Help a MN'er out - random niggling life problems we need to sort out but aren't' worth their own thread.

[RobinEllacotStrike]

A supportive thread for women who have lots of shit to do. Below are some issues that pop into my head at random inconvenient times that I really need to sort out.

Things I need to sort out but I'm not quite sure about.

1. I really want to cancel my TV licence, but I'm unsure about the rules around this now. It used to be virtually impossible to do but now many are. What do I need to know?
2. My dentist has been hassling me for years to get an electric toothbrush - I had one but it rattled my brain so I got rid. A few weeks ago I gave in and bought another one - Superdrug own brand. About £40 on offer. IT CUTS MY LIP!! This cant be right? there seems to be a gap between the vibrating head and if it touches my lip it cuts me. Even if I am really careful it does this. Its this faulty? Is this a normal hazzard when using electric toothbrushes? Its probably too late for a refund but is it worth buying another one?
3. Kitchen sink is starting to be slow draining - what do I do that doesn't involve a plumber.
4. Newish tyre - dramatically lost air pressure. I topped it up thinking I had a slow leak & it seems to be fine 2 weeks later. Is it?

Let me know if you have any random issues we can support with.

Marramgrass Another Amazon product: silicone lids in various sizes and shapes. Very satisfying to use instead of clingfilm and tin foil. Chuck into the dishwasher to clean.

Try eucalyptus oil, bloody marvellous stuff.

From memory they were really good and very quick. I think I rang them and spoke to a chap there, he said send me a pic via email, he had the answer back within the same day I think, keys arrived very quickly.
If you're planning on new handles, you have to get at the screw under the handle part, which is not possible if the handle is locked, as the screw is under the locked position, if you see what I mean.
We had a lock go on our new windows and we couldn't get to the screw under the handle as it was in the downwards locked position. I watched the chap who came to fix it and asked how to get to the screw underneath, technical answer- wrench the handle really hard! If that doesn't work, hit it with a hammer. Be aware that the spindle inside might be a different size to the one you buy, the man had to go to his van and cut some off, so I'd try the key replacement first.

In the meantime, scribble all over the 'tongue' of the key with a soft pencil

This is an excellent thread and I'm noting down lots of tips!

Here's a trivial one. We have these smallish pull out bins in our kitchen. The local supermarket only sells giant bin liners (for full-size bins) or quite small compostable bin liners which are a bit too small for our bins. Problem is that no matter how I tuck the edges in, as they fill up, the bags end up falling into the bins and then rubbish/peelings escape and make the bins dirty. I've considered taping the edges of the bag to the rim, but that's a stupid hassle both to install and to remove? What, if anything, can be done?

@Kucinghitam as long as the bin bag fits around the rim ( which it looks like it does ) put a suitable size box / bubble wrap / screwed up news paper in the bin to the hight of the bottom of the bin bag , then put the bag in as normal.
Thus will support the bag and stop it falling in .
I have exactly the same issue with the bins at work so I know how annoying it is

Thank you for this. I've just done the most satisfying bit of DIY ever thanks to this.
One of my bedroom windows locked shut years ago. I found a workaround whereby you have to wiggle a pointy knife in the gap to open it again.
Now it has a brand new catch.

WE are both rubbish at DIY, DH worse than me and his answer to everything is "get someone in." Easier said than done for little jobs.

Thank you, that's such a brilliantly simply solution!

Like this,

Bacofoil do small and large elasticated bin bags. Game changer if they fit!!

I think this thread is a great idea, but it is beginning to irritate me the number of people that chip in with answers to questions that were asked on the first page, without realising that said issue was resolved within a couple of hours of the question being asked.

then you can unsub and it won't bother you?

I do have a suggestion tho, maybe tag the poster being replied to?

@whitepuffyclouds are you new to MN? What you've described is the same on every thread... til the end of time

No, I'm not new, I change my user name regularly, but I've been here over 15 years. I should know the 'cancel the cheque' scenario by now. 😂

Weekend got a little hectic & I had much fun instead of attending to DIY etc.
So no report on the window handles yet, though @isitmyturn seems to be on it!

CC cleaner

CC cleaner!!!!

Why, what is it doing on my computer when I havent installed it and went to the trouble of uninstalling it the other week and now its back. Im on a laptop, where has it come from and why wont it leave me alone.

Update on my UTI; not that anyone is probably interested. Pharmacist prescribed antibiotics 3 days - took them last Friday, Saturday, Sunday - worked like a dream, but Tuesday afternoon UTI came back with a vengeance. Doctor appt - same 3 day course of same antibiotics started today, and sample taken, if it doesn’t go away and stay away then more targeted antibiotic. Just in case anyone is going through similar. This is the first UTI I’ve ever had at my ripe old age of nearly 43 so it’s all a bit new.

I had my first UTI at the even riper age of 67! It took a course of antibiotics and quite a long time to clear up but I got there in the end. Good luck!

@SwirlyShirly much sympathy.
UTI's are miserable. I have similar issues with sinusitis as in when I get it (after a cold etc) it often gets properly embedded & won't shift until I take antibiotics. Thankfully I've learnt how to manage/prevent (blessed be the neti pot), but I'm always alert to those warning signs.

I hope this next lot of antiB's works for you & you are relieved of UTI misery asap. 💐

Have you got the paid for version on another device that can / has linked to your computer?

Stop the payments then uninstall it again.
I had this problem because we had to have it on our company tech which I occasionally linked to my personal tech.
That said it does a decent job of clearing all the crap so I didn't mind having it.

This is random:

My kids have been melting wax offcuts to make new candles. How wholesome. But EVERY BOWL AND PAN AND SURFACE is covered in wax. How can I get it off? Just remember, or scrape? Is there a special way?!?

Warm it up, wipe it off with kitchen roll. If it's on the inside of a pan/glass/etc, stick it in the oven (not too hot!) briefly and it'll melt down quickly. You can put several bowls in a roasting pan, so you won't get wax all over the inside of the oven. If it's on a hard surface like your kitchen counters, a hairdryer is effective, but be careful not to blow the melted wax all over the place!

If you have a log burner or open fire, you can use the wax-soaked kitchen roll as a good firelighter too 😎

Genius, thank you!!!!!!

Great idea about the waxy kitchen roll firelighters too!