Classic Household Hints: Over 500 Old and New Tips for a Happier Home
112
Classic Household Hints: Over 500 Old and New Tips for a Happier Home
112eBook
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Overview
Return your household to the simpler times of yesteryear with this delightful guide full of time- and money-saving tips on everything from cleaning and organizing your home to buying and handling food. Even in an age of endless new household products and devices, these old-fashioned, tried-and-true methods can help any homeowner keep a cleaner, happier home.
A thoroughly researched compendium of the best American home life tips from the 1920s through the ’60s, Classic Household Hints is filled with useful information, full-color illustrations, fascinating sidebars, and quotes—providing practical help as well as fun for housekeepers and neat freaks everywhere.
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781613122532 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | ABRAMS, Inc. |
| Publication date: | 03/01/2018 |
| Sold by: | Barnes & Noble |
| Format: | eBook |
| Pages: | 112 |
| Sales rank: | 305,473 |
| File size: | 16 MB |
| Note: | This product may take a few minutes to download. |
| Age Range: | 3 Months to 18 Years |
About the Author
Read an Excerpt
CHAPTER 1
First, a word from our sponsor ...
No one who has spent any time at all reading old housekeeping manuals can doubt that we live in an age of splendors. Today, when most of us think "roughing it" means doing dishes by hand rather than in the dishwasher, it's worth remembering that our grandmothers and great-grandmothers not only had to pump the water themselves; they then had to carry it into the kitchen, heat it, and later carry the dirty water back outside to dump it. One estimate, made at the end of the nineteenth century, found that the average homemaker walked 148 miles a year carrying 36 tons of water. She also spent four hours a day tending the stove. Not cooking on it — that was a whole other project — but just feeding it the 50 pounds of wood and coal it required daily, emptying its ash box, adjusting its dampers, and rubbing it with blacking to forestall rust.
Is it any wonder these women were constantly in search of shortcuts? Of products that would clean better, faster, and with less roughening of hands?
They were remarkably resourceful. In the absence of modern detergents, paper towels, Tupperware, spray cleaners, stain-resistant fabrics, non-porous counters, refrigeration, and electricity, they managed to raise our grandparents and great-grandparents without starving or poisoning anyone. When innovations came along, they made the most of them. The first major electrical appliance, the wringer-washer of the 1930s, was quickly retrofitted to double as butter churn, ice-cream maker, and meat grinder.
CAUTION!
Because we live in an age of miracles, many of the objects in our homes are made of special materials and fibers, or have been treated with chemically engineered veneers, coatings, and applications to make them longer lasting and easier to clean. These items often require special care. Therefore, always, always, always check the manufacturer's instructions for care and cleaning, and follow them to the letter. Even if you are sure your item does not require special care, always test a small, unnoticeable spot first before proceeding.
In the course of researching this book and testing hundreds of tips, I learned to be grateful — very grateful — for ordinary miracles such as plastic containers, which unlike their wood and glass predecessors, did not have crevices where bacteria could multiply in deadly force, and would not shatter when they slipped from young fingers that had reached for them too eagerly. The bottom line is: We may mourn the passing of home milk delivery, but no one misses finding frozen milk on the doorstep on a January morning.
Of course, I did not have to test every tip I came across. Many were simply impractical by today's standards — no one would lavish as much time or effort as the tip required to salvage an item that, these days, can be purchased new for a few dollars. We no longer need to save string, darn the holes in our socks, or paint old, soiled window shades to make them as good as new.
But we do have to clean, and most of us enjoy making our homes as efficient, comfortable, and comforting as possible. In this spirit, we offer these tips, culled from the past and near-present, for your perusal.
Organization & Clutter Control
How to Clean a Room
Cleaning will be more efficient and effective if you follow these simple rules:
• HAVE A PLAN. Don't just say, "I'm going to clean." Be specific. Which room are you going to work on and what will it take to get it cleaned? Does it need just a light dusting and straightening, or will you need to scrub the floors and wash the woodwork? Having a specific list of tasks makes success more likely.
