Do you have ceramic tiles anywhere in your house? They're pretty great, aren't they? Tiles look good, they'e durable, and cleaning them is a snap. The only downside to them, is the grout between each tile. As fantastic as grout is for keeping tiles in place, it doesn't last forever. It wears out over time. Between drying and cracking, grout tends to crumble and fall out, causing gaps between your tiles. But small cracks don’t always mean you have to get a professional in right away, not before it's absolutely necessary.

Sugru is a mouldable glue that's totally versatile. Not only is it great for bonding things together, it can also be used to fill in gaps. Sugru sets into a strong and durable silicone rubber, so it doesn’t crumble. Plus, you can mix various Sugru colours to colour-match your existing grout, so you'll barely know it’s there. So before regrouting becomes absolutely necessary, why not try this easy repair with Sugru and save yourself a lot of hassle (and money).

Grout Works, Too

You can of course use actual grout too, if you're in super DIY mode. You can find grout at any DIY store or online.

Who doesn't love a sturdy Belfast sink in the kitchen? They combine aesthetic beauty with top-notch functionality. And whilst for some of us, porcelain sinks can be more appealing than the modern stainless-steel models, the downside is that they're prone to chips and cracks. But Sugru comes to the rescue once again.

Sugru is super easy to mould and shape. It can be smoothed out for a seamless home fix, or alternatively it can be textured to match surfaces with different finishes. Give it enough time to set and dry, and it'll turn into a waterproof and durable rubber. It's exactly what you need to fix that chipped sink in short order – and without the costly expense of total replacement.

This is one home fix you don't want to continually put on hold. A chipped sink could get worse if you don't get to it quickly. By filling in chipped areas, whether with Sugru or not, as quickly as possible, you can prolong the life of your beloved stuff.

Tips for filling in chips

Sugru works fantastically for filling chips in Belfast sinks. In fact, it works well for any type of porcelain sink. Here are a couple of brilliant tips from the brilliant DIYer @DIYwithEmma, for getting the best possible finish. First, try mixing different Sugru colours together to get the perfect shade, to match the colour of your sink. Check out our colour mixing guide here for more information.

Second, you have plenty of time to smooth out the surface of the Sugru, after you work it into the damaged area, before it starts to set. 30 minutes of time to be precise. So take advantage of it. Use your finger and some soapy water to smooth and even things out so that the material blends in with the surrounding area. You should be able to get it nearly perfect if you take your time and work at it.

Let's face it, the last thing you want is to have to fork out for a new big appliance, like a dishwasher. It's expensive, can be a hassle to install, and you'll have to throw your old one away, meaning it'll most likely end up in landfill. Not ideal. So it's a good thing that with Sugru, you can catch a small break quickly, that can prolong the life of your trusty dishwasher.

Take for example a dishwasher rack. After years of service, the plastic coating on dishwasher racks are especially prone to wear and the metal frame rusts - leaving it vulnerable to snappage. Replacing these parts can be expensive, and often the components are no longer available, hence why you would need to buy a whole new appliance!

But this is no match for Sugru. Check out this step-by-step guide on how to repair your dishwasher rack.

Unique properties

Not only is Sugru waterproof, but it's also temperature-resistant up to 180ºC (356ºF) and down to -40ºC (-40ºF) too. So it's durable enough to handle the inside of any dishwasher. But why stop there, Sugru's unique properties mean you can also use it for repairs on your other large home appliances. Next time the seal has torn in your washing machine washing machine, consider using Sugru. Or if there are cracks or missing parts in your fridge, Sugru might be just the trick.

A tear in a leather chair is not something you can just ignore, or hide behind a cushion. It's eye-catching, and not in a good way. Plus, tears in leather can get worse if left untreated. Lucky for you we've got just the thing to tackle this little problem head on.

The Complete Leather Repair Kit by Furniture Clinic gives you a fast, easy and super satisfying way to mend damaged leather like a pro. You don't need to be an expert at leather to master this stuff! The filler and glue can repair any damage, while the all-in-one leather repair colours (available in a variety of tints to match a huge spectrum of shades) will restore colour and shine. From scuffs to scratches, burns to holes, you can give your leather goods a new lease of life, and keep them going for longer.

Check out this handy step-by-step guide on how to repair your leather furniture with the Leather Repair Kit. Plus, you can totally use it for leather bags, leather shoes and leather car seats too!

Mending kits

Speaking of kits for repair, have you heard of Woolfiller? It's a fab felting kit for repairing holes in wool items, and we have it available for you to buy in a range of colours in our Sugru shop. With Woolfiller, you can catch any snags or tears in your clothes before they get worse. Find out more about Woolfiller in our Clothing Repair page, as well as some interesting clothing care tips from the founder of Woolfiller herself, Heleen Klopper.  

Our last home fix involves USB cables and chargers. We use these little life-savers so often, that the plastic sleeve that covers and protects interior wiring begins to wear. This is definitely a home fix you should get repairing right away. Otherwise they'll only get worse, and your USB cable will stop working. ☹️

But not to worry, Sugru's brilliant at repairing charger cables. Not only is it a strong, durable and flexible rubber once set, it's also electrically insulating too.

TAKE CARE: Be careful with electricity. To ensure there is no risk of electrocution, stick to small consumer electronics repairs, low current and below 24 volts. To avoid heat build-up from short circuits or damaged wires, do not repair cables where the metal is exposed, or the cable is already working intermittently.

How To Do It

As long as the wires themselves are intact, you can fix a worn cord by moulding some Sugru with your fingers to form a small sausage shape, and then pressing it flat. Next, you're going to wrap it around the cable at the sight of the damage. Pinch it together and smooth everything out. 

To achieve a smooth finish, rub the Sugru with your fingers and some soapy water. Once set, your cable will be right as rain and ready to use again. And if your cables aren't damaged, you can use Sugru to prevent any damage from happening in the first place. 'Cos chances are, it's bound to happen at some point! Stay ahead of the gain with some Sugru!

Home fixes are part of life. They really can't be avoided. The key to most home fixes is attacking the problem as soon as you recognise it. The sooner you fix broken things, the less likely those things are to get worse. Doing repairs as soon as you spot them and nipping them in the bud, is one of the universal laws of keeping your stuff in good working order.

Sugru's brilliant to have on hand for lots of household fixes that involve filling and gluing. It's a strong, flexible, and resilient mouldable glue with a whole bunch of practical uses. All you need to do is use your imagination, or take inspiration from one of the many projects that you can find on our Projects & Inspiration page. And if you find a great home fix that no one else has talked about yet, let us know. We would love to hear how you're using Sugru!