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The ointment that healed my cracked mouth corners (angular cheilitis)
My mouth corners split and stung. A sticky medicated cream from Morishita Jintan stayed on and cleared it in a few days.
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Bath slippers that are not freezing in winter
Plastic bath slippers were icy on bare feet. EVA slippers (Crocs-like) stayed warm, fit well, and have not molded after a year--worth the ~1,000 yen.
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Quieting a 10-year-old washing machine with anti-vibration rubber
My 10-year-old washer started rattling and walking. Swapping the 100 yen EVA pads for real anti-vibration rubber (New Shizuka/Hanenite) made it quiet enough to run at night.
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My definitive iced coffee at home
I taste-tested sweetened bottled iced coffees sold in Japan and picked the best one for everyday use at home.
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Tackling high-pitched tinnitus--what helped me
High-pitched tinnitus (chirping, beeping) nagged my right ear for years. Mine was muscle-related (levator scapulae and straight neck); fixing posture and relaxing those muscles calmed it down.
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My child's loud snoring was adenoid hypertrophy--medicine fixed it
A sudden harsh snore led to ENT visits. The scope showed adenoid swelling but not severe--meds and nasal spray calmed it in a few weeks without surgery.
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I love the Marna fish sponge
After many kitchen sponges, I settled on Marna’s fish sponge—perfect size/firmness, great suds, cute colors, and better durability than cheap packs.
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How to reliably remove that musty damp smell from clothes
That “wet rag” odor after washing comes from leftover grime + bacteria. Heat or oxygen bleach kills it; a simple hot soak with oxygen bleach works best.
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Running A/C all day cost about ¥30—tested cool vs dehumidify
Worried about summer bills and “dry mode costs more,” I measured my small A/C for 24 hours. Both cool and dry were ~¥30/day. Notes on modes, reheat vs weak dry, and saving power.
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Understand SPF and PA to handle sunburn and UV care
Kids’ outdoor time pushed me to learn SPF/PA and UVA/UVB. The key isn’t just buying “the strongest” but using enough, reapplying, and picking numbers that match your exposure.