Featured
Do Cockroaches Play Dead
I tested whether cockroaches play dead in 3 Brooklyn rentals over 2 months. Here are the 4 tests, the 3 triggers that cause the freeze, and the 1 species that does it most.
Simple kitchen and bathroom fixes anyone can do. No plumber needed.
115 articles
16,330 reads
Find Your Fix by Symptom
Most renter repairs fall into 4 categories. Pick yours to see only what matters.
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General 15 min
Do Cockroaches Play Dead
I tested whether cockroaches play dead in 3 Brooklyn rentals over 2 months. Here are the 4 tests, the 3 triggers that cause the freeze, and the 1 species that does it most.
< ¥1 Fix it → -
General 25 min
Does Pine Sol Keep Mice Away: 4 Tests, 2 Months, 1 Answer
I tested pine sol as a mice repellent in 2 Brooklyn rentals for 2 months. Here are the 4 tests, the 1 dilution that worked, and the 2 surfaces where pine sol did nothing.
< ¥1 Fix it → -
General 25 min
What Does Mice Pee Smell Like
I smelled something musty in my Brooklyn rental for 4 months before I figured out what does mice pee smell like. Here are the 4 smells by location, and the 1 fix that costs $0.
< ¥1 Fix it → -
General 30 min
Insects in House Walls: 4 Sounds, 3 Causes, 1 to Act On
I lived with insects in my house walls for 18 months across 3 rentals. Here are the 4 noises I heard, the 3 real causes, and the 1 sound that costs $0 to fix.
< ¥1 Fix it → -
General 30 min
I Found One Bed Bug but No Others: 5 Steps Before Panic
I found one bed bug on my Brooklyn pillow at 11 p.m. on a Tuesday. Here are the 5 checks I ran that night, and the 1 mistake that costs most renters $400.
< ¥1 Fix it → -
General 30 min
Do Cockroaches Eat Bed Bugs: 4 Renter Cases in Brooklyn
I asked 4 neighbors in 3 Brooklyn rentals whether cockroaches eat bed bugs. Here is what actually happens in old buildings, and why one extra cockroach will not save your deposit.
< ¥1 Fix it → -
General 120 min
Door Seal for Sliding Door: The 4-Step Renter's Fix
I felt a draft at 11 PM in November and the gas bill was 187. The foam seal on my 1962 sliding door had failed. I called the company that made the door and bought the right seal.
< ¥1 Fix it → -
General 120 min
Bifold Closet Door Track: How to Fix Without Calling the Super
My cat knocked the bifold track off the wall at 2 AM. The super had used the wrong screws in 2014. I bought toggle bolts and a level and fixed it in 2 hours.
< ¥1 Fix it → -
General 127 min
How to Pick a Double Door Patio Door for a Rental
I ordered a patio door three inches too wide for my Brooklyn rental. The mistake cost $340 and 9 days. Here is how to pick a door a renter can afford to lose from the deposit.
< ¥2 Fix it → -
General 60 min
How to Remove a Stain From a Sofa in 24 Hours
Sara called at 9:47 PM with red wine sinking into her cream sofa. I drove to Park Slope in 14 minutes. The hour-by-hour timeline, the 4 stain types, the 5 things in your kitchen.
< ¥1 Fix it → -
General 120 min
How to Clean Fireplace Brick in a Rental
I cleaned my 1920s Cambridge triple-decker fireplace with vinegar first. Soot became a permanent chalky white stain in 15 minutes. Here are the 4 products I tested, in order.
< ¥1 Fix it → -
General 8 min
How to Write a Noise Complaint Letter to Your Neighbor: 3 Templates
How to write a noise complaint letter to your neighbor without starting a feud: 3 templates by severity and the paper trail that wins with management.
< ¥1 Fix it →
Featured
Does Pine Sol Keep Mice Away: 4 Tests, 2 Months, 1 Answer
I tested pine sol as a mice repellent in 2 Brooklyn rentals for 2 months. Here are the 4 tests, the 1 dilution that worked, and the 2 surfaces where pine sol did nothing.
What Does Mice Pee Smell Like
I smelled something musty in my Brooklyn rental for 4 months before I figured out what does mice pee smell like. Here are the 4 smells by location, and the 1 fix that costs $0.
Insects in House Walls: 4 Sounds, 3 Causes, 1 to Act On
I lived with insects in my house walls for 18 months across 3 rentals. Here are the 4 noises I heard, the 3 real causes, and the 1 sound that costs $0 to fix.
Featured
I Found One Bed Bug but No Others: 5 Steps Before Panic
I found one bed bug on my Brooklyn pillow at 11 p.m. on a Tuesday. Here are the 5 checks I ran that night, and the 1 mistake that costs most renters $400.
Do Cockroaches Eat Bed Bugs: 4 Renter Cases in Brooklyn
I asked 4 neighbors in 3 Brooklyn rentals whether cockroaches eat bed bugs. Here is what actually happens in old buildings, and why one extra cockroach will not save your deposit.
Door Seal for Sliding Door: The 4-Step Renter's Fix
I felt a draft at 11 PM in November and the gas bill was 187. The foam seal on my 1962 sliding door had failed. I called the company that made the door and bought the right seal.
Featured
Bifold Closet Door Track: How to Fix Without Calling the Super
My cat knocked the bifold track off the wall at 2 AM. The super had used the wrong screws in 2014. I bought toggle bolts and a level and fixed it in 2 hours.
How to Pick a Double Door Patio Door for a Rental
I ordered a patio door three inches too wide for my Brooklyn rental. The mistake cost $340 and 9 days. Here is how to pick a door a renter can afford to lose from the deposit.
How to Remove a Stain From a Sofa in 24 Hours
Sara called at 9:47 PM with red wine sinking into her cream sofa. I drove to Park Slope in 14 minutes. The hour-by-hour timeline, the 4 stain types, the 5 things in your kitchen.
Featured
How to Clean Fireplace Brick in a Rental
I cleaned my 1920s Cambridge triple-decker fireplace with vinegar first. Soot became a permanent chalky white stain in 15 minutes. Here are the 4 products I tested, in order.
Featured
How to Write a Noise Complaint Letter to Your Neighbor: 3 Templates
How to write a noise complaint letter to your neighbor without starting a feud: 3 templates by severity and the paper trail that wins with management.