Old School Household Hacks: 15 Grandma Tricks That Still Work Better Than Gadgets

Old school household hacks are the clever little tricks our grandmothers used long before anyone sold a gadget for every problem. They fixed squeaky chairs, stuck zippers and scratched tables with whatever was in the kitchen drawer, and most of those fixes still work today. There is something comforting about them too. They cost almost nothing, they waste nothing, and they remind us of warm kitchens and patient hands. Below are 15 tried and true grandma tricks for cleaning, small repairs and staying organized, each with simple steps. You probably have everything you need already, from a bar of soap to a stick of chalk. Try one this weekend and see if grandma was right all along..

Old School Household Hacks: A Wooden Spoon Across the Pot

Grandma always laid a wooden spoon across the top of a pot of pasta or potatoes, and it was not just habit. The spoon helps break the bubbles as they rise, so the foam is less likely to spill over onto the stove. It is not magic, so still keep an eye on the pot and turn the heat down when it climbs. It is a small trick that saves a lot of scrubbing. Did your grandmother do this too..

You will need: A long wooden spoon, a pot of boiling water, a stove you are watching.

How to make it: 1. Bring the pot to a boil as usual. 2. Lay a dry wooden spoon flat across the top. 3. Lower the heat a little if the foam still rises, and never leave the pot alone.

Walnut Rubbed Into Furniture Scratches

A shelled walnut is the oldest of all old school household hacks for furniture. The natural oils in the nut darken and fill light scratches on wood, so they almost disappear. Rub the nut meat back and forth over the scratch, wait a few minutes, then buff with a soft cloth. It works best on medium to dark wood and small surface marks. Skip this one if anyone in the house has a nut allergy. Which table in your home has a scratch that bugs you?

You will need: A shelled walnut or pecan, a soft cloth.

How to make it: 1. Rub the walnut meat firmly over the scratch in small circles. 2. Let the oils soak in for five minutes. 3. Buff with a soft cloth and repeat if needed.

Wax Paper on Sticky Drawers

Old wooden drawers that stick and squeal drove our grandparents crazy too. Their fix was a sheet of wax paper or the end of a plain candle rubbed along the wooden runners. The thin wax layer lets the drawer glide like new. It is quick, cheap and leaves no mess. Do you have one drawer that you have to yank every single time?

You will need: Wax paper or an unlit plain wax candle stub, a dry cloth.

How to make it: 1. Pull the drawer all the way out and wipe off dust. 2. Rub wax paper firmly along the drawer bottom edges and the runners. 3. Slide it back in and test, adding more wax if needed.

Old School Household Hacks for Clothes: Soap on a Stuck Zipper

A stuck zipper on a coat or bag feels like a crisis when you are running late. Grandma would grab a dry bar of soap and rub it along the teeth. The soap acts like a gentle lubricant, and the zipper usually slides free in seconds. A graphite pencil works the same way on metal zippers. No fancy spray needed. Which jacket in your closet needs this today?

You will need: A dry bar of plain soap or a graphite pencil.

How to make it: 1. Close the zipper as far as it goes. 2. Rub the soap or pencil along the teeth on both sides of the pull. 3. Gently work the zipper up and down until it moves freely.

Old Sock Duster for Blinds

Before microfiber gadgets, old school household hacks relied on the trusty old sock. Slip a clean, worn out sock over your hand, dampen it slightly and run each slat between your fingers. You clean both sides at once, and the sock goes straight into the wash afterward. It is the perfect use for socks that lost their partner. How many lonely socks are in your laundry room right now?

You will need: An old clean sock, a bowl of warm water with a drop of dish soap.

How to make it: 1. Slip the sock over your hand and dip your fingers lightly in soapy water. 2. Pinch each slat between your fingers and slide across. 3. Rinse the sock as needed and wash it when done.

Old School Household Hacks for Windows: Newspaper Shine

Grandma swore by crumpled newspaper for shiny windows, and many people still do. The paper does not leave lint behind like some towels. Spray your usual window cleaner or a mix of water and a splash of white vinegar, wipe with one sheet, and buff with a dry one. Wear gloves if the ink bothers your hands. Are you a newspaper or a microfiber person?

You will need: Old newspaper, a spray bottle with water and a little white vinegar, gloves.

How to make it: 1. Spray the glass lightly. 2. Wipe in circles with crumpled newspaper. 3. Buff dry with a fresh sheet for a streak free shine.

Rice in the Salt Shaker

Some old school household hacks live right on the dinner table. If your salt clumps on humid days, do what diners and grandmas have done for decades. Drop a few grains of uncooked rice into the shaker. The rice soaks up moisture so the salt keeps flowing. It is cheap, simple and works especially well in steamy kitchens. Have you ever wondered why there was rice in the shaker at your favorite diner?

You will need: A salt shaker, a pinch of uncooked white rice.

How to make it: 1. Empty a little salt out of the shaker. 2. Add 5 to 10 grains of rice. 3. Refill with salt and shake as usual.

