From the book: Labour-Saving Hints and Ideas For The Home, 1924

Imagine life without cleaning solutions or mothballs. The following are just a few home-made tips to clean your house without spending money on ready-made, store bought household cleaning products, and tips are comprised of items already found in your house for cleaning and fixing things all around your house.

1. How does one unscrew a light bulb that has broken off in the socket? Rather than purchasing fancy nose needle pliers, use a raw potato. Place it right into the socket and turn counterclockwise. Voila!
2. How does one clean hard water stains in a sink or bathtub? Go to your spice rack and scrub the tub with Cream of Tartar. This spice can also be spread around areas to get rid of mice and "water bugs" (roaches).
3. What does one do about ring stains on the antique wooden coffee table, end table, or chest of drawers? Dab mayonnaise or petroleum jelly all around the stain and let it sit for a day or two. Wipe and let it dry. A second application may be needed.
4. How does one get rid of coffee stains on one's teeth? Swish with white vinegar. (Vinegar is safe, but if you have had complicated dental work or allergies, ask your dentist first). Vinegar can also be used to clean glass in the bathroom, like a shower door.
5. To prevent moths and spiders, cut up a bar of soap into 1" - 1 1/2" squares and place into drawers and boxes. No stinky moth balls needed!!!
6. For a sting by a Wasp, rub a slice of white or yellow onion on the sting. If stung in the mouth or on the throat, chew a bit of onion slowly and swallow. A certain cure!
7. A few drops of lemon squeezed into a pot of water will make the brownest old potato boil white!
8. When beating eggs or egg whites, add a tiny pinch of salt. The eggs will whip up better and quicker! Use water to stretch scrambled eggs, not milk.
9. Wash fruit and vegetables in warm water first, then rinse with cold water. Washing in warm water will get rid of any bugs. Lettuce soaked in a sink of warm water and salt will also rid the lettuce of any bugs. I have taken to carefully and gently rinsing delicate raspberries and strawberries with whatever orange juice is left over in the fridge, then rinse in cold water. The citrus removes any bad bacteria or bugs.
10. One use for stale bread is to bake the bread in an oven until dry. Remove and grind into crumbs. Save the crumbs in an old coffee can for cooking. Can also be frozen inside a freezer bag for 6 months-1 year.

We hope you enjoy these tips from the book: "Labour-Saving Hints and Ideas for the Home", c. 1924, George Routlrdge & Sons, Ltd, London.

Please, write in with your household tips!

Gift Giving in China

Appropriate gift giving in any foreign country is tricky but not complicated once one understands the local customs, traditions and superstitions of the country. A good travel book will have culture included or one can seek out customs in a specific country on the Internet or in a book written on culture at a bookstore, or at the library.
In China, the color white and white flowers are used for funerals, many superstitions surround the numbers 4,9, and 13. Knives, scissors and sharp objects are bad luck to give as a gift in the USA and China. Sometimes in the USA, people give steak knives as a wedding present, and tape a "lucky penny" to the box to alleviate the bad luck, but in China, they do not even believe in a "lucky penny," so stay away from sharp gifts all together. Also, gifts with animals such as Foxes, Wolfs and Badgers are considered to be bad luck.
Giving a clock in China (similar to the old US tradition of covering the clock when someone dies), is associated with death and and evil spirits. US currency(cash), lavish gifts, and food are considered rude.
Appropriate gifts are books, scotch, regional US gifts, and any Company product.
These days, it is simple to do your homework before visiting a foreign country. Enjoy learning about the customs and culture of others. It's fun, and you are a better traveler for the learning!