able to truly see through the glass doors on my fireplace in the ten years I have lived in my home until now. I almost purchased both this product and the fireplace glass cleaner to clean my entire fireplace, but I am glad I saved my money. This product is all you need to clean up your fireplace, glass included. My husband and I still just cannot get over how well this stuff worked!! Now I am going to give my fireplace the makeover it deserves. Although giving it a simple cleaning with this made it look like a brand-new fireplace in itself!!! If you are planning on cleaning your fireplace, don't hesitate to just buy this stuff!!! You won't be sorry this product is like a miracle cleaner in a bottle!! I will be recommending Quick N Brite to all my family and friends." — Courtney Headrick Get it from Amazon for $18.99+ (available in various and kits). Reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.
