• To remove the lime deposit from my teakettle, I mix up 1½ cups vinegar, 1½ cups water, and 3 tablespoons salt. I pour it into my teakettle and boil it for fifteen minutes. I leave it overnight, then rinse it out in the morning before I make Arnold’s tea. (Alice Ann Walker)

• When you’re laundering your nice lace collars, cuffs, and scarves, add ½ cup of vinegar (the word can be traced to the French word for “sharp wine,” or vinaigre) to the final rinse. Lay flat to dry in the sun. (Miss Dorothy Rogers)

• For a drain cleaner, mix 2 cups of salt, 2 cups of baking soda, and ⅛ cup of cream of tartar*. Store in a lidded container. To use, pour a little over one cup of this mixture down the drain. Let stand for about 20 minutes, and flush with cold water. For a stronger flush, dissolve 2 tablespoons of washing soda* in a quart of boiling water. Let stand for 15 minutes and repeat. Flush with hot water. (Verna Tidwell)

• To clean starch residue from the bottom of your flatirons (or your new electric iron), sprinkle a spoonful of salt on a cloth dampened with vinegar and rub the warm iron. (Elizabeth Lacy)

• If you need to remove mildew from clothing, furniture, or bathroom fixtures, use vinegar at full strength or mixed with water. Or if your dog smells like dog, rinse him with fresh water, then with a mixture of 1 cup white vinegar in 2 gallons of water. Dry without rinsing. (Myra May Mosswell)

Glossary

Glossary

Borax is a naturally occurring mineral salt that is often used as a home cleaner, a stain remover on surfaces and clothes, a fabric and water softener, and a soap booster. You’ll find it with the laundry products at the grocery.

Castile soap is a type of soap made from vegetable oil rather than animal fat or synthetic substances. You can find it in drugstores.

Cream of tartar (potassium bitartrate) is a by-product of winemaking that is used in food and as a cleansing agent. Small amounts may be purchased at a grocery; buy in bulk from a wine-making supplier.

Linseed oil (cold pressed from the seeds of flax, sometimes called flaxseed oil). Used as a wood treatment, it protects the surface. Available from paint stores.

Turpentine is distilled from pine resin, which is obtained by tapping trees of the genus Pinus. It is used as a solvent. Available from paint stores.

Washing soda (sodium carbonate, also known as soda ash) is a highly alkaline chemical compound which can be used to remove stubborn stains from laundry and for other cleaning purposes. Don’t confuse washing soda with washing powder (powdered detergent) or with baking soda. Arm & Hammer washing soda is usually stocked with the bleach in the laundry aisle. If you don’t find it in the national chains, try a local chain store, or ask a local grocer to order it for you.

Recipes

Recipes