How times have changed

...And How They Have Stayed the Same!

I recently obtained a reprint of a book, originally printed in 1924. The book is Labour-Saving Hints and Ideas For the Home*. The Hints and Ideas in the book were chosen from 30,000 entries submitted to The Good Housewife Competition.

I will share some of these with you. Some are still good ideas, others are definitely outdated. In some cases I will provide a modern day usage or alternative to use instead.

• Try sweeping the stairs with a paint brush instead of an ordinary dusting brush, and note the difference. A soft, medium sized paint brush gets into corners and between rails better than any other.
* Vacuum cleaners with hose attachments or hand held vacs.
* Sweeping away cleaning worries Just to see how far cleaning has come in 80 years.
* Paint brushes are also suggested for dusting books, book shelves and knick knacks.

• Copper kettles or other utensils that have been dulled or blackened by contact with the fire are easily cleaned by a lemon cut in half, dipped in salt, and rubbed over the surface of the metal, which must be washed afterwards with water to prevent the acid eating into it.

• To clean a burnt aluminium saucepan, pour some water into the pot, and add an onion. Set it on to boil, and very soon all the burnt matter will loosen and rise to the top, leaving the saucepan clean and bright again.
* Cleaning aluminum Pans You can clean aluminum pans by combining 1/4 cup each of cream of tartar and baking soda, and 1/4 cup of vinegar to make a paste, then stir in 2 tablespoons of powdered laundry detergent. Rub it into your pan and scour with a plastic scrubber. (Be sure to never use bleach or ammonia on aluminum as it will cause discoloration.)
To restore color and shine to an aluminum pan, boil some apple peels for a few minutes, then rinse and dry.

• Useful clothes dryer - get an old sunshade or umbrella, strip off cover, enamel white, and hang the handle on a hook in the ceiling, over your cooker or range, and you have a splendid drier or airer, which will hold a large quantity of collars, handkerchiefs and small things on various wires and points, taking up very little space. It can be closed when not in use.
* Drying racks, clothes airers, Easy Drying Clothes Hanger, Garage Door Clothes Dryer, and retractable clothes lines.

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