• PICK IT UP. It is almost impossible to get a cluttered room really clean, and 90 percent of your time is spent moving objects from one place to another. Start by picking up and putting away all the items that don't really belong there.
• CLEAN IT ALL. Whether you're clearing a cluttered desk or an entire room, don't stop when it's "better" or "mostly done." If you do, it will still look cluttered, and as everyone knows, clutter begets more clutter. It's better to do a thorough job on a small area than an incomplete job on a larger area.
• CLEAN TOP TO BOTTOM. Start by dusting cobwebs, ceiling fans, cornices, and cupboard tops and work downward, letting the dust fall beneath you, and ending with floors, baseboards, and rugs.
• DO ONE THING EXTRA. If you're cleaning a room, do one thing that isn't an absolute must. For example, if you're working in the bathroom, straighten the medicine cabinet one week and the linen closet the next. This way, you will never have a room that's so out of control the mere thought of cleaning it is overwhelming.
• LOAD UP. Figure out which cleaning tools and products you'll be using and carry them with you in a bucket or basket so you won't have to interrupt your cleaning by searching for them.
• LET CLEANING PRODUCTS SUPPLY THE ELBOW GREASE. When you're in high-energy cleaning mode, the tendency is to spray surfaces with cleaner and start wiping immediately. However, most household cleaners are more effective if they have a few minutes to work, so spray counters and other surfaces first, find another task to do for a few minutes, then come back and start wiping the surface.
• JUST SAY "NO" TO DISTRACTION. Monitor your answering machine while cleaning and only pick up for emergencies. And the tempting stack of magazines you'd just love to browse through before sending them to the recycling bin? Set them aside for later. Having a radio or music on can be a good energizer, but leave the TV off — the temptation to watch is just too great.
Need more storage space? First do a walkthrough of your home, noting where you have unused space and taking precise measurements. Make a plan, then go to the container store. Buying storage bins on impulse and hoping they'll fit in somewhere creates more problems than it solves, and storage comes in so many shapes and sizes these days, you can buy exactly what works for you.
Almost every home has an unused niche where a small desk can be set up. A lamp is all that need show on the surface — everything else, including stationery, stamps, pens, and even a laptop, can be stored in the desk's drawers. Having an extra desk will eliminate the clutter that accumulates on kitchen and dining-room tables when they're used as study areas.
When buying storage containers, whether for the coat closet or the refrigerator, choose square or rectangular units rather than round ones — rectangular containers are much easier to stack, are less likely to tip over, and give you more storage capacity for the space they take up. Storage in a round 14-by-6-inch hatbox: 924 cubic inches; storage in a 14-by-14-by-6-inch square box: 1,176 cubic inches.
If you live in a two-story home, keep a basket at the top and at the bottom of the stairs to drop off items that need to go to the other floor.
Buy a headset for your cordless phone and use it. You'll be surprised how many necessary little tasks — such as dusting, straightening a drawer, and folding laundry — you can get done.
Don't buy CD or DVD racks with slots — whether you arrange alphabetically or by category, you will have to shift your whole collection every time you want to make space for a new addition. And where will you put the boxed sets?
If you buy wine or liquor by the case, save the empty box with the dividers intact. It makes an ideal storage unit for Christmas ornaments wrapped in tissue, rolled-up posters and gift wrap, or fine but infrequently used crystal goblets.
Use an empty paper towel core to make next year's holiday decorating easier. Wrap holiday lights around the tube, anchoring one end to the bottom and ending with the other at the top. Next season you'll be able to "unreel" without tangles.
Plastic ice cube trays make excellent and inexpensive organizers for desks, utility drawers, and even jewelry drawers. The compartments are just the right size for paper clips, rubber bands, stamps, earrings, rings, and other small items.
