Frugal Home Improvement: Make Your Doorknobs Glow

by Mary Ann Romans | More from this Blogger

08 Dec 2006 12:52 PM

Did you know that there is one easy-to-use tool that can quickly and easily make all of the hardware in your house glow with that holiday shine? Chances are you probably have this tool in your home somewhere. Shining up your doorknobs, outdoor locks, house numbers and other types of household hardware is such an easy project, but the results make such a difference in your home.

I've lived in our present home for more than six years now, and my husband has been here for almost nine years. In living here and keeping up with the day to day, we tend to take the house as is. We've gotten used to things, from the creaky door to mismatched bath towels. Things are the way they are, and we have lived here long enough that we just don't normally see things that could be easily improved.

The doorknobs in our 50-year-old home are a good example of taking things for granted. They have been here since the house was built. They function well and have never needed to be replaced. Why spend money on replacing something that has a proven track record of working well? But 50 years of hands, from ones covered in pine sap to ones covered in jelly, the doorknobs have gotten very dull and tarnished. They are really quite ugly.

At first I thought I might buy one of those expensive products that promise to de-tarnish. But expense is the key word for someone trying to save money and live frugally. Plus, those products tend to be messy, and with three young children, I need to eliminate mess as much as possible. I also wanted a way to take the project piecemeal, doing one doorknob at a time, in between school drop offs and pick ups, during nap time, etc.

I found the solution in my husband's toolbox. Do you know what a dremel is? It is a little handheld rotary tool that has a head that spins very fast. It can be cordless or corded. Different attachments can be fit on the head of the tool that allow it to be used for different functions. It is often used for small scale grinding, polishing, drilling or even cutting small pipes.

One of the standard attachments with the dremel is usually a small brush. And it happens that this brush is great at polishing doorknobs! In just a few moments, my first doorknob went from a brownish-gray to shiny gold. I couldn't believe the difference. All of my doorknobs and locks now glow, and it definitely makes the house look cleaner and brighter.

If you don't happen to have a dremel, chances are that you know someone who does, a brother, father, neighbor that will let you borrow one.

Three tips for using a dremel:

• There is no need to exert a lot of pressure. Let the tool do the work.
• Hold the dremel with two hand until you are used to using it.
• The dremel is designed so that higher speeds are the most effective.

I got such great and free results, that I just may have to raid the toolbox again to see what other tools can be put to good use. Does anyone have any suggestions for easy and frugal home improvement?

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Learn more about Mary Ann Romans

Mary Ann Romans is a freelance writer, wife and mother of three children. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, the kids and a 16-pound cat.

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