The Darling Dahlias and the Naked Ladies

The Dahlias’ “Dirty Dozen” Housecleaning Tips

Terms that may be unfamiliar to modern readers are starred. You’ll find a glossary at the end of this article. None of these cleansers contain any petroleum products and all are “natural.”

• A good wood cleaner may be made of 1 quart hot water, 3 tablespoons boiled linseed oil*, and 1 tablespoon turpentine*. Mix together. Use while warm on wood floors or woodwork. (Mildred Kilgore)

• To clean silver without lots of polishing, bring 1 quart of water to a boil in an aluminum pan large enough to contain your silver. Remove from heat and add 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon baking soda. When fizzing stops, add silver. Soak, then wash. Double the mixture if necessary to completely cover your silver. (Bessie Bloodworth)

• To make your own wax (for hardwood baseboards, banisters, wood floors), melt ¼ pound beeswax in a double boiler. Remove from heat, add 1 pint turpentine*. Stir until it looks like a thick batter. Pour into a jar, cover, and use as needed. Outing flannel makes a good polishing rag. The more rubbing, the better. You can never rub too much! (Ophelia Snow)

• To make a good laundry soap, grate 1 bar of castile soap* and mix with ⅓ cup washing soda*. In a 3-gallon bucket, dissolve both in about 2 cups of boiling water. Fill the bucket with hot water. This will set to a soft gel. Use 2 to 3 cups for each load of wash. (Beulah Trivette)

• To clean your kitchen and bathroom floors, add 1 cup ammonia, ½ cup white vinegar, and ¼ cup washing soda* to 1 gallon of hot water. You can also use this on painted walls and woodwork. (Verna Tidwell)

• For cleaning windows, nothing beats plain old newspaper, crumpled up, and a spray made of 1 cup water, 1 cup rubbing alcohol, and 1 tablespoon of white vinegar. (Aunt Hetty Little)

• To wash the inside of your icebox, use a mixture of ¼ cup lemon juice in 1 gallon hot water. If you don’t have a lemon, use vinegar. (Earlynne Biddle)

• 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)