HOUSEHOLD HINTS OLD AND NEW FOR
HOUSEKEEPERS YOUNG AND OLD
To Save Confusion in the Home
“Plan your work, then work your plan.”
Monday–Wash, if you have it done in the house. If sent out, use that day for picking up and putting things in order, after the disorder of Sunday.
Tuesday–Iron.
Wednesday–Finish ironing and bake; wash kitchen floor.
Thursday, Friday–Sweep and dust, thoroughly.
Saturday–Bake, and prepare in every way possible, for the following day.
Have in or Near Your Sink
- A handle dish cloth.
- A wire dish cloth.
- A cake of scouring soap.
- A small brush for cleaning vegetables.
These articles are indispensable. Also have two cloths, which must be kept perfectly clean.
One for washing dishes.
Homemade Shortening
Do not throw away small pieces of fat from pork, lamb or steak. Put them on the stove, in a skillet or agate dish and cook them till there is nothing left, but scraps. Then pare a potato, wash clean, cut into thin slices and cook in the fat for a half hour to clarify it. Strain through a cloth. This will be good to fry doughnuts in and for all purposes, where shortening is needed, except for pie crust.
Pieces of fat, not fit for shortening can be saved in some old utensil and made into kitchen soap.
To Make Tea and Coffee
Always use freshly boiled water. Do not boil more than three or four minutes. This is very important, in making a good cup of tea or coffee. Never use water which has stood in the teakettle over night.
A Use for Left-over Coffee
Do not throw away the coffee you have left from breakfast. If you do not care for iced coffee for dinner, make a little coffee jelly, by the recipe on page 27.
Never Throw away Old Underclothes
Keep them for housecleaning, for washing windows and for washing lamp chimneys. Old pieces of calico, or flannel make good holders to use about the stove. Wash, boil and dry cleaning cloths when soiled, that they may be ready for use again.
That Leaky Hot-Water Bag
Do not throw away an old hot-water bag because it leaks. Fasten over the leak, a strong piece of adhesive plaster. Fill the bag with sand or salt and cover with flannel. It will hold heat for a long time, and can be used instead of the water bottle.
To Keep your Hands White
Keep a piece of lemon in your bathroom or kitchen. It will remove stains from the hands.
To Brown Flour
Spread flour upon a tin pie plate, put it in a hot oven, and stir constantly, after it begins to brown, until it is all colored. Keep always on hand. It is good for coloring and thickening gravies.
Lemons and Fish
To Try out Lard
If you want good sweet lard, buy from your butcher, leaf lard. Skin carefully, cut into small pieces and put it into a kettle or sauce pan. Pour in a half-cupful of water, to prevent burning, and cook slowly, until there is nothing left but scraps. Remove the scraps with a skimmer, salt it a little, and strain through a clean cloth, into tin pails. Be sure not to scorch it.
How to Keep Eggs
In the summer, when eggs are cheap, buy a sufficient number of freshly laid ones to last through the winter.
Take one part of liquid glass, and nine parts of cold water which has been boiled, and mix thoroughly.
Put the eggs into a stone crock, and pour over them this mixture, having it come an inch above the eggs. The eggs will keep six months, if they are perfectly fresh when packed and will have no taste, as when put into lime water.
Save your Old Stockings
Old stockings are fine for cleaning the range. Slip your hand into the foot and rub hard, or place an old whisk broom inside. It will make the sides and front of the range clean and shiny. In fact, you will seldom need to use blacking on these parts.
When Washing Lamp Chimneys
If you live in the country and use kerosene lamps, do not dread washing the chimneys. Make a good hot suds, then wash them in this, with a clean cloth kept for that purpose. Pour over them very hot or boiling water and dry with an old soft cloth. Twist a piece of brown paper or newspaper, into a cornucopia shape and place over the chimneys to protect from dust and flies.
To Remove Disagreeable Odors from the House
Sprinkle fresh ground coffee, on a shovel of hot coals, or burn sugar on the shovel. This is an old-fashioned disinfectant, still good.
To Lengthen the Life of a Broom
Your broom will last much longer and be made tough and pliable, by dipping for a minute or two, in a pail of boiling suds, once a week. A carpet will wear longer if swept with a broom treated in this way. Leave your broom bottom side up, or hang it.
To Prevent Mold on Top of Glasses of Jelly
To Clean Nickel Stove Trimmings
Rub with kerosene and whiting, and polish with a dry cloth.
To Clean Zinc or Copper
Wash with soap suds and powdered bristol brick. When perfectly dry, take a flannel cloth and dry powdered bristol or any good cleaning powder and polish. You will be pleased with the result. I have tried this for forty years.
How to Prevent Button Holes from Fraying
When making button holes in serge or any material which frays, place a piece of lawn of two thicknesses, underneath and work through this. Another way is to make four stitchings in the goods the length of the button hole. Cut between these, leaving two stitchings each side of the hole.
