You’ve Never Had it so Good!

When I am not writing blogs or generally messing about on the Internet, I have a proper job, working in a call centre for a major domestic appliance supplier. I often get calls from people who consider it a disaster that their dishwasher is not working and often feel like telling them to use a bowl and water with some washing up liquid and to get their hands wet. For all of those people, I am quoting below, an article I recently came across in an old Cookery Book dated 1926. The article is entitled:

Simple Rules for Cleaning Utensils

TO WASH DISHES

1. Scrape all scraps away from the plates and dishes.
2. Wipe very greay ones with soft paper.
3. Have a bowl of hot water, and if dishes are greasy use a little soap powder.
4. Wash cleaner dishes first, then greasy ones, adding more hot water.
5. Allow to drain, and then dry with a clean cloth.

NOTE:- When plates or dishes are burnt after baking, they can be easily cleaned with a damp cloth dipped in sal, or Monkey Brand.
TO CLEAN PANS

1. Wash pans inside and out with hot water (and soda if greasy).
2. Scour inside with coarse cloth, using brick dust or Brooke’s soap.
3. Re-wash, rinse and dry.
4. Place by the fire a few minutes to thoroughly dry.

TO WASH AND CLEAN KNIVES AND FORKS

1. Wash in hot water (keeping out the handles), and dry them.
2. Rub with cork, dipped in brick or emery dust; or rub on knife-board on which a little brick dust has been sprinkled.
3. Polish and dust with dry, clean cloth.

N.B. If the leather of knife board is found to wear the knives, a piece of carpet nailed on the board will prove quite as effective for polishing, and will not wear the knives. Or they may be polished by rubbibg between pieces of soft “felt” on which brick has been sprinkled.

TO CLEAN TINS AND SPOONS

1. Wash in hot water and a little soap to remove grease; then dry.
2. Rub with whitening made into a paste with cold water.
3. Polish and dust with a clean, dry cloth.

WOODEN UTENSILS

1. Wash with hot water and soft flannel cloth.
2. Rub a little soap on a scrubbing brush, and scrub with grain; a little fine sand, or brick dust, will also help to clean and keep wood a good colour.
3. Wsh with soap, thoroughly dry off the wood, and dry with a clean cloth.

I trust that the above will be of use to you, the next time your dishwasher breaks down!