Guest Post: Simple Solutions to Life's Everyday Annoyances

Simple Solutions to Life’s Everyday Annoyances


We’ve all been there – enjoying the day one minute, and cursing our luck the next. The most irritating things always seem to happen when we have the least amount of time to deal with them, and often no clue what to do. Keep calm and carry on! Here we present a list of simple solutions to everyday annoyances so that the next time life tries to throw you a curveball, you can think back to this post and throw one right back.

A few things you should always keep on hand:
· Lemons
· Vinegar
· Peanut Butter
· Old cotton t-shirt
· Newspaper

Last night’s supper just exploded in the microwave – A dirty microwave might be an eyesore but it really isn’t as tough to clean as you might think. Combine the juice of one lemon and a couple of cups of water in a microwave safe container and microwave on high for about 3 minutes. Let things sit for another 5 minutes before opening the door – you’ll be greeted by the scent of fresh lemon and previously stuck on grime will easily wipe off. Dirty microwave no more!

Amber’s microwave after the hotdog incident

You forgot towels in the washing machine, and now they smell like crap – Musty towels are horrible. No matter how many times you wash them or what temperature water you use, the smell always seems to creep back after a few days. I had tried everything short of throwing the towels out to deal with the problem when I came across a solution that actually works – ammonia & vinegar. Throw your mildew-y laundry in the machine and wash as usual, adding equal amounts of ammonia and vinegar to the rinse cycle. Dry on the hottest setting possible or leave your towels out in the sun for at least 6 hours and things should smell as good as new.


That piece of gum from the bottom of your shoe is now stuck to the carpet – There are a few different methods that work pretty well for removing gum that has taken up residence in your carpet. The first and probably best-known involves ice; put some in a baggie, freeze the gum and chip away at it with a dull knife. The second method requires a bit more elbow grease but can be more effective; smear the spot with peanut butter and gently slide the gum off the fibers. Of course, now you’ll have to deal with a little PB in your carpet, but most people will agree that’s a bit easier to deal with. Some dish detergent and a bit of vinegar should take that right out.

The brand new mirror you just bought had the price tag stuck right in the middle, and now you can’t get the sticky stuff off – I often wonder who makes the decision to stick price tags on the glass part of a mirror, instead of on the back - it makes no sense! Luckily, these few tricks make it pretty easy to remove. Before trying anything else, grab a pencil eraser and rub away at the residue for a few minutes. This works great on some plastic surfaces but not so well on others. If this doesn’t help, heat the sticky stuff with a blow-dryer for a few minutes and then apply some baby oil. A few good rubs and you should be sticker free. If you’re STILL stuck with marks, pour some vinegar on the spot and let it sit overnight or purchase some Goo Be Gone and let it soak. These last two options might take a little more time but require the least amount of effort in the end!

You start folding your freshly dried laundry only to realize a rogue tissue got washed as well – There really isn’t a quick fix for this one, but you don’t have to sit and pick the pieces off all day long. Remove the big chunks, put the clothes back through the rinse cycle and dry as usual. Anything remaining should come right off with a few good shakes.

A perfect white circle marks the spot on your wooden dresser where last night’s tea was forgotten – Or, if you’re like me, in a rush to get out the door you ironed your shirt on a towel on the kitchen table and left full iron marks on the wood. Regardless of how they got there, those white stains come right off with an iron and an old cotton t-shirt. Set the iron to a medium heat and turn on the steam, cover the stain with the shirt and slowly rub over the spot for 15 seconds (don’t let the iron sit still or you’re in for bigger problems). Remove the shirt and viola, a stain free table.

Your fridge smells like something died inside – Smelly fridges can be an everyday annoyance or an ongoing thing. There are a couple things you can do to keep foul food smells out of your kitchen. The first thing you can do is to keep an opened box of baking soda inside the fridge, which will quickly absorb bad smells and it lasts for quite a while. If you’ve been noticing an odor for a little while now though and nothing in your fridge is to blame, the culprit might be the drip tray, located below most modern fridges. Follow these directions to remove and clean the tray, and banish that nasty smell.

No matter how many times you Windex the mirror it’s still streaky – This can be so frustrating, especially if you have guests coming over and want things to pristine. Instead of using a name brand cleaner, combine 2 parts water and 1 part vinegar in a bottle, spray on your glass and wipe off with newspaper or coffee filters. The textures of these two materials remove streaks with hardly any effort and leave your windows and mirrors squeaky clean.

I hope that the next time you’re forced to deal with any of life’s little annoyances you’ll remember these simple solutions and won’t let anything get in the way of your day!


This guest post was brought to you by Jessica from PartSelect, Appliance Parts retailer and complete online resource for the do-it-yourself repair market.