23 Products That’ll Help You Repair And Resolve The Most Common Household Problems
Done. ✅
We hope you love the products we recommend! All of them were independently selected by our editors. Just so you know, BuzzFeed may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page if you decide to shop from them. Oh, and FYI — prices are accurate and items in stock as of time of publication.
1. A precision screwdriver set that'll be an upgrade from the basic Ikea one you have at home. The driver is magnetic and there are 98 attachable bits, so you'll probably never come across a screw you can't unscrew.
2. A stain remover you definitely need if you have a pet who loves having "accidents" on your furniture and carpet every now and then. Not only will it remove the gross splotch, but also eliminate odour in minutes. Nobody ever needs to know that lil' Kirby poops, pees, and barfs on your couch on the regular.
3. A role of vinyl electric tape that'll help you repair frayed cables and cover bare wires. It's a great on-hand insulator and you'll be surprised how many uses you find for it around the house.
4. A caulking kit to help you seal off leaky cracks in seconds. Whether it's the ceramic around your bathroom sink or a nook in your window frame, this silicone formula adheres to a variety of surfaces and seals them, so no air and moisture can get through.
5. An emergency sewing kit that has all the supplies you'll need to quickly fix rips, holes, and buttons at home. Now you’ll be able to repair curtains, linens, and pillowcases — or even fix that raggedy hem on your favourite shirt.
6. A wood touch-up kit that's super easy to use and will have stained and scratched-up wood looking great again. It comes with markers and wax crayons in six different colours to help cover and fill in chips and scratches — reviewers say they work like a charm and have helped renew their furniture.
7. A bestselling cordless drill that’ll help you bore holes and screw/unscrew things. Now you’ll finally be able to hang all that wall art you’ve been meaning to display!
The motor is powerful enough to help you easily drill through wood, ceramics, plastic, drywall, and even metal. It comes with ten drill bits, ten screw bits, a screw extender, and a unique swivelling shaft that’ll reach those hard-to-get spots where a big drill just won't go.
Get it from Amazon Canada for $63.99.
8. A bottle of Gorilla glue, because you've probably wished you had it at home several times already. It bonds wood, ceramic, paper, plastic, rubber, leather, and even metal. Plus, it dries in 30 seconds, so there's no clamping required.
9. A 100-count pack of AA batteries, so you can stop whacking your remote control, desk fan, smoke alarm or kids' toys in hopes that they'll magically start working again.
Reviewers love the bulk pack's value for money and say the batteries really hold a charge for a long time.
Get it from Amazon Canada for $29.89.
10. A can of multipurpose WD-40 spray which will help you fix creaky luggage wheels, jammed bike chains, and even get help rid of gum stuck to the bottom of your shoes. It comes with a precision nozzle for hard-to-reach areas.
11. A universal toilet plunger that's designed to fit and pump toilet bowls of every shape and size, so unclogging your toilet can get a little easier and less splashy. Unlike cup plungers, this one has a special beehive shape that actually seals around the opening.
Reviewers say that even though it's on the pricier side, it's well worth the money and the best plunger they've ever used.
Get it from Amazon Canada for $43.63. Also available with a holder.
12. A bunch of large Ziploc freezer bags, so you can freeze meals and ingredients you don't want to use that week. The zip seal works so well, you can even store soup in the bags without worrying about leaks!
I love meal prepping, but find myself not wanting to eat the same few meals every day of the week. Keeping them in the fridge too long means they can go bad, so I freeze them and use them alternating weeks. They're a lifesaver for days when I don't have anything to cook at home.
Get a pack of 75 for $10.28.
13. A tub of spackling filler that'll help you repair large holes in drywall, wood, concrete, plaster, and even brick. It's water resistant and won't budge when it's super humid out, so you can even use it to repair stuff on your porch or yard.
14. A handheld vacuum cleaner that'll take care of accidental spills in a jiffy. It's also perfect for a quick cleanup when the living room sofa is absolutely covered with pet hair and you have someone coming over (I have three cats and it's a struggle).
It's super portable and the dust bowl is translucent, so you can see when it needs to be emptied. Reviewers love that it's cordless and lightweight.
Get it from Amazon Canada for $39.98.
15. A toothpaste dispenser hat’ll squeeze out toothpaste out of even the most empty-looking tube. No more settling for just mouthwash when you think you’re out of toothpaste.
Reviewers say they also use the squeezers for tubes of medication.
Get a pack of four from Amazon Canada for $29.51.
16. A pack of lightning cables, so everyone at home will always have a backup. These are nylon braided, extra long, and designed to have a 90-degree angle at the end, so you won't end up bending them and loosening any internal circuits.
17. Some stainless steel scourers that'll help you finally clean stuff you're this close to throwing away. They'll burnish the burnt bottoms of your pots and pans and make the grease-covered grilling racks in your oven gleam again.
They're soft and stretchy, so they won't hurt your hands. I love using them to clean stubborn burnt food off my stainless steel pans. Reviewers say they're a must-have for any kitchen.
Get a pack of 12 from Amazon Canada for $16.99.
18. A first aid kit that has alcohol wipes, ice packs, gauze bandages, burn gel, sting relief pads, and everything else you'll need at home for a minor emergency. It even has some emergency survival items and everything is FDA-approved.
Reviewers love how comprehensive the kit is for its compact size and low price.
Get it from Amazon Canada for $36.99.
19. A bag of whole milk powder, so you have a backup for when your fresh milk runs out or spoils. Just dissolve three tablespoons of it in a glass of water and bam! You’ll get a glass of milk. I always keep some on hand for cooking, baking, making beverages, and late-night pancake cravings.
20. A thawing tray for when you forget to leave frozen meat out to defrost for dinner. Simply fill the lower compartment of the tray with boiling water and leave the meat on top. In 30 minutes to an hour, your chicken, fish, pork, or beef will be thawed and ready to cook.
21. A bestselling insect killing spray, because summertime is here and bugs are having the time of their lives. It'll take care care ants, wasps, flies, centipedes, mosquitoes, and a variety of other common creepy crawlies, so you and your family can enjoy the season in peace.
It can be used effectively both indoors and outdoors. Reviewers love that it also works on spiders and say it's great for keeping your patio or balcony bug free. This is not an insect repellant, so please don't use it on your body.
Get it from Amazon Canada for $7.47.
22. A small, but powerful air circulator that’ll keep you cool when your AC just isn’t cutting it, or when you want to work from your balcony, but it’s too humid out. It’s super portable and designed to be quiet, so it won’t disturb your sleep.
23. And lastly, a prickly tool that'll help remove all the hair that has clogged your shower drain, so you don’t have to pay a bunch of money to a plumber to fix it. Clean it afterwards and it's ready to reuse!
In this house, we fix things ourselves.
