Starch and other forgotten stuff

paddyandy

My School holiday visit to my auntis house always began with the open door and the smells of mansion floor polish, turf or coal windolene and brasso .She probably did'nt notice it herself much those smells were everywhere .Many houses had those same smells .

Rubecula

My gran's house always smelled of lavender. Never did know why.

Jellybaby1

Rubecula wrote: »

My gran's house always smelled of lavender. Never did know why.

Lavender Floor Polish, perhaps? Or those pretty little lavender bags we used to have in our 'smalls' drawer. Actually now I think of it, I still have one of those!

looksee

Oh lord, polishing the brasses - two tiny candlesticks is all I can remember, but I know there were more, lots more.

Rubecula

Jellybaby1 wrote: »

Lavender Floor Polish, perhaps? Or those pretty little lavender bags we used to have in our 'smalls' drawer. Actually now I think of it, I still have one of those!

A Smalls Drawer? or a Lavender bag?

Does a lavender bag do anything apart from smell?

looksee

Isn't it supposed to be an insect repellent? Though what bugs would be interested in undies I'm not sure. Keeping moths out of wool maybe? But you needed mothballs for that.

Jellybaby1

I think its time you all stopped discussing my 'smalls' drawer. I'm standing right here guys!! :mad: Anyway, I meant a lavender bag, but I actually have both the bag, and the drawer, so there. :P The lavender does nothing else but smell pretty, and look pretty too. On the other subject, having seen some of the posts on other forums here, I can assure you there are plenty of creeps, erm....creepy things around that are interested in underwear. :eek: Move along now folks, nawthin t'see here, shure and begorrah!

franc 91

We also put bags of lavender in the chest of drawers with our clothes - both his and hers, I might add - we get it fresh every year when we go on holiday down South in la Haute-Provence. The Plateau of Valensole is one of the places it's grown - if you'd like to have a look - PS I like walking up in the mountains that you can see there in the background
http://www.valensole.fr/sections.php?op=viewarticle&artid=145

ladhrann

looksee wrote: »

I'm posting this in here because I doubt anyone would know what I am talking about on other forums. And I don't think there is a laundry or housekeeping forum (is there?).

Anyway I have got a few of the nice cotton blouses that are around at the moment - I made the decision to stop wearing teeshirts after I saw my reflection one too many times. But it seems as though they are no sooner ironed than they look sad, and it occurred to me that a dip in some well diluted starch might improve them. Not to make them stiff, just a bit of finish.

So I went hunting for starch. Either the packet stuff (Robin?) or the spray on. Nothing. Does it still exist, has anyone seen it anywhere? Or is there some magical modern product I should be using?

Anyway, even if no-one is interested in starch there might be other long forgotten products that are no longer seen. Black lead? Does anyone need it? Boracic powder, great for minor wounds - gone. Dry shampoo - does anyone remember that? Horrible stuff!

Sorry to resurrect an old thread but could see nothing current on this.

For those interested I was looking for this stuff before and found a few sources.

Lux was discontinued in 2004 but the company that made it is still going Dri-Pak Ltd. in the UK: http://www.dri-pak.co.uk/

Laudry starch is made by Kershaws aka the Traditional Starch Company http://www.traditional-starch.co.uk/

I was able to get other things like cirtic acid, Reckitts Blue, carbolic soap and small quantities of the starch etc., from the Carbolic Soap Company:
http://www.carbolicsoap.com/

annieoburns

There used to be a liquid starch called Dip back in the day. I think I have a very elderly aerosol can of something somewhere. I would be looking for nice Dip type product to refresh ancient christening robe should it be called into service while I am still keeper of the garment. I think you will get Boric powder in a chemist. I am always on look out for dry handwash powder (Dreft?) but seems to have vanished tho did see some version on a holiday trip. Holiday trips are down to carryon luggage and liquid stuff that is about is no use.

looksee

I did eventually find some spray starch that did the job - in the supermarket, but like with cornflour and pearl barley, they had it filed somewhere a bit strange.

Animord

Hello.

No idea whether these people sell on line at all, but I saw this yesterday and lo and behold, saw this thread today.

Almost like it was my destiny to end up on an Oulwan's thread about laundry.