Have plenty of wastebaskets, and make sure they are large enough to be useful rather than decorative. Line them with plastic bags for quick, efficient emptying that doesn't scatter dust and debris.
Whenever you buy something new, write the warranty expiration date on the instruction manual and file it away. Go through your file once a year to weed out manuals for items you no longer have.
Whenever you buy something new that will need regular replacement parts — such as a printer that will need ink cartridges or a cordless phone that will need batteries — write the model number and, if specified, the number of the part needed in a small, purse-sized notebook. It will save a lot of searching when the part is needed.
Magazines can quickly grow into large, insurmountable stacks. If you don't have time to read articles when the magazine is current, or if there are articles you want to save, tear them out and throw the rest of the magazine into the recycling bin. Create a filing system for your saved articles, such as "Decorating Ideas," "Recipes," "Crafts," "To Read," etc.
A good way to free up space is to go through your bookshelves often. You'll probably find a lot of outdated reference books that can be tossed for good, because the same information is now available on the Internet.
Designate one place for library books and videos, and keep them there, no matter what room you read or watch videos in. This will avoid frantic last-minute searches and eliminate fines for forgotten items.
If you're doing a major clean-out and know you'll be throwing out a good deal of furniture, lamps, dishes, or other items in good, usable condition, contact a charity and see what their policy is — many will come pick it up at your convenience. Don't overlook churches, community groups, and other nonprofit organizations who often hold annual sales.
Don't be a couch potato. Instead of sitting through commercials, clean during them. You'll get some exercise and salvage 20 minutes of cleaning time for every hour of commercial television. Or record your show, clean for 20 minutes, and watch it as a reward, fast-forwarding through all the commercials.
Keep a project basket in the TV room, and stock it with small, easy-to-pick-up-and-put-down tasks such as mending, correspondence, or magazines and catalogues that need to be looked at.
When you store seldom-used items away, chances are you'll forget what's in the box, so be sure to label the box with its contents.
Keep your family's most important records and phone numbers in a portable file box. If you ever have to leave due to natural disaster, etc., you'll probably have time to take the file box with you.
If you've recently reorganized your storage system, or are in the habit of tucking things away in unusual places to make the most of space, keep a computer or file-card list of reminders on what to find where. It will save you a lot of fruitless searching.
Buy a small notebook and assign a page to each person in your life to whom you give gifts. Whenever an idea comes to you, or the person mentions something they'd like, write it down. This will allow you to avoid the deadly pressure of last-minute shopping, give gifts you're excited about, and save money by taking advantage of sales and specials.
Washing & Ironing
Before putting clothes into the washer:
• Make sure items are right side out and that sleeves and pant legs aren't tangled.
• Set aside ripped items and mend first to prevent further tears.
• Check for and treat stains.
• Empty pockets and close zippers.
To keep garments from discoloring, soak in salt water for 10 minutes before you wash them, or add a dash of vinegar to the wash cycle.
Simply soaking clothes in plain water overnight will go a long way toward getting stains out.
Don't add fabric softener to the water you wash your towels in — it can diminish their absorbency. If your towels have already suffered this fate, bring them back to life by adding a cup of distilled vinegar to the rinse cycle.
If you have a hard time rinsing the suds from your hand washing, add a few tablespoons of vinegar to the first rinse.
Cotton whites will stay whiter if you launder them in cold water and add a spoonful of cream of tartar (available in the spice aisle of the grocery store) to the wash water.
If you have antique linens that are thin from use and age, add starch to the rinse water when you launder them. It will strengthen the fabric and make them look newer.
Even your washer should be washed occasionally to control soap buildup. To clean, run an empty cycle of warm water to which you have added a gallon of vinegar.
To prevent hand-washed sweaters and knitwear from stretching, place them in a colander and gently press out excess moisture before you lay them out to dry.
Save time matching up socks — keep a jar of safety pins by the washing machine and pin pairs together before they go into the wash.
