The philosopher and poet George Santayana said, "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." Yet, in this instance, we hold a contrasting view! While it's true that seeking life hacks from the early 1900s isn't typically our initial instinct (kudos to Google for that!), it's worth noting that the New York Public Library has undertaken a remarkable digitization effort. They've brought to life a collection of 100 "How to Do It" cards that were once included by manufacturers within cigarette packages.
In the early 1900s, cigarette makers used to put these cards in their packs. These cards turned into sought-after collectibles, featuring everything from famous people's pictures to ads. However, the notion of printing helpful tips on these cards was first introduced by the UK-based tobacco company, Gallaher cigarettes. Now, we can't endorse smoking, but it's hard to deny that these cigarette card life hacks likely made life a bit simpler for quite a few folks.
To delight your eyes, we've gathered a collection of ingenious and handy life hacks from a century ago that remain practical in today's world.
23 100-Year-Old Life Hacks That Are Surprisingly Useful Today
These pictures depict the clever tricks folks used to discover inside their cigarette packs, along with a small set of instructions that we've shared below each one for your convenience.
1. How to Extract a Splinter
"Getting a pesky splinter out of your hand can really hurt sometimes. But here's a handy trick to make it easier: grab a wide-mouthed bottle and fill it up almost to the top with hot water. Now, press the part of your hand where the splinter is right against the mouth of the bottle. The suction will tug on your skin, and the steam from the hot water will help pull out that bothersome splinter in no time!"
2. How to Cut New Bread into Thin Slices
"Slicing fresh bread into thin pieces can be a bit tricky, but there's a simple trick to make it easier. Just dip your bread knife into hot water until it gets really hot, then give it a quick wipe. You'll notice that the warmed-up knife can easily slice through soft, fresh bread, making those thin slices you crave."
3. How to Revive Cut Flowers
"If your beautiful flowers lost some of their luster during the journey, here's a nifty way to bring them back to life. Dip the stems into hot water and leave them there until the water cools down. By then, your flowers should perk up. Trim the ends of the stems, and put the blossoms in cold water as you normally would. Your blooms will be back to looking their best in no time!"
4. How to Make a Fire Extinguisher
"Mix one pound of salt and half a pound of sal-ammoniac into two quarts of water, and pour this solution into slim glass bottles, each holding roughly a quart. If a fire starts, toss one or more of these bottles into the flames, and it might help prevent a major fire from happening."
5. How to Test Butter
"Here's a handy method to check if your butter is the real deal, as illustrated. Rub a small amount of the butter you're unsure about on a piece of paper and set it on fire. If it's pure butter, you'll detect a pleasant and appetizing scent. But if it contains margarine, you'll notice an unpleasant, greasy odor."
6. How to Judge the Weather
"The early morning traveler can rely on a pretty reliable indicator for the day's weather by keeping an eye on a tiny, far-off cloud. If that cloud starts getting bigger, you can expect some rainy and unsettled weather on the horizon. On the other hand, if the cloud shrinks down, it's likely going to be a nice and sunny day."
7. How to Treat Sprains
"To help a sore joint, first raise it up and cover it with damp cloths cooled with cold water. The illustration demonstrates a trick to keep the cloths wet without needing to swap them out. All you need is a jug of water positioned above the injured limb and a strip of cloth with one end in the jug and the other end on the wrapped sprained area. The water will move from the jug to the cloth through the strip. As the sprain improves, give it a gentle massage using oil or liniment."
8. How to Light a Match in the Wind
"If you've ever struggled to light a match on a windy day, here's a handy trick that can really help. Before you strike the match, take a moment to shave off some thin pieces of it near the end you'll be striking, like you see in the picture. When you light the match, these curly bits catch fire quickly. This gives you a stronger flame and a better shot at getting it to stay lit even in the wind."
9. How to Clean Oil Paintings
Here's a simple and effective technique as demonstrated in the pictures. Start by giving the painting a good dusting to remove any dirt. Then, gently rub the flat side of a freshly cut raw potato on the surface, wiping away the lather with a soft cloth. Remember to peel off the dirty part of the potato to keep the surface clean as you go. Finally, give it a finishing touch by lightly rubbing it with pine linseed oil.
