40 Common Mistakes You Don't Realize Are Damaging Your Home

Jul 31, 2023

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Keep your home looking spic and span.

Have you ever opened your door so aggressively that the doorknob busted a hole in the wall behind it? Were you today years old when you learned you’re supposed to clean your dishwasher after every few uses? Do you sometimes shower with an inch of water at your feet because your drain is always clogged?

It’s okay — everyone’s been there. Whether you own or rent, homes require so much maintenance it’s hard to keep up. But we’ve got you covered. Here are 40 common mistakes you don’t realize might be damaging your home, and 40 easy solutions available on Amazon.

If your walls are sprinkled with tiny unsightly holes because you like rearranging your art every few months, grab this drywall repair putty to keep things looking good as new. Simply rub in circular motions over holes and cracks, remove excess with a cloth, and your walls will look better than the day you moved in. It’s water-based, requires no tools, and dries super fast.

Never live with a clogged drain again when you have stock up on these snake clog removers. The 18-inch flexible pipe features 360-degree rotation and micro hooks at the very end which attach to hair and grime to make sure it gets everything out. It works on bathroom sinks, kitchen sinks, shower drains, and bathtub drains. With over 18,500 five-star ratings, reviewers agree this “works like a charm!”

Protect your walls from doorknob-induced holes with these adhesive cushions. The 2-inch round and 0.2-inch thick bumpers are completely transparent to seamlessly blend into your wall — you won’t even realize they’re there. Plus, the peel-off adhesive back is durable and easy to install to absorb all the shock from your doorknobs and keep your walls safe from unintentional holes.

If you’re not cleaning your dryer vent at least once a year, you should start with this cleaner kit. The 31.5-inch hose and adaptors attach right to your vacuum’s hose to suck out lint from the vent and prevent dangerous build up which can lead to fires. Plus, the hose has a narrow opening, allowing it to fit into even the hardest to reach places.

Get the most out of your bacon grease — and save your drains — with this specially designed container. Complete with a lid and strainer, the stainless steel container holds up to 40 ounces of liquid, and features a small spout that easily pours onto your sautéed veggies, popcorn, eggs — you name it — to add some extra flavor. Plus, the entire thing is dishwasher safe for a super easy clean.

If your basement or bathroom gets super humid, this mini dehumidifier is exactly what you need. This mini dehumidifier works in rooms up to 225 square feet to remove 9 ounces of water from the air per day, with a 16-ounce water tank. It automatically shuts off when it’s full, so you know when to empty the tank. And, it’s totally silent so you can even use it when you’re sleeping.

Keep your counter spill-free when you have this super absorbent sink mat. The microfiber cloth guard fits perfectly around a single-fixture faucet to absorb all the excess water and leave your backsplash dry and the awkward area behind your sink clean. One reviewer raved, “It fits perfectly and saves my granite and grout from getting messy along the back of the sink and behind the tap.” Best of all, it’s 100% machine-washable.

This daily granite and stone cleaner is designed to keep your countertops shining like the top of the Chrysler Building. The residue-free formula cleans and adds a protective layer to your stone to enhance the color and patterns of your countertops for a streak-free shine. “This product makes my granite look and feel brand new! Love it,” one reviewer wrote.

If you’ve ever had a water leak you know how horrible — and costly — it is to clean and repair. That’s where this reusable alarm comes in. Just place it at the lowest spot where a leak might occur — like under your sink, next to your washing machine, near your boiler — and a loud alarm will sound if it senses even a 1/16-inch deep puddle of water.

These dishwasher tablets are so effective and easy to use that you’re going to start looking forward to cleaning your appliances. It can be used with or without dishes — just place it in the bottom of the dishwasher or in the detergent tray, respectively, then run a normal cycle and before you know it the limescale and build up in the machine, pump, valve, drain, and recirculation hoses will disappear. Your dishwasher — and dishes — will thank you!

These chair leg covers are a must-have to protect your wood or tile floors from scratches. Made of durable silicone with a felt pad bottom, the covers can simply be tucked around your furniture’s feet to reduce noise and keep your floors scuff-free. They work on square and circular furniture legs, are easy to put on, and won’t fall off like normal felt pads. Plus, they comes in three colors for a seamless match to your furniture.

A carbon monoxide alarm like this battery-powered one is a must-have to keep every household safe. It can be mounted onto a wall or placed on a table, and will flash a red light and sound a loud alarm if carbon monoxide is detected. The alarm can easily be turned off with the press of a button. Plus, because it’s AA battery operated, it can detect an issue even in a power outage.

If you have a dog or cat, you need this odor-eliminating spray. Just shake and spray onto carpet, tile, fabric furniture, turf, or concrete, and it targets deep-seated odors from their core to keep your house smelling delicious, no matter how many furry friends you’ve got walking around. With over 121,000 five-star ratings, reviewers love this stuff.

