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. Boil an egg
“To boil cracked eggs as satisfactorily as though they were undamaged, a little vinegar should be added to the water. If this is done, it will be found that none of the contents will boil out.”
2. Cleaning straw hats
“The hat should be well-brushed to remove any loose dust, and then rubbed with half a lemon. This will clean the straw in a surprising fashion. Finish off with a glaze of clean gum carefully brushed all over, and your hat will look like a new one.”
3. Carry a heavy jug
“The picture gives a useful hint on carrying a heavy jug. The correct way to hold the jug is shown in the right-handed sketch. This prevents the weight from pulling the jug down and spilling what it contains, as is likely to happen if carried the other way.”
4. Freshen cut flowers
“To revive choice blooms that have faded during transit, plunge the stems into hot water, and allow them to remain until the water has cooled. By that time, the flowers will have revived. The ends of the stems should then be cut off and the blossoms placed in cold water in the usual way.”
5. Preserve vases
“If the following precaution is taken, the danger of knocking over a valuable vase will not be so great. Partly fill the vase with sand, which, acting as a weight, keeps it upright and firm on its base. This idea is particularly useful in the case of vases which are inclined to be top heavy, owing to their having small bases.”
6. Stop colours from running
“To prevent colours in household linen from running and staining other linen when washed together, coloured things should first be steeped in a solution of salt water. A double handful of salt to a gallon of water is a good proportion, and coloured things should be left to soak in this for about twenty-four hours.”
7. Clean the interior of bottles
“To clean the interior of bottles, a little sand and water should be well shaken about inside them. This will have the effect of cleansing every part, and the bottles can then be washed out and dried.”
8. Pick up broken glass
“To pick up broken glass quickly and cleanly a soft damp cloth will be found to be most effective, for it takes up all the small splinters. The best plan is to use an old piece of rag that can be thrown away with the glass.”
To find more tips visit the New York Public Library digital collections here.