How reliable is information posted on social media? This varies as with any other form of communication. However, sometimes the information presented veers from the amusing to the dangerous. This is the case with home improvements, as a recent survey reveals. It appears that this is especially the case with renters.
Toolstation’s analysis of the do-it-yourself ‘DIY’ side of TikTok has revealed the worst, most damaging hacks that aim to provide quick and cheap DIY solutions for small fixes around the home.
Many of these fixes are colloquially referred to as ‘hacks’. This is a variant of the variety of techniques that are used to compromise or gain access to a digital system
They showed these hacks to over 100 trade professionals who have revealed that it would end up costing a person more through damage alone, and end up getting the individual in trouble with their landlord.
The most interesting (and problematic) hacks are, presented alongside professional interpretations by tradespeople (collated by
| TikTok DIY Hack | Damage this would cause |
| Placing an epoxy ball into a pipe to stop a water leak. | Plumbing & Heating Engineer: ‘I feel that will not work and for the UK you will be contaminating the water supply as you have introduced a foreign body into the water supply. I think you would need to re-check your Water Regulations.’ |
| A way of putting up wallpaper using tape in ladder formations, so the wallpaper sticks to the tape | Decorator: ‘If it is a rental and you can’t decorate, the painters tape and double sided tape will leave ladder marks. The longer it is left up, the worse it will be. It is not a hack I would use. I would go back to the landlord and ask permission to paper a feature wall.’ Decorator: ‘You could still damage the wall removing the masking tape.’ |
| Using honey to stick a pad to your sander | Bespoke furniture maker: ‘This is a short-term fix that will result in clogging of your sander, for something that can easily be solved by replacing the hook and loop pad or using a pad saver in the first place. |
| Dangerously removing a flow restrictor from a showerhead to increase the water pressure of the shower. | Plumber: ‘Could break shower head.’ Plumber: ‘Insafe drilling practice, plus voiding any warranty on the part.’ |
| DIY Flower Wall | Decorator: ‘Poking scissors through poly backing may damage the door. Putting hot glue into those holes may then stick to the door!’ Decorator: ‘The styrofoam was badly patched together, then poking the scissors through with it attached meant the door underneath would be damaged.’ |
| DIY Bleeding Radiators Hack | Plumber: ‘Fortunate the water was clean. High chance of spillage onto the unprotected carpet. Doesn’t show that you need to turn off the radiator valves before loosening the connection.’ |
Among the biggest risks is anything handling gas. Anything involving gas work should be left until it can be safely and legally done by a registered engineer.