They say we spend one-third of our life sleeping, so you’re definitely going to want to protect your mattress with this waterproof protector. Whether you have a pet or child, or you like to drink your morning coffee or evening wine in bed, this will make sure your mattress is safe from all of it. It sits on the bed like a fitted sheet and can be thrown into the washing machine with your regular sheets for easy cleaning.

“THIS THING... it works wonders!” one reviewer raved about this clever hair catcher. It slips right into standard 1.5-inch drains, sitting about 0.5 inches above the hole to catch and wrap hair around the base before it gets sucked down the drain to clog, while still allowing water to flow through normally. Simply pull out and wipe off the hair when it’s full, then plop right back in to use again.

Keep your cutting boards from cracking and drying up with this food-grade mineral oil. Just apply the best-selling formula to a clean and dry cutting board, rub in until coated, and it’s good as new. Plus, it can also be applied to stainless steel, knives, marble, soapstone, and more, so your entire kitchen is restored and protected.

This pressure washer attachment has five different levels to make cleaning any surface outside your home easy. The red nozzle is super thin, great for cleaning crevices in the sidewalk or driveway; the yellow nozzle works for brick, concrete, stone and other hard surfaces; green cleans wood, fences, paint, and siding without damaging; white is for windows and screens; and black is a light mist to spray on cleaning solutions evenly before using one of the other nozzles to wash. Just attach the head to your hose or pressure washer, and it locks into place, so you can clean with power and ease.

Before you know it, you’ll be installing these cabinet bumpers all over your house. They have a self-adhesive backing that will stick to any cabinet or drawer to keep them from being closed too hard, damaging the wood, or slamming and waking up the entire house. Plus they can also be used as feet under a cutting board, table lamp, etc. to protect your surfaces from scratches.

When the flashing descale notification comes up on your coffee machine, instead of avoiding it and reaping the consequences, check out this descaling solution. With food-grade ingredients, these drops remove limescale, calcium, and grime buildup to protect and elongate the life of your machine, all while making sure you get a delicious cup of coffee every single time.

Whether you want to see exactly where your dog peed on the rug, or make sure your sheets are stain- and bed-bug-free, this blacklight flashlight is a game changer. Not only does the blacklight reveal invisible stains, but it also works to spot scorpions, counterfeit money, invisible ink, minerals, and more, in case that’s more your vibe. Plus, it’s portable and easy to hold so you can take your detective work anywhere.

Keep your gutters clean and empty with this cleaning wand so they can do their job properly. The metal pole attaches to your standard hose and extends from 40 to 70 inches to get into the tough-to-reach spots. It also features an adjustable nozzle to power wash your gutters until they’re leaf- and muck-free. “I was able to get all the leaves removed from my gutters like it states,” one reviewer wrote. “Just reached the wand up into the gutter attached to my hose and moved down the gutters. The water flow just pushed all the leaves out of the gutter on to the ground. Very easy to use.”

These adhesive hooks can be used for literally anything. Think: hanging cooking utensils from the bottom of a cabinet to save counter space, hanging towels in your bathroom for easy access, or hanging keys near the door so you always know where they are. They’re waterproof, hold up to 13 pounds each, and can rotate 90 degrees for super versatile use. Plus, they firmly adhere to tile, marble, glass, stainless steel, wood, metal, or plastic so you the possibilities are truly endless.

With over 70,000 five-star ratings, you know this carpet rake gets the job done. The pet hair remover attracts hair on carpets, wood, and linoleum, and the rubber bristles keep hair from flying around while you’re cleaning. The handle is adjustable from 36 to 60 inches, so you can work comfortably, and there is even a squeegee end to wipe up liquid pet messes from tile.

This soap scum remover uses a bleach-free formula to clean glass, tile, plastic, chrome, porcelain, and stone without leaving a streaky finish. You don’t even need to scrub — just spray onto the surface, leave for two to three minutes, rinse the sprayed area with water, and allow it to dry.

Keep your kitchen clean and your skin safe from scalding hot oils when you have this splatter screen. It comes in four sizes to fit over your favorite frying pan, and is made of stainless steel and an extra fine mesh to withstand heat and stop annoying splatter. Plus, it’s dishwasher-safe so you can focus on eating and not on cleaning.

These cleaning sponges only need water and a tough scrub to get almost any mark off your walls, leather, marble, steel, and more. Use it on the dried tomato sauce inside your microwave. Use it on the grout that’s oddly beige. Use it on the grease that’s accumulated on your cabinets. It’ll work on all of those hard-to-erase stains and more. “I use them everywhere,” one reviewer gushed. “They clean up the baseboards and also the doors where you constantly put your hands. I also use them on the walls especially by my stove to clean up splatters. They clean up the shower great too. I also use them on my wide blinds. [...] I would highly recommend buying these. They’re great!!!”

Gorilla’s best-selling silicone caulk is 100% waterproof, mold- and mildew-resistant, and won’t yellow or crack over time, so you can rest easy knowing your kitchen and bathroom will look great. Just cut the top, apply the caulk, smooth with your finger, and your bath, shower, or sink will be water-ready in 30 minutes. It seals out water, air, and moisture, and it’s available in clear and white.

