Annam Naturals
Zero-Waste Home

Ten household fixes anyone can do this weekend

International Repair Day falls on 17 October. These ten simple repairs need basic tools and save things from the bin.

2 October 2026 · 9 min read

A hammer and screwdriver ready for a household repair

Chetanya Goel · Founder & Editor

Chetanya started Annam Naturals after two years of keeping a household waste diary. Chetanya writes about the boring, repeatable habits that hold up in a real week.

International Repair Day is held on the third Saturday of October, which is 17 October this year. The idea is simple: fix something instead of replacing it. Here are ten repairs that need little more than a screwdriver, a needle and some patience.

Advertisement

Responsive display unit — placed after the introduction

Safety first: switch off and unplug anything electrical before opening it, and leave mains wiring, gas fittings and anything you are unsure about to a professional.

The fixes

1. Sew on a button

Use double thread, sew through the holes several times, and wind the thread around the stem underneath before tying off. It takes ten minutes.

2. Mend a small tear or hole

Small holes in knitwear can be darned; tears in cotton can be closed with a simple running stitch or an iron-on patch on the inside.

3. Replace a zip pull

Broken zip pulls are sold cheaply in sets and clip on without sewing.

4. Fix a dripping tap

Most drips come from a worn washer or cartridge. Turn off the water supply under the sink, unscrew the tap head, and replace the part with a matching one from a hardware shop.

5. Unblock a drain without chemicals

Remove hair from the trap, then use a plunger or a plastic drain snake. Boiling water followed by baking soda and vinegar can help with grease in metal pipes.

6. Tighten wobbly furniture

Advertisement

In-article unit — placed mid-content

Loose chairs and tables usually need screws tightened or joints re-glued with wood glue and clamped overnight.

7. Re-sharpen kitchen knives

A whetstone or a simple pull-through sharpener brings a dull knife back. A sharp knife is also safer.

8. Revive a non-working remote

Clean the battery contacts with a cotton bud and a little alcohol. Sticky buttons often need the case opened and the rubber pad cleaned.

9. Re-glue a shoe sole

A flexible shoe adhesive, clamped overnight, fixes many peeling soles. A cobbler can do the rest cheaply.

10. Replace a phone charging cable end

Often the device is fine and the cable is the problem. Try another cable before assuming the port is broken, and clean lint from the port gently with a wooden toothpick.

A basic repair kit

  • Screwdriver set with small bits
  • Needles, thread in black and white, spare buttons
  • Wood glue and a flexible adhesive
  • Pliers and an adjustable spanner
  • Plumber's tape and a few spare tap washers

When to call someone

If a repair involves electricity beyond changing a fuse or plug, gas, or structural work, call a qualified person. Repairing still beats replacing even when you pay someone to do it.

For more of this kind of testing, the zero-waste home hub collects everything we've tried in that area.

Frequently asked

Do I need to buy anything to get started?

No. Every method here begins with what is already in your cupboards. We only recommend a purchase when something has genuinely worn out, and we say what it should cost.

How do you test the things you write about?

Minimum four weeks of ordinary household use, with notes. For anything involving energy or money we use a plug-in meter and record the readings before and after.

Are your recommendations paid for?

Never. Brands cannot buy placement. Some outbound links are affiliate links, which we mark, and they do not change what makes the list.

What if a method doesn't work in my home?

Write to us. A surprising amount of our best material comes from readers explaining why something failed in a flat, a shared house or a very cold winter.

Related

Read next