Had a leaky faucet driving me nuts last weekend, and turns out wrapping a bit of plumber's tape around the threads fixed it right up. Um, anyone got other handy plumbing tricks they've stumbled onto?
"wrapping a bit of plumber's tape around the threads fixed it right up."
Ha, plumber's tape saved me more times than I can count. Another trick I stumbled on: vinegar and baking soda down a slow drain—sounds like a middle school volcano experiment, but works surprisingly well...and smells better than chemicals.
"vinegar and baking soda down a slow drain—sounds like a middle school volcano experiment, but works surprisingly well...and smells better than chemicals."
Haha, totally agree on the volcano vibes. I've done that trick a few times myself, and it does work pretty well for minor clogs. Plus, it's way cheaper than those harsh chemical drain cleaners.
Speaking of plumber's tape, that stuff is basically magic. I once had a leaky showerhead that drove me nuts for weeks. Tried tightening it, loosening it, even replaced the washer—nothing worked. Finally wrapped some plumber's tape around the threads, and boom, leak gone. Felt like I'd just performed plumbing wizardry.
Another hack that's saved me more than once: using a wet/dry vacuum to clear stubborn clogs. Sounds weird, I know, but hear me out. Had a kitchen sink clog that wouldn't budge no matter how much plunging or baking soda-vinegar volcanoes I threw at it. A buddy suggested sealing the vacuum hose around the drain opening and giving it a good suck (make sure it's set to wet mode!). Honestly thought he was messing with me at first, but desperation makes you try weird things. Sure enough, after about 30 seconds of vacuuming, the clog cleared right up. Gross? Yeah, kinda. Effective? Absolutely.
Also, if you're ever dealing with a dripping faucet and can't get to the hardware store right away, tying a string around the faucet head and letting it hang into the sink can help silence that maddening drip-drip sound temporarily. Doesn't fix the leak obviously, but at least you won't lose your sanity overnight.
Plumbing is one of those things where DIY hacks can really save your wallet—and your sanity—if you're willing to get a little creative (and occasionally messy).
