5 Easy Fixes to Annoying House Problems

At any given time, there might be a handful of nagging problems around the house that demand attention. Perhaps it’s the lone house fly named Buzz that won’t leave your side. Or maybe it’s the front door that’s squeakier than a haunted house.

In the interest of keeping your home running smoothly (and fly-free), here are some quick fixes featuring products you might already have at home.

The problem: you’ve got a squeaky door (bad Feng Shui!). The solution: spritz the hinge with WD-40. Might be no secret, but WD-40 is an excellent lubricant that cures the squeak, and also lasts a long time after spraying. If you’ve got a noisy cabinet, front door, laundry door, any kind of door, spray directly onto the hinges, wipe any excess, and delight in the lack of squeak. Don’t have any WD-40 at home? Coconut oil works great too!

The problem: your duvet keeps bunching up inside your duvet cover. The solution: tie your duvet cover to your comforter. Until embarrassingly recently, I didn’t realize those little dangly ties within the duvet cover serve a purpose: they prevent your comforter from sliding around inside! Tie them directly to the loops attached to your comforter and delight in your fluffy duvet that’s got you fully covered.

The problem: you own more single socks than pairs. The solution: use a mesh bag in the wash. I’ve accumulated many single socks in my day, and it’s always a bummer when you never recover their sole mate. Until I successfully locate the little elf stealing my socks, I’m going with this mesh bag. Since washing (and drying) my socks this way, I’ve lost *significantly* fewer socks to the laundry elf.

The problem: your mugs are coffee/tea stain central. The solution: swipe ‘em with a magic eraser. Simply apply a slightly damp magic eraser to the inside of your stained mug, and it will flawlessly dissolve those Earl Grey tea stains of yore. Just make sure to wash mugs after afterwards to remove any magic eraser residue.

The problem: your stainless steel appliances are routinely streaky. The solution: spritz with rubbing alcohol. The best stainless steel cleaner in the game is something you probably already have in your medicine cabinet: rubbing alcohol. Simply combine equal parts RA and water in an empty spray bottle, and wipe down the surface with a microfiber cloth. This method never fails to make my kitchen look pristine and sparkly.

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