Girls Guide to Home Improvement and Getting Back Your Deposit

Did I tell you what happened last weekend?  I live in the cutest spacious 1940's duplex bungalow on the Westside of Los Angeles.  The good news is the weather is usually lovely so the lack of heaters, ac, solid doors and weather stripping is usually not a big deal.  But last week while taking the last jug of liquor out of the liquor cabinet the oven hood fell down.  The landlord called a nice man who tackled the job(it was, like most of the apartments upgrades, jeri-rigged the first time around).

My four years have given me a chance to play with general home repairs.  I've fixed the motors in washing machines(easy), blown an electric fuse(also easy) and done a lot of stuff in between.

Doors: http://www.prettyhandygirl.com/2011/04/fixing-common-door-problems.html
Best tutorial I've ever found.  This door tutorial has allowed me to flow with the weather and the settling.  I plan to later adjust the screws in the hinges of the BFs house to fine tune the alignment and further win his heart.   

When The Washing Machine Eats Your Sash: This guy is no nonsense.  My agitator doesn't fit as tight as it should and it eats sashes.  I never usually do the hotwater thing or remove magnet. 

Soap scum in you tub: Barkeepers Friend it's a mild acid that cuts through that dead skin and soap like butter.  It's a bit drying on hands, so wear gloves if available.

Snake Your Toilet Like a Pro: If you have a clog within a 6 ft radius of your line, this toilet auger thing can save your day.  I bought it and though the clog ended up being near the main, it was still a fun toy to play with.  It's like fishing in your toilet.

Simple(somewhat effective) sound proofing: My neighbor and I share a bathroom wall.  Actually it's worst than that.  There is a 5'X5' bit of dead space that makes a sound amplifier between us.  She is an older Asian woman who believes coughing is either an Olympic sport or passionate hobby.  Using this removable chaulk on the shared windows helped a lot.  Moisture isn't a big issue as the fan is good and the apartment bathroom has sliding pocket doors that allow it to dehumidify very quickly.  It should be noted that this stuff SMELLS like gasoline and nailpolish remover for a good day after application.  This makes stealthy application IMPOSSIBLE.

Red Hair Dye Cleanup: Clorox pens, Clorox pens, Clorox pens.  Works great on grout, white doors and my painted walls.  May not work so well on your stuff, but it's my experience.