Cabinets are among the hardest-working pieces of furniture in any home. Whether they’re built-ins or freestanding credenzas, the constant opening and closing often results in loose screws. If you have cabinet hardware that always loosens up, no matter how often you tighten it, you could buy threadlocker to glue the fastener in place — or…
Get a Grip
Whether you’re fixing a loose screw or want to prevent hardware from wiggling, add a thin drop of clear nail polish to the screw threads before inserting the screw and tightening it into place. Similar to commercial threadlocker, nail polish acts like a light adhesive that fills the gaps between threads to lock them into place. Clear nail polish dries almost instantly and stands up to the constant vibration of opening and closing cabinets and drawers.
If you don’t have clear nail polish, you can achieve a similar result using super glue, rubber cement, or even Teflon tape. You can also opt for specialized fasteners, such as nylon insert nuts, lock washers, or safety wire to keep hardware locked in place.
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Other Household Uses for Clear Nail Polish
Clear nail polish doesn’t just belong in your manicure kit — it’s one of the most useful tools to have around the house. Beyond its use as a threadlocker alternative, clear nail polish is great for stopping runs in stockings or tights before they spread. It also works well for temporarily patching small holes in window screens or preventing cut rope from fraying. And if you’re an avid camper or building an emergency kit, you can waterproof matches by dipping the heads in clear nail polish.
