There are many reasons why cures won't change anything:
1. Inaccurate reading of the facing direction
2. Not placing cures in exactly the right spot (some practitioners narrow it down to 1 degree on the compass)
3. Not placing the cures on an auspicious date
4. Misunderstanding what cure, if any, is needed
5. A feng shui situation that cannot be cured
I know that you get the impression for books that the correct item placed somewhere will turn your life around, but it simply isn't true most of the time.
Sorry