In the 1950’s, it was expected for a housewife to keep her house spotlessly clean and well managed.
She was also expected to keep the family well organised and cook meals at set times. It was her mission in life for the household to be well organised and everything cleaned regularly!
The cleaning routine would usually begin as soon the kids walked off to school.
Although expectations of women in society have changed (thank god!), some of their cleaning tips could still be relevant today…
To start spring cleaning here are some tips:
Firstly, put on your favourite 50’s music, a 50’s spring dress, an apron and begin!
1. Cleaning mirrors or windows –
- Collect supplies in your cleaning caddy to easily move from window to window
- Use a lint-free cloth to save heavy scrubbing
- Moisten the cloth with methylated spirits in water
- Use lengthwise strokes outside and crosswise strokes inside to see if you missed a spot
- Polish with a dry duster
2. Washing curtains –
- Simply wash in the washing machine
- Hang out to dry in the sun
3. Cleaning blinds –
- Hang blinds out on the clothesline
- Wash with a hose, scrubbing at the same time
- Leave them in the sun to dry
4. Cleaning the stove –
- Newspaper is ideal for cleaning tops of stoves
- Inside stove, remove all removable parts and clean in warm soapy water
5. Cleaning the refrigerator –
- Defrost with a bowl of hot water placed in the fridge. Replace it each time it starts to get cold.
- Clean the inside
- Wipe over the exterior of the fridge with a cloth smeared in vanilla essence
6. Cleaning the sinks –
- Clean with methylated spirits or warm flour for an added lustre
- Wash your wooden cutting boards with hot water and vinegar to eliminate rawness
- Use baking soda to unblock drains
7. Cleaning kitchen cupboards –
- Remove all the items
- Wash the inside and outside of the cupboard
- Hang dried lavender in the kitchen to help make it smell lovely
- Combine lemon juice and borax to remove rust from porcelain and ceramics
- To remove rust and stains from stainless steel utensils, use a fine grain sand paper, then rub with a slice of onion and rinse in hot water
- Once the cupboard is dry, tidily place back all the utensils
8. Cleaning the shower curtain –
- Take the shower curtain on to the lawn and scrub with a nail brush and warm soapy water
- Hose it well
- Allow the shower curtain to dry on the clothesline
9. Cleaning the toilet –
- Wash with borax and water, then flush well. You can scrub any stains with lemon juice and borax
10. Cleaning the bath –
- Smear wet soap powder over the bath, leave overnight and rinse well the next day
- Vinegar or salt and lemon can remove stains
- Wrap a bunch of eucalyptus around your shower head to keep shower head and bathroom smelling fresh
11. Cleaning the tiles –
- Clean with methylated spirits or kerosene
12. Cleaning brushes and combs –
- Remove hair from brushes and combs
- Soak in water with a few drops of ammonia
13. Cleaning the floors –
- Remove all items and furniture
- Mop bathroom and kitchen floors
- Steel wool can be used for marks on lino floors
14. Polishing furniture –
- Pour olive oil on a clean cloth and rub wooden furniture
- Polish lightly with a dry lint-free cloth
- Wicker furniture can be rubbed with vegetable oil to protect from cracking
- For water rings, put a dry cloth over it and warm iron
- If your books smell musty, sprinkle a little baking soda over it and leave to dry
- Rub vanilla extract on light globes for a sweet swelling room
15. Cleaning the carpet –
- Remove all items of the room & thoroughly vacuum
- Stains can be removed with baking soda mixed in water
16. Cleaning the walls –
- Remove all pictures and hangings and clean them
- Clean walls with a duster
- To remove mould from walls, spray area with undiluted white vinegar
17. Cleaning winter manchester –
- Manchester must be washed and hung out to dry thoroughly
- Fold in linen cupboard with a few drop of vanilla essence on a piece of fabric on each shelf
All images from Woman’s World- M.A. White
Home remedies can sometimes produce even better results than store-bought products! Hope you have a fun time trying these tips, and let me know how it all goes!
Back soon….
Ridiculously Retro 