Sometimes the only thing that stands between you and a well-draining sink in your bathroom is a clump of hair tangled around the bottom of a pop-up. It is hard to believe how much hair ends up accumulating there if you don’t actually wash your hair in the sink. Nevertheless, somehow hair finds its way down the drain. Whether you brush your hair over the sink, or rinse your hands of hair gel, over time hair strands build up and obstruct water from passing through the pipe.

The hair clog may also inhibit a pop-up from closing properly when you try to fill the sink with water – water slowly drains down because the hair prevents the stopper from creating a tight seal. For this reason, it is a good idea to clean your pop-up regularly or very soon you will need plumbing skills to deal with this plumbing problem.

Consider this:

Some pop ups do not require any disassembly and can be pulled out from the top of the sink. If this is the type you have, simply pull up the pop-up and clean off the hair clog. Remember to have a garbage bag handy to discard the hair and muck. (Be prepared – it isn’t pretty.)

Prep Work:

Working under the sink is always cramped and awkward. To make more room for yourself, remove all your under-the-sink articles. (How do we accumulate so much stuff?)

Put down an old pillow or blanket to lie on it so that you can be more comfortable as you are working.

Stand a lit flashlight inside the vanity for better visibility.

The Project

1.       Locate the retaining nut under the sink.

2.       With pliers, unscrew the retaining nut and pull it back onto the pivot rod. Do not run the water after you have loosened the retaining nut of the pop-up; it will leak from the opening.

3.       Pull back the pivot rod until the pivot ball is visible. This will release the stopper. Pull out the stopper from the top of the sink and clean off the hair and muck.

4.       Reinsert the clean stopper and push the pivot rod back into its original position. You will need to catch the hole at the bottom of the stopper with the tip of the pivot rod, which can be a little tricky. Slowly twist the stopper until the hole lines up with the pivot rod. You will know you have got it when you rug on the stopper and it doesn’t come out.

5.       Tighten the retaining nut with the pliers.

6.       To be sure the pop-up is screwed in properly, close in the pop-up, fill the sink with water, release the pop-up and see if the water drips from the retaining nut. If it does, snug down the retaining nut a bit more.

Congrats! You have just given your bathroom sink a rejuvenating little repair like a pro plumber!

Is your old wall mirror not going to work with your cool new furniture-style vanity?

Sometimes referred to as a “builder mirror”, a large flat vanity mirror is almost always glued to the wall. Some mirrors have screws, clips, or clips and a track – if this is the case, there’s probably no glue you will have to contend with. The question is, how do you remove a large glued mirror without cracking it, causing substantial damage to the wall or, worse yet, yourself?

The answer:  Carefully.

Dealing with mirrors can be hazardous, but there are tricks to doing it safely and effectively. Practice safety first.

• Wear safety glasses, long sleeves, pants, closed shoes, and thick leather gloves.
• Make several vertical and horizontal stripes across the mirror with duct tape.
• Cover anything under the mirror with a packing blanket or heavy duty drop cloth.
• Work with a partner.

The Project:

1.       With a utility knife cut the seal around the mirror that may have accumulated from layers of paint. Gently wedge a putty knife behind one corner of the mirror. Now heat up the mirror with a blow dryer for several minutes (to loosen the glue).

2.       Slide piano wire behind the mirror and, working with your partner, begin sawing the wire back and forth. Reheat the mirror as you go. Little by little, you will work through the glue. Always keep one hand against the mirror for support in case it suddenly gives away.

3.       If this method is getting you no-where, you may just have to break it out. The truth is, no matter how careful you are, there’s always a chance that the mirror might break.

Look, it’s got to go, so as long as you remove it safely, never mind about those 7 years of bad luck…

For more home renovation tips and home repair ideas, check Local Handyman Magazine.

It‘s as easy as one-two-three!

Yeah, right.

We actually resent how loosely the expression is used when it comes to home improvement and luxury interior design.  But feeling helpless is never fun, especially in your own home. Something as simple as not knowing what to do as you watch there’s a problem with your plumbing or your toilet bowl overflow on the floor can be traumatizing. Without the know-how, means, or even opportunity of finding a qualified and trustworthy professional to manage a project will leave you feeling frustrated, exhausted and … helpless.

This blog will be jam packed with know-how’s, detailed projects and topics that relate to a particular part of your home. It is intended to provide you with inspiration and information you need to make your bathroom the well functioning and delightful space you want it to be.

Granted, some projects are easier than others, but often obstacles come up in the simplest of projects, making one-two-three more like one through sixty eight. We will make sure to inform you about what you can expect during the project and what to consider even before you get started.

Quick, easy and inexpensive projects, repairing at a level that requires small investments of time and money but gives a big impact, and more complex projects that require advanced skill levels – all will be covered here.

Say Hello to your new handheld shower! Say goodbye to that running toilet!

Then get out there and have a good fixing’ time!