For Architectural Digest, by Lindsey Mather.
Photo: Courtesy of W. W. Norton & Company, Inc.
Modern technology has brought us a lot of incredible household inventions, but sometimes looking to the past is the best way to find simple solutions to everyday problems. That's exactly what Lucy Lethbridge did for her new book Mind Your Manors (W. W. Norton & Company, $23). "In this book I have gathered nearly two centuries of cleaning tips from the memoirs of servants themselves, from housekeeping guides and advice manuals," she writes. Looking through these British documents from the Victorian and Edwardian eras, Lethbridge unearthed a bevy of old-fashioned ingredients and techniques that are just as useful now. It's not surprising, considering the amount of effort it took to take care of a house during that time. "In 1900, general housework in the British home was so labour intensive that it required a workforce of servants to implement it," writes Lethbridge. Here are four old-school cleaning tricks from the book that are worth trying today.
Salt is your secret weapon.
A teaspoon will help your flower arrangement stay fresh longer, says Lethbridge, while a sprinkle on polished furniture will remove a water stain (just dab on some methylated spirits with it and rub briskly, then polish immediately with a new cloth).
Photo: Courtesy of W. W. Norton & Company, Inc.
Sunlight does the same job as bleach.
"Large houses once had bleaching lawns on which large sheets and towels were laid to dry," writes Lethbridge. While you might think the brighter the day the better, the opposite is true. Direct sunlight will yellow fabrics, so try hanging items in winter or indirect light.
Onions freshen things up.
Boil three or four in water for an hour, says Lethbridge, then use a soft brush to apply the water to dull gilt picture frames to restore their color and shine.
Photo: Courtesy of W. W. Norton & Company, Inc.
Lemons can clean your pots and pans.
The copper ones, that is. Lethbridge recommends dipping already-squeezed lemons into salt, then using them to scrub away stains on your copper cookware. Afterward, just rinse, dry, and polish.
More from Architectural Digest:
Also on HuffPost:
