Real Estate and *stuff *

Real Estate and *stuff *

A real person helping real people with real estate

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What Would MacGyver Do? 4 Ways to Save the Day with Toothpaste

November 23, 2011

If you like to get your money’s worth by squeezing every ounce from a tube of toothpaste, you’ll be happy to know it has many other uses around the house besides cleaning your teeth.

What MacGyver did:
Used plastic explosives disguised as toothpaste to create a diversion, allowing him to disarm his captor.

What you can do:

  • Patch small holes in your walls. Use a putty knife or butter knife to smooth the toothpaste into the hole. Then sand the toothpaste to smooth the surface.
  • Erase crayon marks from walls. Grab some non-gel toothpaste and a scrub brush, then just wipe until the marks are gone.
  • Shine chrome. Smear non-gel toothpaste on the chrome surface, and use a soft, dry cloth to wipe it down. The fine abrasive in the paste polishes the chrome to a spotless shine.
  • Deodorize a baby bottle. Apply toothpaste to your bottle brush to scrub out the stale milk smell. Then rinse it away.

What Would MacGyver Do? In an Emergency, Reach for the Duct Tape

November 21, 2011

Get yourself out of a home repair jam with this common household item famously used by our favorite handy hero: MacGyver.

We’ve all had them: the clogged drain, the ripped vacuum hose, the unsightly hole in the wall. Home repair emergencies like these are the last thing you need when you’re running out the door, running after the kids, or fielding other household chores. Channel your inner MacGyver by taking advantage of one common household item the classic action hero made famous: a roll of duct tape.

What MacGyver did:
Used duct tape to seal a hole in a hot air balloon, allowing him to escape his pursuers.

What you can do:

  • Fix a slow-running toilet. Clear the clogged flush passage with wire, then empty the water tank and seal the passage hole with duct tape. Fill the tank with a quart of vinegar and leave overnight.
  • Weatherproof windows. Use strips of duct tape to make windows air tight until you can fix or replace them.
  • Make a temporary roof shingle. Wrap strips of duct tape across a ¼ inch thick piece of plywood cut to size.
  • Tie off loose wires. Wrap small, thin strips of duct tape around exposed ends.
  • Patch holes and tears in duct work, dryer vents, and a torn vacuum hose to temporarily seal leaks.

Who doesn’t love a good MacGyver episode??