DIY and repair tricks that make your home feel good as new 

Grout got a little dull, showers lost their sparkle, and scuffs started showing on the walls where I had been careless bringing my bike through the house.

This was devastating, of course, because nothing beats the perfect freshness of a newly built home but after a few years, it’s normal to start seeing some wear and tear.

We speak a lot about spring cleaning, but I’m here to make a case for “spring repairing”.

Here are some easy repairs I tried recently to refresh my home and bring back that just-moved-in feeling.

WALLS

Small cracks and scuff marks are normal in all homes, and to those of us living there day-to-day, they almost become invisible.

I really only notice them when I come home after having been away for a while.

Recently I decided to tackle them and I’m in love with the results — and it didn’t take much effort at all.

If you have some cracks in your paint, the first thing to do is to make sure you have paint — the exact same paint as what is on your existing walls, otherwise you’ll have to re-do the entire wall.

You may need a scraper to scrape away any loose bits of paint or plaster — a butter knife will do if there are minimal loose bits, or you may have none at all, in which case you can skip this step.

Next, you’ll need a small piece of very light sandpaper — in my case, I used a Magic Eraser sponge (available in most hardware shops), to lightly smooth the edges of the crack.

If it’s a very small, shallow crack then you may be able to just paint directly over it at this point and that will be sufficient.

For deeper or wider cracks, you’ll need to use putty (I use Polyfilla) to repair them.

Smooth the putty with a scraper and sand lightly once dry so that the wall is even, then apply primer and a coat or two of paint.

If your existing paint is years old, the new paint might appear to be a different colour — this is because all paint slightly dulls over the years. Check the new paint on a small out-of-sight spot first. If the difference is too obvious, you may need to repaint the entire wall.

GROUT

Cracks and missing grout between tiles can not only look shabby but could lead to water damage.

Luckily repairing grout is not difficult and requires minimal equipment — namely grout plus grout seal, a scraper, a small bucket, a grout floater, and a sponge or cloth.

The steps are very similar to repairing cracks in your walls.

First check that you have the right colour grout (there are far less colour options here; most are white!), and then you’ll need your trusty scraper to remove any loose bits.

Next, you’ll need to mix up a small batch of grout according to the instructions on the packet.

Use the grout float to apply the grout, push it into the gap, and smooth it over — I actually used a squeegee that I had in the car, and this worked fine for a small area. Wipe away any excess with a damp sponge or cloth and leave to dry.

Once dry you’ll notice a powdery residue — this is normal, just wipe it away with a cloth.

If your tiles are in a wet or a heavy traffic area, it’s a good idea to finish with a grout seal — I used a spray one which was super simple to apply.

SHOWERS

There may be some cracked or peeling sealant around your shower or bathtub — in my case, some mould had started to grow and I wanted to remove those dark spots and prevent water damage.

Again, you will need a scraper, although I actually found it easier to use an old butter knife here plus a retractable Stanley knife for the very stubborn bits.

Scraping away all the old sealant can be tedious but keep at it, it’s worth it! Once you have scraped it all away, clean the area and dry it thoroughly.

Next, you’ll need a sealant — I used Gorilla All Conditions Sealant Silicone because a quick Google told me it was a good one!

It comes with a nozzle, and I also opted to get a silicone gun which does make things easier if you haven’t done this before.

If you have a shaky hand, use frog tape here to mask off the borders, although I didn’t bother with this.

Start in the corners and work your way out, and then smooth the sealant.

I put on a rubber glove — a surgical one, not a kitchen one — and used my finger to smooth it out by simply dragging it lightly along the sealant — but you can also opt to buy a special smoothing tool if you wish. Remove the frog tape — if you used it — and then allow to dry according to the instructions.

SCUFF MARKS

For every single scuff mark in my home, I have successfully used a Magic Eraser sponge. I don’t even want to know how these things work, I just hope they never disappear from my life.

Magic Eraser sponges are made from melamine resin — I don’t know what that is and why it’s so wonderful, but when you wet the sponge and rub it on something, all dirt and scuffs disappear.

I’ve even used them on a pair of white canvas runners to great effect. Caution: They are very mildly abrasive, so don’t rub too hard!

I use these to remove scuff marks from my walls — dampen and lightly rub until the stain (magically) disappears. I have also used them on floors but go gently here if yours are wood. They are fantastic for freshening up tiles and grout, but again be gentle if tiles are delicate.

• Got a question for Jennifer Sheahan? Email home@examiner.ie