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Top 10 Clever Fixes for Your Broken Stuff

By Miss Cellania in Home & Garden on Nov 9, 2009 at 12:09 pm


Lifehacker collected ten handy household repair secrets from around the web that may come in handy when you least expect them. For example, a tip for getting your dying hard drive to survive long enough to make the backup you should have made long ago.

If it looks like mechanical failure is the cause, and you need just a bit more data off that drive before it’s gone for good, try sticking it in the freezer until it’s good and cold, then let it reach room temperature again and give it another try. This passed-around tech geek tip works, as a last resort, because when worn-out mechanical parts fail to connect and align properly, contracting them with cold, then allowing them to expand again, can sometimes restore things to barely-working order just long enough to give you a little more time before the funeral.

You’ll also find quick fixes for stripped screw holes, broken light bulbs, and even hangovers! Link -via the Presurfer


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COMMENT
  1. Jimbo
    Nov 9th, 2009 at 8:43 pm

    Use a dishwasher to clean your keyboard. DO NOT USE THE DRY CYCLE. I could melt it.

    Allow the keyboard to dry for a could of days and plug it in. (you can rotate and shake excess water out to speed up drying time)

  2. Jimbo
    Nov 9th, 2009 at 8:52 pm

    squeaky hinges:
    All you need is a hammer, nail and lube. Close the door and you will find a small hole at the bottom of the hinge pin. Put the nail in that hole and tap with the hammer. That should loosen the hinge pin and knock it up just about a 1/4 to 1/2 of an inch. Take the claw end of the hammer and pull the hinge out of the top of the hinge. Grease or lube the hinge with OIL or Grease. Don't use WD-40 since it evaporates in a few days. Vaseline works great and last for YEARS. Shortening or cooking oil can be used if nothing else is available. Just lightly grease or oil the pin and drive it back in the hinge. TA DA!

  3. e cigarette
    Nov 9th, 2009 at 9:57 pm

    If you can't fix it Duct it. If you can't duct it **** it.

  4. Mouserz
    Nov 10th, 2009 at 12:06 pm

    I need to try the hard-drive one, mines been broken for ages.

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