The Safety Hack When Using A Power Drill On The Ceiling

Drilling a hole into a ceiling with a power drill to install a pendant light or other fixture might not seem like a big task, especially if you're fluent in DIY and are used to handling odd jobs around the home. But when drilling into a ceiling, it's essential you take proper safety precautions to ensure you're not getting dust and debris in your eyes. If you're not careful and these irritants do manage to enter your eyes, they can affect your conjunctiva and cornea, leading to mild pain, irritation, and redness. Fortunately, you can solve this common problem and shield your eyes from anything falling out of your ceiling with a simple life hack using an ordinary shoebox.

In case you don't have a shoebox lying around or aren't too keen on using one, you can substitute it with another cardboard box or an old plastic container. You can even recycle a discarded plastic bottle or cup in a pinch. However, whatever you use, make sure the sides of your box, bottle, container, or cup aren't higher than your power drill's drill bit.

Before you begin drilling holes in your ceiling, gather your materials and tools: a shoebox (or another container), your power drill, and an appropriately sized drill bit to make holes in both the fifth wall and the shoebox. While this life hack will create a way to catch any dust and debris that rains down from the ceiling, you can still wear goggles as an extra precautionary measure to protect your eyes.

Once you've gathered the supplies, take the empty shoebox and using the drill bit, make a hole from the underside of the box so that the end of the drill bit is inside of the box. Next, attach the drill bit to your power drill. You can now start drilling holes in your ceiling. When drilling, hold the box tight with one hand and drill with the other. You'll see that the shoebox (or your other choice of container) will serve as a catchall and, most importantly, a barrier for your eyes.

Once you're done drilling your holes, don't remove the drill bit. Instead, take the entire shoebox over to a trash bin and turn it over to empty the contents. You can then disassemble your hacked shoebox and store it away for another time. This DIY safety hack won't just keep your eyes safe but also help you cut down on cleaning time, too. Further, you won't have to cover your furniture, floor, and other décor items to save them from the line of attack.