Household Hints From Old Housewives

Actually, the title of this article is a little misleading. I came across a gem of a little book at my mother’s home the other day – “500 HOUSEHOLD HINTS by 500 HOUSEWIVES”. Published in 1926, it’s a compilation of cleaning and cooking tips for the 1920s housekeeper that is a looking glass into life during the early part of the 20th century. And, rather surprisingly, some of the hints are still pertinent today.

Not that I need to know how to wash my ebony hair brush or re-use my old, starched cuffs or use glycerine and egg yolk to get grass stains out of my tennis flannels. But the real message from the book is that absolutely nothing went to waste. Even wood ashes from the fireplace were used to aid in cleaning brick floors, aluminum and tile (which was very modern at the time).  Here are a few more “hints” that you might actually be able to use. Try with care, however. These are untested :

Olive oil. Mix with salt and place on the white marks left by your hot coffe cup on polished tables. (I actually am going to try this on an old aluminum tray table. For all I know it might take the finish completely off but I’ll let you know.)

Tea. Use warm tea to take dirty marks off varnished paint or enamel. (I’m not sure what this says about the effects of tea on your stomach!)

Blood stains. To remove stains, mix a little starch to a paste and spread it on the stains. Leave for a few hours then wash. (I have an easier method that I’ve used with great success – hydrogen peroxide. Just pour it on and let it bubble the stain out. Works on old stains, too).

Washing white silk. OK, you probably don’t have white silk any more than I do but I’m going to try this tip on a white (now off-white) chiffon blouse. Add a little milk into the rinse water and, supposedly, it will keep the silk from dulling or yellowing. Can’t hurt!

Removing an unpleasant odor. One housewife suggests buring coffee grounds in a shovel for a few minutes. A more practical idea is to light a match, though neither of these solutions do more than mask the odor for a while. Still, if like me you’re allergic to all those perfumy, chemical odor eliminators, any alternative is a better option.

Moth prevention. The simplest suggestion in the book is to sprinkle epsom salts among clothing, in closets, under carpets,etc. For something that will also add a pleasant aroma, try this: 1/2 lb dried rosemary, 1/2 lb dried mint, 4oz thyme, 4oz tansy, 2 tablespoon ground cloves. Mix and scatter.

Happy housekeeping!