Old School Household Hacks for DIY: Clothespin to Hold a Nail

Hammering a small nail without hitting your thumb is easy with a clothespin. Clip the nail in the jaws, hold the clothespin instead of the nail and tap away. Your fingers stay safely out of the way. Grandpa kept a few clothespins in the toolbox for exactly this. Kids helping with a project can try it too, with an adult nearby. How many times have you bruised a thumb hanging a picture?

You will need: A wooden clothespin, small nails, a hammer.

How to make it: 1. Clip the nail in the clothespin near the tip. 2. Hold the clothespin and set the nail point on the wall. 3. Tap gently until the nail holds, then remove the clothespin and finish.

Chalk to Absorb Closet Moisture

Old school household hacks are often about moisture, and a bundle of plain chalk sticks tied with string can soak up a little dampness in closets, drawers and toolboxes. Grandmothers used it to keep silver from tarnishing and linens fresh. Swap the chalk every couple of months, or dry it in the sun to reuse it. It is cheaper than store bought moisture packs. Where in your house feels a little musty?

You will need: Plain white or pastel chalk sticks, string or a small cotton bag.

How to make it: 1. Bundle 8 to 10 chalk sticks with string. 2. Hang it on a hook in the closet or tuck it in a drawer. 3. Replace or sun dry the chalk every couple of months.

Pencil Graphite for a Stuck Lock

When a key starts to stick, grandpa reached for a pencil, not oil. Oil can collect dust and gum up a lock, but graphite is dry and slippery. Rub a soft pencil all over the key, then slide it in and out of the lock a few times. Most locks loosen right up. Is there a door at your house that needs a little jiggle?

You will need: A soft graphite pencil, your key.

How to make it: 1. Scribble pencil lead all over the cut part of the key. 2. Insert and remove the key several times. 3. Turn it gently and repeat until it moves smoothly.

Tennis Ball on a Squeaky Chair Leg

Old school household hacks love reusing things, and old tennis balls make fantastic chair feet. Cut a small X in each ball and push it onto the chair legs. The chairs glide quietly, and your floors stay free of scratches. It is a classroom trick many teachers still use. They also make a fun craft if you paint them to match your kitchen. Do your chairs screech every time someone sits down?

You will need: Old tennis balls, a utility knife (adult use only), gloves.

How to make it: 1. An adult cuts an X about an inch wide into each ball. 2. Squeeze the ball to open the cut. 3. Push it onto the chair leg and repeat for all legs.

Old School Household Hacks for the Fridge: Baking Soda Box

An open box of baking soda on a fridge shelf is perhaps the most famous grandma trick of all. It helps absorb odors so your food tastes like food, not leftovers. Change it about every three months, and pour the old box down the drain with hot water to freshen it. Simple, cheap and still effective. When did you last change yours?

You will need: A box of baking soda, a marker to write the date.

How to make it: 1. Open the box fully or pour the soda into a shallow dish. 2. Write the date on it. 3. Place it at the back of a middle shelf and replace every three months.

Old School Household Hacks for Crafters: The Button Tin

Every grandma had a button tin, and it was never just for buttons. An old coffee can or glass jar becomes a sorter for screws, nails, beads and spare buttons. Glue a sample on the lid so you know what is inside at a glance. You can paint the cans for a pretty craft shelf too. For more surprising tricks, try our bizarre home hacks. What would go in your first jar?

You will need: Clean coffee cans or glass jars, spray paint or decoupage paper, hot glue (adult help).

How to make it: 1. Wash and dry the cans or jars. 2. Paint or cover them with pretty paper. 3. Glue one sample item on each lid and fill.

Rubber Band on a Stripped Screw

A stripped screw head can stop a project cold, but old school household hacks have an answer. Grandpa’s trick was a wide rubber band laid flat over the screw head. Press the screwdriver into the band and turn slowly. The rubber fills the worn grooves and gives the tip something to grip. It saves a trip to the hardware store more often than you would think. Have you ever had a screw that just would not budge?

You will need: A wide rubber band, a screwdriver that fits the screw.

How to make it: 1. Lay the rubber band flat over the screw head. 2. Press the screwdriver firmly into the band. 3. Turn slowly with steady pressure until the screw comes out.

Vinegar Soak for a Hard Water Showerhead

When the shower starts to sputter, mineral buildup is usually the cause. Grandma filled a plastic bag with plain white vinegar, tied it around the showerhead with a rubber band and left it overnight. In the morning the water flows strong again. Use vinegar alone and never mix it with bleach or other cleaners. Grandmas knew it, and now you do too. Read more grandma tricks trending on Hometalk. Which hack will you try first?

You will need: A plastic food bag, white vinegar, a rubber band or twist tie, an old toothbrush.

How to make it: 1. Fill the bag halfway with vinegar. 2. Pull it up around the showerhead so the nozzles sit in the vinegar and secure it. 3. Leave it overnight, remove, scrub lightly and run hot water for a minute.