When Making a Silk Waist
Stitch a crescent shaped piece of the same material as your waist under the arm. It will wear longer and when the outside wears out it looks neater than a patch. If the waist is lined, put this between the lining and the outside.
To Make Old Velvet Look New
Turn hot flatirons bottom side up. Rest these on two pieces of wood, or hold in your lap. Put over them a piece of wet cloth, then lay the velvet on this. Brush with a whisk broom. The steam from the wet cloth will raise the nap and take out the creases.
Onion Skins as a Dye
If you wish for a bright yellow, save your onion skins. They will color white cloth a very bright yellow. This is a good color for braided rugs, such as people used to make.
To Remove Egg Stain from Silver
Salt when applied dry, with a soft piece of flannel will remove the stain from silver, caused by eggs.
Put a Little Cornstarch in Salt Shakers
This will prevent the salt from becoming too moist to shake out.
How to Color Lace Ecru
If you wish for ecru lace and you have only a piece of white, dip it into cold tea or coffee, until you have the desired color.
To Keep Lettuce Crisp
To Keep Celery
Do not put it into water. Wrap it in a cloth, wet in cold water and place directly on the ice.
To Keep a Piece of Salt Pork Sweet
Put it in a strong brine made of one quart of cold water, and two-thirds of a cup of salt.
Save Potato-Water
Pare potatoes before boiling, and then save the water, to mix your yeast bread with.
A Use for the Vinegar Off Pickles
When your pickles have been used from your glass jars, do not throw away the vinegar. Use it in your salad dressing. It is much better than plain vinegar because of the flavor.
Do not Allow a Child to Eat Fresh Snow
This often looks clean and pure but fill a tumbler with it, cover to keep out the dust and then show it to the child, that he may see for himself, the dirt it contains.
When Making Hermits or Cookies
Instead of rolling and cutting as usual, drop the dough into a large iron pan. The heat of the oven melts them into one sheet. Cut them into squares or long narrow strips. It takes much less time, than the old way of rolling and cutting.
To Clean a Vinegar Cruet on the Inside
Put into it shot, pebblestones, or beans. Fill it with a strong soap suds, and one teaspoonful of bread soda or ammonia. Let stand an hour, shake well and often. Rinse with clean water.
To Make Tough Meat, or a Fowl Tender
Put one tablespoonful of vinegar, into the kettle while boiling.
To Remove Black Grease
Rub patiently with ether. It will not leave a ring, like gasolene, and will remove every trace of the stain.
To Keep an Iron Sink from Rusting
Wash with hot suds. When diy rub it well, with a cloth wet with kerosene. Do this three or four times a week and your sink will look well, all the time.
How to Add Salt to Hot Milk
Salt will curdle new milk, so when making gravies, or puddings, put your salt into the flour, or with eggs and sugar, to add when the milk boils. Use a double boiler for milk gravies and gruels.
To Soften Boots and Shoes
Rub them with kerosene. Shoes will last longer, if rubbed over with drippings from roast lamb. Oldfashioned people always used mutton tallow on children's shoes.
A Way to Cook Chops
Pork or lamb chops are very nice, if baked in a hot oven. Turn them as they brown. It saves the smoke in the room.
When Cooking Canned Corn
Place it in a double boiler to prevent scorching.
Salted Almonds
Before Washing Colored Clothes
It is wise to set the color first, by soaking in a strong solution of cold salt water (one cupful of salt to half a pail of water). Soak two hours.
To Remove Iron Rust from White Goods
The old-fashioned way, still good, is to wet the place in lemon juice, sprinkle on it common table salt, and lay it in the sun. In these later days, there is on the market an iron rust soap, which removes the spot quickly, also an ink eradicator, sold by all druggists.
How to Make Starch
Two tablespoonfuls of starch should be made into a smooth paste with four tablespoonfuls of cold water. Pour over this three pints of boiling water, stirring rapidly all the time. Starch the garments, while they are still wet. In the olden days, people made starch of flour in the same way, for linen and gingham dresses, as it was less expensive and thought to be just as good for colored clothes.
When you Go Away from Home for a Few Days
The Proper Way to Sweep a Room
Dust the furniture and put it in another room. Dust bric-a-brac and put on the bed if you are sweeping a sleeping room, if another room put them on the table, or in an adjoining room. Brush the draperies, take down and lay on the bed or table. Cover these and bric-a-brac with a sheet. Wet a newspaper, tear into small pieces and spread on the rug or carpet. Now you are ready for sweeping. If the floor is carpeted, sweep all dirt to the center of the room. Sweep the comers with a small whisk broom. Move every piece of furniture lest there be dirt left underneath. Open the windows before sweeping. When the dust is settled take a pail of warm water, put in a tablespoonful of ammonia, then with a clean cloth wrung from this wipe the window glass, mirror and pictures; polish with dry cloth. Wipe all finger marks from doors and mop boards.
