Bad design?

We resorted to white spirit on the board and it took the surface off.

But....I don't think we should have to be trying to find ways of getting the stuff off - it should not be on there in the first place! Manufacturers should label stuff in a way that makes it easy to remove.

Sometimes white spirit works, sometimes meths.

I've had the same problem, mainly with Wilko stuff - I complained twice and got a £5 voucher each time!

You can buy 'sticky stuff' remover - or turps works just as well - but of course they both smell vile!

And another thing.........who invented the glue that sticks labels to articles you buy? - especially plastic things like washing up bowls - you cannot get the blooming label off! My bro bought me a lovely teak bread board, but it had a fairly large label on it telling you who made it and what a wonderful board it is - but no amount of soaking, scrubbing etc. would remove the sticky gunk that held the label on and the board is ruined.

Put the handle of a wooden spoon through the ring and across the lid, and lever it up holding it so that the lid splits on the side away from you (maybe this needs a diagram!) This saves hurting your fingers on the edge of the ring too. I find I just don't have enough power to open them when the edge of the ring is cutting into my hand.

I open cans of sardines etc. while holding the tin down firmly on a wadge of kitchen paper. You still have to be very careful pulling the last bit, though...

Done it again! Sorry!

gracesmum - open your ring-pull cans over the sink and hold them at arm's length. They are spiteful things!

gracesmum - open your ring-pull cans over the sink and hold them at arm's length. They are spiteful things!

Mr electric can and jar openers are magic. The can opeNer is the one that turns toupees round!

I have Jacuzzi taps which are perfectly round so you can't turn them with wet hands. Very pretty in a show home, useless in practice. Also, I have just been called to the washing machine by my husband asking if the conditioner compartment should be full of water. And black gunk. No it shouldn't but the design is so awful that it always is.

Don't get me started on self-service checkouts! Nine times out of ten, they don't work. You can't buy booze - or scissors! Or newspapers if there's a free DVD, or paracetamol, without getting authorisation from an assistant and it is rare that an assistant is at hand. The machine rejects your own bag and is quite incapable of recognising items you've just zapped ( unexpected item in the bagging area). And if they start to work properly lots of part-time low-paid (mainly) women workers will lose their jobs .

Handy if you realise on your way out of the shop that you've forgotten just one item, though. Saves queueing.

Not quite "bad design" more like a huge hate - I really detest supermarket self-service checkouts and now they are beginning to appear in Boots and M&S. They are an abomination

Youngest granddaughter has a sippy cup that has the plastic cover to seal the spout when travelling INSIDE the lid!

Sippy cups - oh how I hate them, I too have great problems getting the lids off.
My pet hate is cucumbers with plastic wrapping.
Nice tip about the messy jugs bags - thank you

This so funny, all the stuff listed has given me probs as well, glad I'm not the only one. Lilygran sippy cups - have to ask older GD to undo those. Ella46 thanks for the tip I don't have an electric can opener but it can go on 'the list'.

Vacuum packed salmo and mackerel fillets where the plastic is moulded so close to the fish and the tray it won't come off....not good when you are starving enough to eat the plastic.....

I help out sometimes at a mother and toddler session. The sippy cups with lids defeat me, both getting them on and getting them off. Juice all down the T shirt.

And don't get me started on childproof pill containers - Granny proof more like!

And ideally, designed by somebody who might be expected to use it!

Ring pull cans invariably shower me (usually with tomato soup on a new white T shirt) likewise the peel off lid on yogurt pots and I use nutcrackers to open most screwtop caps.
As to bathroom design, a friend has a very chic bathroom with a square flat-bottomed basin. I always feel very embarrassed when I stay as I find it impossible to swill any water round it after brushing teeth etc.
And as for belfast sinks - I have had one in my utility room for years and simply cannot see the appeal, cleaning the bottom is a major job (Stomps off in cloud of righteous indignation!)
The basis of good design has to be twofold - pleasing to the eye and PRACTICAL in use.

dorset I find that my electric can opener works on corned beef,and spam tins. It goes round the corners quite well.
Hope that helps

My dogs love sardines but I hate opening the tins. No matter how careful I am I always end up with a huge dollop of oil on my T shirt. Uggh!