A motley collection of ideas
Useful tweaks, repairs, and odd inventions for everyday life.
Mushroom foraging has its small but very important essentials, and one of the most important of these is a good basket. In this article, I present a practical, lightweight solution. Mushroom picking is one of my passions. Without sounding immodest, I can say that I know mushrooms quite well. I learned a great deal from … Read more
Used books do not need sterilizing, but they do need sensible handling. Since the COVID years, no shortage of dubious “disinfection” methods has appeared, from alcohol sprays to ozone generators—many of them more dangerous to paper than to microbes. In practice, the only truly serious risk is not infection, but the chance of bringing home … Read more
The DP–2 digital intercom indoor units are widely used. They are compatible with the Codefon intercom systems commonly found in Hungary, and their circuitry is completely identical to the Codefon EVK apartment handset. On some versions, an external doorbell button can also be connected, and there is an option for an external loudspeaker output, which … Read more
This device was sold in Hungary by ALDI and eMAG, among others, for €8–9, but I have also seen it in foreign online stores priced between €10 and €25. It is a Peltier-element dehumidifier, which in principle removes water from the air by cooling it so that the moisture condenses and drips into the tank. … Read more
Different types of tea release their flavor compounds at different rates: delicate green teas reach their peak after about 3 minutes, while robust black teas often need closer to 5, and strong herbal infusions may benefit from the full 7. Steeping too briefly can leave the flavor underdeveloped, while leaving the leaves in too long … Read more
Who hasn’t come across that moment when a formerly leather-like, silky-smooth coating on your stuff suddenly turns sticky? If it’s just a ballpoint pen that ends up in the trash because it’s gooey, you shrug it off. But when the kitchen knife holder sticks to the tiles—or worse, your e-book reader or an expensive studio … Read more
This mixer did not fall victim to a teardown — it was repaired. The pictures show how it can be disassembled (not easy, but not impossible either). It was still manufactured at a time when the possibility was considered that someone might actually want to repair it. As can be seen in the pictures, the … Read more
Back in early 2020, the media was buzzing with what we could call the E10 panic. Article after article warned that “the new fuel will ruin your ride.” For some reason, people seem to love being scared—apparently Hitchcock just doesn’t cut it anymore, and EU bureaucrats are now scarier than The Birds. Under the Kyoto … Read more
The mildew stain is very ugly and does not come out of the clothes when washed. But things can be saved if you know how to do it!No need to throw away clothes with mould stains! Small mould stains can be removed at home, but if you have larger, stubborn stains, it’s worth going to a dry-cleaning specialist (if you can find one who still knows how). Be careful with the practices that are circulating on various gossip sites! The use of strong detergents in particular can easily lead to completely ruining an otherwise salvageable garment. And if the mould fungus has really got into the fibres of the cloth, there is no other way to help but with vinegar scissors…
My better half has a weakness for weather stations, and she especially likes this old piece. It’s not particularly smart, not particularly pretty, but it has a “frog”, which makes up for everything. It’s a cheap LIDL model — even the first one we bought didn’t pick up the signal from the external sensor. They replaced … Read more