Now take a pail of clean water, with ammonia, and with a small scrubbing brush go over the rug or carpet, to remove dust and brighten the colors. Replace furniture, bric-a-brac and draperies and your room will be sweet and clean. With care, once in two or three weeks, will be often enough to do this.
When Baking Cup Custards
When Using Currants and Raisins
Mix a little dry flour with currants and raisins before adding them to cakes or puddings. It will keep them from falling to the bottom.
Try Baking Beets, Instead of Boiling Them
They are much sweeter. Three or four hours is necessary, according to size.
When Making Grape Juice or Jelly
Before adding the sugar, strain through a flannel bag. It will be much clearer.
When Sewing Braid on a Dress
Slip a piece of pasteboard three or four inches long, into the hem. You can sew more quickly, and your stitches will not show on the right side.
To Skin Beets
When you remove beets from the kettle, plunge them into a dish of cold water. The skins will slip off easily with the hand. Never cut or pare beets before cooking.
A Fine Way to Keep Cut Roses
To Keep Carnations
Put a little salt in the water, which should be changed each morning, and cut the stems a little each time.
When Pies are Ready to Bake
Put little dabs of lard, on the top crust, then hold it under the faucet, letting cold water run over it.
A Way to Make Pies Brown and Shiny
Just before putting a pie in the oven, brush over the top with milk, using a soft brush or a clean piece of cheese cloth.
When Threading a Needle
Place a piece of white paper under the eye. You will be surprised at the ease, with which you can thread it.
Make your Own Baking Powder
Get your grocer to weigh for you one pound of cream of tartar, and one-half pound of bread soda. Sift these together nine times in a flour sitter. Put in a tin can, and it is ready for use.
To Prevent Children from Losing Mittens
Sew strongly to each mitten, four or five inches of narrow black ribbon (use a colored one if you prefer). Sew the other end of ribbon to the coat sleeve. The child can remove mittens at any time without losing them and always know where they are.
Teach a Child to Hang up his Own Coat and Hat
Have some hooks, low down in the closet or kitchen where a child can reach them easily, to be used only by himself.
To Keep your Own Umbrella
Take a piece of narrow white tape, three or four inches long. With a glass pen, or a new clean steel one, and indelible ink, write your name upon it. Sew this to the inside of the umbrella.
To Wash a White Silk Waist, or a Baby's Bonnet
Use cold water and white soap. Hot water will turn white silk yellow.
When Ironing Embroidery
Place it right side down on a piece of soft flannel, ironing on the wrong side. If flannel is not at hand, try an old turkish towel.
To Wash Small Pieces of Lace
Put in a horse radish bottle and pour over them, strong soap suds, good and hot, and shake well. Let stand awhile and shake again. Rinse in clear, warm water, by shaking. Dry on a clean cloth in the sunshine.
Never Throw away Sour Milk
It is excellent for graham bread, gingerbread, brown bread, griddle cakes, and doughnuts, also biscuit.
You can make a delicious cottage cheese of a very small quantity.
Set the milk on the back of the stove, in an agate dish. Let stand until the whey separates from the curd. Strain through a cloth, squeezing the curd dry. Put in a little salt, a small piece of butter, and a little sage if desired. Press into balls and serve.
Mark New Rubbers
Take a pointed stick—a wooden skewer from the butcher's is best—dip it into ink and write the name, on the inside.
Economical Hints
Save small pieces of soap in the bathroom, by placing in a cup or small box, until you have a cupful.
Add a little water and boil a few minutes; when nearly cool, press with the hands, and you have a new cake of soap.
Do not throw away the white papers around cracker boxes. They are good to clean irons and will save buying ironing wax. If irons are dirty put a good layer of salt on newspaper and rub the irons back and forth.
Save even the coupons on your soap wrappers. You can get a silver thimble for your mending bag with them, if nothing more.
Save your strong string, to wrap around packages going by parcel post. Also fold nicely for further use your clean wrapping papers. Make a bag of pretty cretonne, hang in the kitchen or cellar way, to keep the string and wrapping paper in. You will find it very convenient.
Do not throw away small pieces of bread. Save them for plum pudding, queen’s pudding, or dressing for fish or fowl. If broken into small pieces and browned in a hot oven, it is very nice to eat with soups. Or, dry well, roll fine and keep in a glass jar, to be used for breaded pork chops, croquettes, or oysters.
To Mend Broken China
Stir into a strong solution of gum arabic, plaster of Paris. Put this on each side of the china, holding together for a few minutes. Make it as thick as cream.