This easy-to-use stud finder has five scanning modes to detect the center and the edges of studs, pipes, wires, metal, and many other things that could be hidden behind your wall. There’s an alarm that beeps progressively faster the closer you get to what you’re looking for, and the LCD display is backlit so it’s always easy to read.

Take care of stains as soon as they happen with this cult-favorite stain treater. Whether it’s juice, tomatoes, grass, ink, blood — you name it — this spray works on carpets, upholstery, clothes, shoes, and more to remove stains super quickly. Just spray, blot, rinse, and your stain is gone. Plus, its unscented formula is Safer Choice certified, meaning it’s made of biodegradable ingredients that are not harmful or toxic.

This sprinkler uses 16 clog-resistant nozzles to spray water up to 70 feet away to keep your grass hydrated and green. It attaches directly onto your garden hose with a leak-resistant seal, and can be adjusted to water the exact area you need it. It’s a simple solution that has over 22,000 five-star reviews on Amazon. “This is a life-changer (and water saver) from the old style when you never knew exactly what the range was going to be,” one reviewer raved. “I have several small areas of grass and flower beds & it is so easy to adjust & know what coverage you will get. Best of all it will oscillate with very little water pressure.”

Keep your couches, chairs, and other furniture safe from your furry friend’s vicious claws with this scratch protector. Just cut the sheets into the size you need, peel off the adhesive, stick it to any polyester, cotton, acetate, or acrylic fabric, and — there you have it! Plus, these shields are 100% transparent, so no one but your cat will even know it’s there.

This shower door seal fits snug on the bottom of a 3/8-inch frameless glass door, to make sure water stays inside the shower instead of leaking all over your bathroom floor. It’s made of hard PVC to grip the door, and soft PVC that suctions to the bottom to create a barrier. Simply cut to the correct length and slip onto your open door, so you can spend more time enjoying your shower and less time fearing the cleanup.

Say goodbye to streaky, linty, or cloudy glass when you have this microfiber glass cleaning cloth. Just add water and the two-layer cloth removes dirt and dust from your windows, mirrors, tables, stainless steel appliances, and more, without any streaks. And it has a lifespan of over 1,000 uses, so you can clean, save some money, and reduce your single-use paper products.

Get your shrubs and trees looking like the Gardens of Versailles with this trimmer that has over a 4.7-star rating on Amazon. The precision steel blade stays sharp longer to easily trim branches up to 1.5 inches thick. The low-friction coating makes it stick- and rust-resistant, and it includes shock absorbing bumpers so the end-of-cut is less jarring.

Keep your furniture stable and protect your floors from unsightly scratches with these furniture gripper pads. Each pad has a solid felt core and a non-skid rubber base, and can be cut to exactly fit the legs of your chair, table, couch, bed, TV stand — you name it. “I needed this to stop my sofa and love seat from moving wherever anyone sat down,” one reviewer wrote. “It was super easy to cut down and fit on to the legs. I secured the provided double sided tape to the top of the pad and stuck it to the bottom of leg. Once in place you have to lift the sofa to move it! I highly recommend, especially if you have wood floors!!”

This mini portable air purifier is great for allergy sufferers, city dwellers, and pet parents. It uses 360-degree VortexAir Technology to purify the air from dust, lint, pet fur, pollen, smoke particles, odors, and fumes. Plus it’s super quiet and lightweight so you can use it in your bedroom at home, or when you’re traveling, and you won’t even notice it’s there.

There are so many places you can put this ceiling light to brighten up your home: above your shower, above your front door so you don’t have to feel for light switches in the dark, under a kitchen cabinet — you name it. It has 200 lumens that will light a 17-by-17-foot area. It automatically turns on when it detects motion up to 20 feet away, and will turn off after 30 seconds of stillness. If it’s activated an average of six to nine times per day, this ceiling light has a one year lifespan before the batteries need to be changed.

Keep your rugs in place and stop the corners from curling up and potentially tripping someone with this double sided rug tape. Just peel the tape, rip it with your hands, and stick one side to the floor and the other to the rug, and the mesh-designed tape allows for a super strong hold. Plus, it works on almost all surfaces — hardwood, laminate, vinyl, tiles, concrete, and more.

Just slide this stove cover over an even surface to immediately add more counter space to your kitchen while protecting your electric stove from scratches and cracking. The top side is super easy to clean in the dishwasher and can be used as a trivet as it withstands up to 400 degrees, while the bottom side is made of a non-slip rubber to keep everything in place. “It's great,” one reviewer raved. “Bought this to protect the glass top stove from scratches. Cats tend to want to get on the stove and I always worry about their claws! This is just the right thickness and size. Rolls up easily and just stick it in drawer when not in use.”

This popular bath mat will make you look forward to that first step out of your shower. The thick memory foam cushioning is 0.75 inches thick and features a non-skid base to keep you from slipping. It dries super fast and it’s machine-washable for an easy clean. And it comes in 22 gorgeous colors and eight sizes to match your bathroom aesthetic.