Rid Yourself of Life's Little Annoyances

How to bid farewell to the things you want to eliminate from your life but can’t quite figure out how. Here are the tips!!!

Coffee Breath

Unlike onion and garlic odors, which enter your lungs and bloodstream, coffee breath can usually be curtailed by simply brushing your teeth and tongue, which are where odor-causing bacteria grow. A breath mint will mask the smell but only briefly. Can’t do either of the above? Fill your mug with water and give your mouth a swish.

Stomach Growls

If you suspected you should eat, you’re correct. But don’t chew gum. Swallowing air only exacerbates the sound.

Water in Your Ear

Mixes equal parts rubbing alcohol (to dry) and white vinegar (to disinfect) in an eyedropper. Then put a few drops in the ear canal, waits 30 seconds, and drains it.

Spinach in Teeth

Get creative, fake a cough and turn away, or pretend to drop something under the table so you can scrape your teeth. No toothpick? Try an earring post, or use a piece of thread as dental floss.

A Hand Stamp

Images from a fun night out should be stamped into your memory, not onto the back of your hand. Nail-polish remover with acetone, or baby wipes for those with sensitive skin, will remove a dark stamp.

Scars

Massage a new scar for five minutes, twice a day. Applying pressure forces the body to make scar tissue that is flatter and lighter in color. Start the treatment two to three weeks after the injury has healed and scabbing is gone. Stop rubbing after a year; no more improvement can be made to a scar after that.

Cramps

When a cramp hits, usually resulting from dehydration, don’t fight your instincts. Stretch the affected area and massage in a circular motion, using mild to moderate pressure. Squeezing the area will also work if massaging is too painful.

Lingering Scent of Perfume

One too many sample spritzes and now you’re emanating a heady mixture of vanilla, patchouli, and rose. Perfume molecules that are bound to skin oil and protein can take several days to evaporate.To speed the process, scrub skin with soap, hot water, and a loofah. Wiping with a cotton pad and alcohol also works.

Cat-Urine Odor

Apply absorbent litter to the wet spot. Vacuum up the litter and scrub the area with a mixture of 3/4 cup bleach in 1 gallon water. (Spot-test rugs first in an inconspicuous place.) The bleach oxidizes smelly sulfur compounds. Follow with a paste of baking soda and water; let it dry, then vacuum.

Athlete's Foot

To treat the infection, whose symptoms include itching and peeling, keep your feet dry (moisture allows fungus to proliferate) and apply an over-the-counter antifungal cream. Sprinkling on foot powder will help reduce perspiration.