Imagine a world without smartphones, Google, or instant solutions. That’s where these ingenious life hacks from over 100 years ago come in.
Back when cigarette cards were a thing, Gallaher’s Cigarettes printed a series of 100 “How to do it” cards, offering clever tips for everyday problems. These vintage life hacks, now part of the New York Public Library’s George Arents Collection, provide a glimpse into the resourcefulness of our ancestors.
These 15 forgotten tricks might just surprise you with their simplicity and effectiveness.
1. How to Extract a Splinter
First, locate a glass bottle with a mouth wide enough to cover the area where the splinter is embedded. Fill this bottle about three-quarters full with very hot water (not boiling) from your tap. Make sure to leave some space at the top of the bottle for air.
Quickly press the affected area of your skin firmly against the mouth of the bottle, creating a tight seal. Hold it there for several minutes. As the hot air inside the bottle cools, it creates a vacuum effect.
This suction, combined with the steam from the hot water, will gradually draw the splinter toward the surface, making it easier to remove with tweezers or even pull it out completely.
2. How to Light a Match in the Wind
Begin by selecting a wooden match and using a sharp pocket knife to carefully create thin, curled shavings along the wooden shaft. Start about half an inch below the match head, angling your knife, and work your way down, making sure the shavings remain attached to the match.
When you’re ready to light the match, strike it as usual. The curled shavings will catch fire immediately after the match head ignites, creating multiple points of flame.
These additional flames make the match much more wind-resistant, as even if one flame goes out, the others will likely stay lit. The curled shavings also act as a windbreak, protecting the main flame from gusts.
3. How to Make a DIY Fire Extinguisher
To create this homemade fire extinguisher, you’ll need one pound of salt, half a pound of ammonium chloride, and two quarts of water. In a large bowl, thoroughly mix the salt and ammonium chloride into the water until they are completely dissolved.
Once your mixture is ready, carefully pour it into several thin glass bottles, each holding about a quart. Store these bottles in easily accessible locations around your home.
In case of a small fire, grab one of these bottles and throw it directly into the base of the flames. The heat will cause the bottle to break, releasing the fire-suppressing gases that help smother the flames.
Remember, this is not a substitute for a modern fire extinguisher and should only be used for small, contained fires.
4. How to Keep Eyeglasses from Steaming Up
Start with a bar of mild, unscented soap. Gently rub a small amount of soap onto both sides of your clean, dry lenses. Be sure to cover the entire surface of each lens, but don’t apply too much pressure. You want a very thin, even layer of soap on the glass.
Next, use a soft, lint-free cloth to carefully polish the lenses until the soap is no longer visible and the lenses are crystal clear. This process leaves an ultra-thin, imperceptible film of soap on the lenses that helps prevent moisture from condensing on the glass.
The soap film alters the surface tension, causing water droplets to spread out into a thin, transparent layer instead of forming foggy beads. This method can keep your glasses clear in humid conditions or when transitioning between different temperatures.
5. How to Cut New Bread into Thin Slices
Before you begin slicing, fill a bowl with hot water from your tap. The water should be hot enough that you can barely touch it, but not boiling. Take your bread knife and dip the entire blade into the hot water for about 30 seconds. This will heat the metal of the knife.
After 30 seconds, quickly remove the knife and wipe it dry with a clean cloth. The blade should now be warm to the touch. Immediately start slicing your fresh bread, using gentle, sawing motions.
The heated blade will glide through the soft bread much more easily than a room-temperature knife, allowing you to cut even, thin slices without compressing or tearing the loaf. If you’re cutting multiple slices, you may need to reheat the knife in the hot water every few cuts to maintain its effectiveness.
6. How to Clean Bottles Effectively
For this method, you’ll need some clean sand (playground sand or fine beach sand works well) and water. Pour a small handful of sand into the bottle you want to clean. The amount will vary depending on the size of the bottle, but start with about two tablespoons for a standard wine bottle.
Add enough lukewarm water to fill the bottle about one-third full. Seal the bottle tightly with its cap, cork, or your hand and vigorously shake it for about a minute, ensuring the sand-water mixture reaches all interior parts of the bottle.
The sand acts as a natural abrasive, scouring away residue and stains. After shaking, pour out the sand-water mixture and rinse the bottle thoroughly with clean water several times. Repeat the process if necessary for particularly stubborn stains.
7. How to Keep a Paint Brush Handle Clean
Before you start painting, find a piece of stiff cardboard or thin, flexible plastic. Cut a circle in the center of this material, making the hole just large enough for the brush handle to fit through snugly.
Slide this makeshift guard onto the brush handle, positioning it near the metal ferrule (the part that holds the bristles). As you paint, this barrier will catch any paint that tries to run down the handle.
If paint builds up on top of the guard, you can easily wipe it off or replace the guard with a clean one. This simple trick keeps your hands clean and gives you a better grip on the brush, allowing for more precise painting.
8. How to Carry a Heavy Jug without Spilling
When approaching a heavy jug or pitcher, resist the urge to grab the handle from the top. Instead, turn your hand so that your palm faces the side of the jug. Slide your hand through the handle from the side closest to the jug’s body, allowing your fingers to wrap around the handle while your thumb rests on the opposite side.
