Memory Monday: Household Hints from the Past (and my comments)

My maternal grandmother

HOUSEHOLD HINTS FROM THE PAST AND MY COMMENTS
Recently I came across an interesting book as I was researching—Willy Lou's House Book. It was published in 1913, when my maternal grandmother was only eleven years old. I wonder if her mother (one of my maternal great-grandmothers) used any of these hints or if she had other ways of handling the same things. I know I have other ways of dealing with them or thoughts about the way they did it back then. See my comments in bold following each hint.
To Remove Ink
Chloroform will remove ink stains from white goods if used before laundering. Buttermilk also will usually remove ink stain. If the chloroform doesn’t work, you will never know since you will be asleep. But then again as you fall asleep, you might knock over the buttermilk you had in reserve and it will clean the ink stain—MC.
Fish-Bone in Throat
A fish-bone can be dislodged from the throat by using a gargle of vinegar, the acid dissolving the bone. This one I wonder about—how long does one have to gargle in order for the acid to dissolve the fishbone—MC.
To Kill Cabbage Odor
When cooking cabbage or cauliflower place a cup of vinegar on the stove. It will help to kill the odors and also keep the flies away. A few spices may be dropped in the vinegar if liked. I love this one. I keep imagining what the kitchen is like—the smell of cooked cabbage or cauliflower battling the fragrance of hot vinegar with the scent of cinnamon or allspice acting as referee, all the while watching flies buzzing around at a safe distance outside the kitchen—MC.
To Smooth the Flat-Iron
When the starch sticks to the flat-iron, rub on a piece of fine wire screening. The screening may be placed on a paper on the ironing board and the iron rubbed over it. This is better than scraping with a knife and saves time. Wax in a cloth is also good to rub the iron with. I won’t be able to use this hint since I don’t have a flat-iron. Actually, I don’t have a flat-iron or an iron. You might say my dryer is my iron. The clothes go in damp and come out wrinkle-free, and if I forget about them and they are left too long and get wrinkled, I just toss in a damp towel and run them again (and again if I forget again)—MC.
How to Iron Clothes
When ironing never use a dirty sheet on the ironing board or the clothes will be a bad color. This one makes me ask what made the sheet dirty in such a way that it will leave a bad color—MC.
Marking Medicine
All medicine bottles and boxes should be plain ly labeled and nothing ever taken in the dark. Do not keep poisons with other drugs in the medicine cabinet. Poisons should have a place of their own far from drugs intended to be taken inter nally. There is not enough care paid to this. Little bells can be tied to bottles containing poi sons. The bell will always ring when moved. While I think is the best tip—bells on poison bottles, the thing is that I don’t have bottles of poison, and I don’t have a medicine cabinet. But still a good idea—MC.
To Clean Pillows
Feather pillows should be washed occasionally to keep them sweet, fresh and light. This is quite a task, but it well repays one. Make a bag of strong muslin, larger than the pillow-ticking. Stitch all around, leaving an opening of about a half yard. Open the pillow about the same distance. Take the bag in your lap, leaving the heavy pillow on the floor in front of you. Place the bag over the pillow, baste to gether carefully and then stitch down. Shake the feathers into the muslin bag. Put your hand all around in the pillow-tick after separating from the muslin bag, to collect any feathers that may not have gone into the bag. Stitch the bag up tight. There should be plenty of room for the feathers to lie loosely. Have a good warm sudsy water in which there has been a little borax added to soften. Souse the bag up and down, and press softly with the hands. Repeat the process in different waters until the last water is clear, then you may know your feathers are clean. Run through a very loose wringer, so that the feathers will not be broken. Hang in the hot sun. The bag containing the feathers must be hung out each day for several days, say ten days, as it takes a long time for feathers to dry perfectly, and then the air helps to lighten them. Have your pillow-ticking washed and ready for the feathers when dry. Many times pillows have been thought worn out and this treatment has made them quite as good as new. This is a better treatment than a com pressed air process. July is a good month for this work as the sun is hot. Hang the bag on a line so that there is a better circulation of air through the feathers. Forget this hint. I just will buy a new pillow—MC.

Well, I hope you enjoyed my look into the past, along with my thoughts. Do you have any comments about these hints, or do you have hints of your own from the past?