More great vintage household tricks from the 1900s
Used to describe a clever solutions to tricky problems, the term “hack” has become popular recently. But while there may be a new term on the block, we’ve always loved clever tricks and tips especially around the house. In 1910, Gallaher's Cigarettes began slipping cards of home hacks into their boxes. Why would a cigarette company do that? Well, the extra cardboard made the boxes more durable. Although the brand of cigarette has disappeared, the tips and tricks have been preserved in a digital archive by New York Library.
Take a look about some of the clever tips from a century ago that are still as relevant today as they were all those years ago.
1. A hint when boiling potatoes
“To make potatoes dry and floury when cooked, add to water when boiling them a pinch of sugar as well as salt. When potatoes are done, water should be poured away and saucepan replaced over the fire for a short time, shaking the saucepan occasionally to ensure equal dryness of potatoes.”
2. How to cut new bread into thin slices
“The difficulty of cutting new bread into thin slices can readily be overcome by the following expedient. Plunge the bread knife into hot water and when thoroughly hot wipe quickly. It will be found that the heated knife will cut soft, yielding new bread into the thinnest slices.”
3. How to clean new boots
“New boots are sometimes very difficult to polish. A successful method is to rub the boots over with half a lemon, allow them to dry, after which they will easily polish, although occasionally it may be found necessary to repeat the application of the lemon juice.”
4. Remove ink stains on a handkerchief
“A fine linen handkerchief which has had the misfortune to become stained with ink can be restored to its original spotlessness. When the accident occurs, the handkerchief should at once be plunged into milk. After soaking for some time, it will be found that the ink stains have disappeared.”
5. How to adjust a door
“The annoyance of a door rattling in windy weather can be done away with by gluing pieces of cork, A.A., in crack between door and bending of doorway. The corks must be slightly thicker than the crack, and door should be shut on them until glue sets. The elasticity of cork holds door and effectually stops rattling noise.”
6. How to cool wine without ice
“If no ice is available for cooling wine, a good method is to wrap the bottle in flannel and place it in a crock beneath the cold water tap. Allow the water to run over it, as shown in the picture, and in about ten minutes the wine will be thoroughly cool and ready for the table.”
7. How to extract a splinter
“A splinter embedded in the hand is often very painful to extract. A good way to accomplish this is to fill a wide-mouthed bottle with hot water nearly to the brim, and press affected part of hand tightly against mouth of bottle. The suction will pull down the flesh, and steam will soon draw out the splinter.”
8. How to keep saucepan lids raised
“A useful little article for keeping the lid of a saucepan raised can be made out of an ordinary clothes peg. Drive a tack into the top part of the peg and then fix the peg over the edge of the saucepan as if it were the clothes-lines. The lid rests on the tack and is thus kept open.”
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Vintage household tricks from the 1900s
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