This grip positions your hand lower on the jug, closer to its center of gravity. As you lift and pour, your hand acts as a counterbalance to the weight of the liquid, preventing the jug from tipping forward unexpectedly.
This method gives you much more control over the pouring action, reducing the likelihood of spills. It’s particularly useful for large, heavy pitchers or watering cans filled with liquid.
9. How to Make Potatoes Dry & Floury
Start by selecting starchy potatoes suitable for boiling, such as Russets or Yukon Golds. Wash them thoroughly and place them in a pot of cold water.
For every quart of water, add a teaspoon of salt and a pinch of sugar. The sugar helps create a slightly crispy exterior while keeping the inside fluffy. Bring the water to a boil and cook the potatoes until they’re tender when pierced with a fork.
Once the potatoes are cooked, drain all the water from the pot. Return the pot with the potatoes to the stove over low heat. Gently shake the pot back and forth for about a minute to evaporate any remaining moisture, giving the potatoes a dry, floury texture.
10. How to Cool Wine without Ice
For this method, you’ll need a bottle of wine, a piece of absorbent fabric like flannel or a thick cotton towel, and access to cold running water. Begin by thoroughly soaking the fabric in cold water.
Wrap the wet fabric snugly around the entire bottle of wine, making sure it’s in direct contact with the glass surface. Position the wrapped bottle under a cold running tap and allow the water to flow over the fabric-wrapped bottle for about 10 minutes.
The combination of the cold water and the evaporative cooling effect as the water evaporates from the fabric will rapidly chill the wine in about 10-15 minutes.
11. How to Boil Cracked Eggs
If you discover a crack in an egg you’re about to boil, don’t despair. Fill your pot with cold water as usual, but before adding the eggs, pour in a splash of white vinegar – about a tablespoon per quart of water.
Gently lower the cracked egg into the vinegar-water mixture. As you start to heat the water, the vinegar’s acidity will help coagulate any egg white that starts to leak out, effectively sealing the crack without affecting the taste of your egg.
Bring the water to a boil and cook for your desired time. When the egg is done, you’ll find that the crack has been sealed, allowing you to enjoy a perfectly boiled egg despite the initial damage.
12. How to Increase Lung Power
This simple exercise was believed to improve breath control and overall lung capacity and may be beneficial for singers, public speakers, or anyone looking to enhance their lung function. Start by standing up straight, with your weight on the balls of your feet and your head tilted slightly back.
Take a slow, deep breath through your nose, focusing on filling your lungs completely. As you inhale, you should feel your chest expand and your shoulders rise slightly.
Once your lungs are full, hold your breath for a moment, then begin to exhale slowly through your mouth. As you exhale, concentrate on emptying your lungs completely, allowing your chest to sink first, followed by a contraction of your abdominal muscles to push out the last bit of air. Repeat in the morning and evening.
13. How to Preserve Eggs
This method works best with fresh, unwashed eggs that still have their natural protective coating. Start by thoroughly cleaning and drying a container large enough to hold your eggs – a wooden box or a large tin works well.
Pour a layer of dry, fine salt about an inch deep into the bottom of the container. Carefully place your eggs in the salt, pointed end down, making sure they don’t touch each other or the sides of the container.
Once you’ve arranged a layer of eggs, gently pour more salt over them until they’re completely covered. Continue layering eggs and salt and store the container in a cool, dark place.
14. How to Revive Cut Flowers
When your cut flowers start to wilt, don’t throw them out just yet. Start by trimming about an inch off the bottom of the stems at a 45-degree angle. This fresh cut will allow the flowers to take up water more easily.
Next, fill a vase or container with very hot water, but not boiling. Carefully place the trimmed flower stems into the hot water, making sure the water covers at least the bottom three inches of the stems.
Leave the flowers in this hot water bath until the water cools to room temperature, which usually takes about an hour. The heat encourages the stems to take up more water, rehydrating the flowers. Then, place them in a clean vase filled with fresh, cool water and flower food, if available.
15. How to Remove a Tight Ring
If you find yourself struggling to remove a tight ring, resist the urge to force it off. Instead, start by washing your hands with cool water to reduce any swelling.
Then, liberally lather your finger and the ring with a gentle liquid soap or dish soap. Work the soap under the ring as much as possible, using a gentle twisting motion to help it penetrate.
Once your finger is soapy, try to slide the ring off using a gentle, twisting motion. If it doesn’t come off easily, don’t force it. Instead, keep your hand elevated for a few minutes to reduce blood flow to your fingers, which may help decrease swelling.
These ingenious life hacks from the past remind us that sometimes the simplest solutions are the most effective. While our modern world offers countless technological conveniences, these time-tested tricks demonstrate the resourcefulness of our ancestors.
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Nancy has been a plant person from an early age. That interest blossomed into a bachelor’s in biology from Elmira College and a master’s degree in horticulture and communications from the University of Kentucky. Nancy worked in plant taxonomy at the University of Florida and the L. H. Bailey Hortorium at Cornell University, and wrote and edited gardening books at Rodale Press in Emmaus, PA. Her interests are plant identification, gardening, hiking, and reading.