A person travels the world over in search of what he needs and returns home to find it. -- George Moore The Old Farmer's Almanac has been offering people household tips since the first edition in 1792. Always we strive to be "useful with a pleasant degree of humor," as Robert B. Thomas, our founder, intended. Some of the advice is ageless, for example: "Make a rough sketch of kitchen and storage places, and mark on it the lines of travel which you use often in doing your work. If the paths you use most frequently are the longest, will it not pay to consider carefully whether the kitchen can be rearranged to save steps." (1923) "Heavy braided or drawn rugs can be cleaned by shampooing the surface lightly with a brush and soapy water and rinsing gently with the hose. If this is done with judgment, the water does not penetrate far and will dry out quickly on a bright day." (1932)
Today our household advice is just as topical and timely. So, 21st-century homeowners, whether you're planning, building, or maintaining or you're just superstitious, you might find some hints, tips, and amusing anecdotes in the following links. If you've been wondering just how long that old washer of yours might hold out, the How Long Will It Last? table may be of help.
If you're ready to take that really big leap into painting your home's exterior, don't pick up a brush without consulting our links. Check out Wash That Surface and A Word to the Wise to learn how to prepare for the task. Then graduate to Brush Basics for help in choosing the right paintbrush for any job. Perhaps you no longer need to paint your house because you have vinyl siding. If you do, or if you're planning to put it on your house, check out our maintenance tips. Is your toilet sweating? Does your garbage disposal smell like a swamp? We have some ingenious ways to rid your home of these and other problems. You can save time and money cleaning your home by making your own cleaning solutions. We offer several recipes to do that, including ones for furniture polish, toilet cleaner, and floor wax remover. Is the escutcheon loose? Is the lintel cracked? Believe it or not, your house probably has these two items, along with dadoes, cripples, and hose bibs. Find out the obscure technical terms for many parts of your house by reading our substantive homeowner's glossary. Our chart A Homeowner's Guide to Wood will help you calculate what a board foot of lumber is and figure out how many common nails you'll get in a pound, depending on size. For advice on buying the best hammer, check out Don't Get Nailed!
Between building codes and municipal regulations, most people have enough government regulations in their home lives. Add a couple of the laws we found on the books in several states and cities, and it's enough to make you contemplate living in a cave. Luckily, most of these archaic rules aren't enforced. Finally, when you've run out of ideas and think the best solution for your homeowner challenges is to rely on sheer luck, peruse our list of house-related superstitions and folklore. See our helpful Household Hint charts.
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