A general rule for stain removal: always work from the outer edges in, toward the center of the stain. Most people instinctively start from the center, where the stain is deepest, but working this way can actually cause the stain to spread.
No spot remover on hand? A good emergency stand-in is a solution of 2 parts water to 1 part isopropyl alcohol.
Soiled collars aren't caused by dirty necks but by body oils that attract dirt. To clean them, you have to attack the oil. There are two ways to do this. Either rub some shampoo into the collar before washing, or make a paste of vinegar and baking soda, rub on, and wash as usual.
Vinegar is a must for hand washing. Add a little to your rinse water, and it will help remove suds.
Save money by replacing fabric softener with vinegar. A cup added to the rinse cycle will make fabrics soft and fresh.
Garments of lace and other delicate fabrics should be placed in a mesh bag or pillow case for washing to prevent rips and tears.
Quick Stain-Removal Guide
BLOOD: Rinse in cold water as soon as possible. Pour a little hydrogen peroxide directly onto the stain and wash immediately.
CANDLE WAX: Peel off hardened wax. Warm carbon tetrachloride by setting the bottle in a bowl of warm water. (Do
NOT heat on the stove or over a flame.) Place a towel beneath the stain and dab with the warmed carbon tetrachloride.
EGG: Soak in cold water, then wash in tepid water until the stain is completely out. Hot water will make the stain set.
GREASE: Make a paste of cornstarch and water and apply to the wrong side of the fabric. Let paste dry, then brush off.
GUM: Place item in freezer long enough for gum to become brittle. Peel off as much of the gum as possible, then apply either carbon tetrachloride or amyl acetate. This should allow you to remove remaining bits with a butter knife or your fingernail.
INK FROM A BALLPOINT PEN: Moisten a cotton ball or pad with isopropyl alcohol. Rub until the stain disappears and rinse thoroughly with tepid water.
IRON RUST MARKS: Dampen spots and rub well with cream of tartar (available in the spice aisle of the grocery store). Let stand for an hour, then wash. If some spots still remain, repeat the process.
KETCHUP: Immediately wipe as much of the ketchup away as possible, then flush with a strong concentration of water and detergent. If stains remain, work some glycerin into the fabric, then wash again with the detergent and water solution.
OIL: Dip a wedge of lime in salt, rub the area, then wash.
PAINT: Oil-based paint can be removed from cotton or silk, even if it has set. Pour a generous amount of vinegar in a saucepan and heat. While waiting for the vinegar, position the stained area of the garment over a bowl. When the vinegar reaches the boiling point, pour over the stains. The paint will dissolve without harming the cloth.
RUST: Bring water to a boil in a teakettle. Wet the spot with lemon juice and hold directly over the steam coming from the kettle.
WINE: Wine stains can be removed from linens or cotton by dipping the stained area into boiling milk. Keep the milk at a boil and keep dipping until the stain is completely gone, then rinse and wash.
Clothes will last longer and colors stay brighter if you reduce the dryer heat and dry for a longer period of time, rather than trying to dry them as fast as you can.
If you overload your dryer, clothes won't tumble properly. Not only will it take longer to dry them, but they will wrinkle more.
Removing items from the dryer before they are bone-dry will reduce static cling.
(Continues…)
Excerpted from "Classic Household Hints"
by .
Copyright © 2007 Susan Waggoner.
Excerpted by permission of Abrams Books.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
Table of Contents
FIRST, A WORD FROM OUR SPONSOR,
ORGANIZATION & CLUTTER CONTROL,
WASHING & IRONING,
WALLS, WINDOWS & DOORS,
FLOORS & FLOOR COVERINGS,
FAMILY ROOM & LIVING ROOM,
BEDROOM,
BATHROOM,
KITCHEN,
TABLE & COOKWARE,
FOOD TIPS A TO Z,
FROM THE BASEMENT TO THE GREAT OUTDOORS,
MONEY SAVERS,
MISCELLANEOUS,
INDEX OF SEARCHABLE TERMS,
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