diff --git a/plugin/todoer.lua b/plugin/todoer.lua
index 6558778..153b6e2 100644
--- a/plugin/todoer.lua
+++ b/plugin/todoer.lua
@@ -63,21 +63,23 @@ local function add_todo()
 		vim.api.nvim_set_current_line(line)
 		vim.api.nvim_feedkeys("A", "n", true)
 	end
-
-	-- if string.sub(line, 1, 5) ~= "- [ ] " then
-	-- 	line = "- [ ] " .. line
-	-- 	vim.api.nvim_set_current_line(line)
-	-- 	vim.api.nvim_feedkeys("A", "n", true)
-	-- end
 end
 vim.keymap.set("n", "<leader>ta", add_todo, { desc = "Add todo" })
 
 -- function that checks if the current line starts with the string "- [ ]" or "- [x]" and, if it does, removes that string from the line
 local function remove_todo()
+	local openpattern = "^%s*%- %[[ ]%]"
+	local closedpattern = "^%s*%- %[[x]%]"
 	local line = vim.api.nvim_get_current_line()
-	if string.sub(line, 1, 6) == "- [ ] " or string.sub(line, 1, 6) == "- [x] " then
-		line = string.sub(line, 7, -1)
+
+	if string.match(line, openpattern) or string.match(line, closedpattern) then
+		line = string.gsub(line, openpattern, "")
+		line = string.gsub(line, closedpattern, "")
 		vim.api.nvim_set_current_line(line)
 	end
+	-- if string.sub(line, 1, 6) == "- [ ] " or string.sub(line, 1, 6) == "- [x] " then
+	-- 	line = string.sub(line, 7, -1)
+	-- 	vim.api.nvim_set_current_line(line)
+	-- end
 end
 vim.keymap.set("n", "<leader>td", remove_todo, { desc = "Remove todo" })