To Clean Old Jewelry
Dish Washing Made a Pleasure
First of all, remove all refuse from the dishes. Place them near the sink, large plates at the bottom, then the smaller ones, then saucers. Have a large pan full of very hot water. Make a good soap suds by using a soap shaker. Wash the tumblers and all glassware first, and wipe at once. Use a handle dish cloth (which can be bought for five cents), for these, as the water will be too hot for the hands. Wash the silver next. Have a large pan, in which to place the clean dishes, cups and bowls first. When all are washed pour over them boiling or very hot water, and wipe quickly. Pans and kettles come last. Always have a cake of sand soap or a can of cleaning powder, for scouring the pie plates and bottoms of kettles. It is very little work to keep baking tins and kitchen utensils in good condition, if washed perfectly clean each time they are used. Wash the dish towels, at least once every day, and never use them for anything else. With clean hot water, clean towels, and plenty of soap dishwashing is made easy.
If you live in New England, your sink will be in front of a window. Be sure and plant just outside of this window nasturtiums, a bed of pansies, morning glories and for fall flowers, salvia. These bright blossoms will add to your pleasure while washing dishes. A Space Saver
If you are crowded for space in closet, kitchen or pantry buy a spiral spring, such as is used for sash curtains. Fasten the end pieces to the back of the door, and stretch the spring from end to end. You now have a fine place to hang towels, stockings or neckties, or if used in a pantry, to keep covers.
Another Space Saver
If you have no closet in your room, get a board, nine inches wide, and three or four feet long. Put it in the most convenient place in your room on two brackets. Stain it the color of your woodwork. Screw into the under side of the board, wardrobe hooks. Now get a pretty piece of cretonne or denim, hem top and bottom, and tack with brass headed tacks to the shelf, having it long enough to come to the floor, and around the ends of the board. Use the top for a book shelf or hats.
If the Freshness of Eggs is Doubtful
When Bread Cooks Too Quickly
When your bread is browning on the outside, before it is cooked inside, put a clean piece of brown paper over it. This will prevent scorching.
To Remove the Odor of Onions
Fill with cold water kettles and sauce pans in which they have been cooked adding a tablespoonful of bread soda and the same of ammonia. Let stand on the stove until it boils. Then wash in hot suds and rinse well. A pudding or bean pot, treated in this way, will wash easily. Wood ashes in the water will have the same effect.
Never Leave a Glass of Water or Medicine, Uncovered in a Room
This is very important. Water will absorb all the gases, with which a room is filled from the respiration of those sleeping in the room.
Weights and Measures
4 Teaspoonfuls equal 1 tablespoonful of liquid.
4 Tablespoonfuls equal half a gill.
2 Coffee-cupfuls equal 1 pint.
2 Pints equal 1 quart.
4 Coffee-cupfuls of sifted flour equal 1 pound.
1 Quart of unsifted flour equals 1 pound.
1 Pint of granulated sugar equals 1 pound.
1 Coffee-cupful of cold butter pressed down equals 1 pound.
An ordinary tumbler holds the same as a coffee cup.
It is well to have a tin or glass cup, marked in thirds or quarters for measuring.
When to Salt Vegetables
Every kind of food and all kinds of vegetables need a little salt when cooking. Do not wait until the vegetables are done. Salt the water they are boiled in after they begin to boil.
What to Serve With Meats
Roast Beef and Turkey
Squash, turnips, onions and cranberry sauce.
Roast Pork
Spinach, onions and apple sauce.
Roast Lamb
Mint sauce.
Roast Mutton
Currant jelly and vegetables. With all kinds of meat and fowl pickles are always good. Make your own pickles, after recipes found in this book.
The Length of Time to Cook Meats
Lamb
Roast a leg of Iamb three hours. Wash clean, sprinkle over it a little flour and salt and put into a pan, with cold water. While it is cooking, take a spoon and pour over it the water from the pan, three or four times.
Veal
Roast veal three hours, treating it the same way as lamb. When you have removed it from the pan, make a smooth paste, by wetting two or three tablespoonfuls of flour with cold water, and stir into the water left in the pan. Pour in more water, if the size of your family requires it.
Beef
Roast beef requires fifteen minutes for each pound. Do not salt beef, until you take it from the oven.
Ham
Sausages
Sausages are very nice, baked in a hot oven twenty minutes. Prick with a fork to prevent bursting. Do this too, if fried.
Corned Beef
Should boil four hours.
Chicken
A chicken will cook in one hour and a half. A fowl requires an hour longer. Don't forget to put in one tablespoonful of vinegar to make tender.
Turkey
A ten pound turkey needs to cook three hours, in a slow oven.
The Length of Time to Cook Vegetables
Onions
Boil one hour. Longer if they are large.
Cabbage
Requires one hour and a half.
Parsnips
Carrots
Wash, scrape, and boil one hour.
When Paring Tomatoes
Put them into very hot water and the skin will come off easily.