10. How to Boil Cracked Eggs
"If you want to boil cracked eggs so they turn out just as good as whole ones, add a bit of vinegar to the water. When you do this, you'll notice that none of the egg inside will spill out while boiling."
11. How to Preserve Valuable Vases
"To reduce the risk of accidentally tipping over a precious vase, try this simple precaution: fill the vase partially with sand. The sand acts as a weight, helping the vase stay steady and balanced on its base. This trick is especially handy for vases that tend to be a bit top-heavy because they have small bases."
12. How to Take Ink Stains Out of a Handkerchief
"If you find yourself with a nice linen handkerchief stained by ink, there's a simple way to bring it back to its clean state. When the mishap happens, immediately soak the handkerchief in some milk. Let it sit for a while, and you'll see those ink stains vanish."
13. How to Clean Bottles
"To give the inside of bottles a good cleaning, just shake some sand and water vigorously in there. This will effectively scrub every nook and cranny. Afterward, you can rinse out the bottles and let them drain."
14. How to Increase Lung Power
"Stand tall on the balls of your feet, with your head held back. Take a deep breath, filling your lungs completely. Slowly exhale, starting with your chest and then your lungs. Do this exercise a few times in the morning and evening for best results."
15. How to Clean Real Lace
"For a proper cleaning of delicate lace, lay it gently on a sheet of blue or white tissue paper, and generously sprinkle it with powdered calcined magnesia. Add another layer of paper on top and put some weight on it for a few days. Once you shake off the powder, your lace will be beautifully clean, and its delicate texture will remain unharmed."
16. How to Make a Simple Gate Latch
"Most standard gate latches, when loose, tend to let the gate swing open. The image shows a different kind of latch that solves this problem. When you attach this latch to the gatepost, it automatically swings into place to keep the gate closed because most of its weight is below the screw pivot."
17. How to Kill a Tree Stump
"When you leave a tree stump in the ground, it can sometimes start sprouting and create thick undergrowth. To stop this from happening, drill holes into the top of the stump, remove a patch of bark from the inside, and drill more holes there. Fill these holes with a mixture of solignum and salt. This will seep through the stump and effectively kill it."
18. How to Bandage an Injured Foot
"To treat a hurt foot, gently place it on the operator's knee with a clean towel underneath. Start wrapping the bandage as depicted in the lower diagram, spiraling it over and around the back of the foot. Finally, secure it in place with a safety pin just below the ankle, as seen in the upper illustration."
19. How to Prevent Colors Running
"To keep the colors in your household linens from bleeding and staining other items when you wash them together, it's a good idea to soak the colored items in a mixture of saltwater first. A practical ratio is about two handfuls of salt for every gallon of water, and you should let the colored items soak in this solution for approximately twenty-four hours."
20. How to Save Gas on the Gas Stove
"Grab a sheet of iron that's big enough to cover your stovetop. With this, you can evenly spread heat across it, making it possible to cook an entire dinner. Put the saucepan that needs the most heat directly over the burner, where the sheet of iron is hottest."
21. How to Make a Good Polish
"You can create an excellent polish for pictures, mirrors, pianos, floors, and more by blending equal amounts of vinegar and paraffin in a bottle. Seal it and store it for future use. To add a pleasant scent and enhance its fly-repelling power, simply put a few drops of lavender oil into the mix."
22. How to Mend Broken China
"If you need to repair broken china so it can withstand washing in hot or cold water, try this method: Heat some common alum in an old iron spoon until it melts, and then apply it to the broken pieces. Use string to hold the pieces together in place until they've completely set."
23. How to Clean New Boots
"New boots are sometimes very difficult to polish. A successful method is to rub the boots over with a half a lemon, allow them to dry, after which they will easily polish, although occasionally it may be found necessary to repeat the application of the lemon juice."
Over the years, folks have come up with smarter and more effective ways to tackle some of the tasks mentioned earlier. But if you ever find yourself missing a few items or ingredients, these clever tricks could really save the day!