And in the spirit of the thread, I remember when we got an electric wringer. It was part of a fancy new-fangled top-loading machine.

We were the talk of the town!:pac:

ladhrann

Animord wrote: »

Hello.

No idea whether these people sell on line at all, but I saw this yesterday and lo and behold, saw this thread today.

If you can't clean it with vinegar or breadsoda then you can't clean it.

annieobrien, Dri-Pak Ltd are apparently the ony makers of soap flakes, their stockist in Ireland is Superquinn.

bonzodog2

Rubecula wrote: »

Did any of you collect the picture cards inside the packets of tea? I am not sure which tea it was (Seem to remember Mantunna Tea) but when ever mum bought some I was the first to the packet and had a good root through for the picture cards.

I collected these from Brooke Bond PG Tips tea (remember the TV ads with the chimps?) Filled several collection books with cards of trees, butterflies and can't remember what else.

Packets of crisps that came unsalted, with salt in a little bit of blue paper for you to add yourself. Before the days of cheese & onion. Smiths was the brandname.

Virol (a kind of vitamin supplement for small kids) and Delrosa syrup(made from rosehips, Vitamin C)

deisemum

I loved Delrosa

Anyone remember the packets of bright pink popcorn 3p a bag?

Teagwee

annieoburns wrote: »

. I am always on look out for dry handwash powder (Dreft?) but seems to have vanished tho did see some version on a holiday trip. Holiday trips are down to carryon luggage and liquid stuff that is about is no use.

I make my own washing powder, which involves grated soap, borax and washing soda. I will never go back to the bought stuff now. If you just want soap flakes, grate a bar of your favourite soap and take it with you

Animord

Nothing to do with soap at all... but Callard and Bowser (sp?) butterscotch? Why did that go away? I have idly searched for it for years - or something like it and Werther's original are the closest, but they are not right.

I want them back - in their expensive looking little packaging with the individually wrapped buttery sweets inside.

Bring them back!:mad:

Jellybaby1

I remember Callard & Bowser brand of toffee. Is that the one where I had to borrow my dad's heaviest hammer to break it up into shards, to eat! It may still be available in those new Olde Sweet Shoppes that have popped up around the city.

ladhrann

Teagwee wrote: »

I make my own washing powder, which involves grated soap, borax and washing soda. I will never go back to the bought stuff now. If you just want soap flakes, grate a bar of your favourite soap and take it with you

As a matter of interest where do you get the borax?

Teagwee

ladhrann wrote: »

As a matter of interest where do you get the borax?

Amazon - I get it delivered to a relative in NI. Not sure if they will deliver it to ROI, but Parcelmotel is another option, if not. I get the real borax, not the substitute stuff.
Incidentally, I use vinegar as a fabric softener and also as a rinse aid in the dishwasher - I hate all the false perfume smells.

Jellybaby1

Help, my memory is failing me. What did we used to call Pomegranates when we were chiselers? I can't remember it. We only got them at Halloween and never saw them the rest of the year. Nowadays celebrity chefs toss the seeds over every darn thing. Can't think why, they are completely un-eatable - but they were very suckable. I remember the juice being lovely and sweet in the 'ould days but the pith was horrible. I bought one for Halloween just gone and it was totally sour, I was so disappointed. My kids had no idea what I was going on about.

maringo

Hot bread poultice if we had any cuts that looked like they were going septic was very effective if I remember right - I have a vague memory of my mother bless her lighting papers in a bin at the bottom of the basement stairs think it was to kill mump germs from the house as my brother had it and to stop us picking it up. Maybe it worked as I never got them. Also of her making senna tea to keep us all "regular". And regular spoonfuls of cod liver oil.

Sweet candy cigarettes. Macaroon bars. Iced gems. Gobstoppers. Cleeves toffee slabs. Macaroon bars. Caramac bars. Cream soda. Jacobs rasberry creams - can nearly taste them as I type

We used to spend hours on a pomegranate around Halloween with a pin eating each little bit.

Rubecula

deisemum wrote: »

I loved Delrosa

Anyone remember the packets of bright pink popcorn 3p a bag?

My mum overdid the Delrosa on me as a kiddy it rotted me teeth.

Jellybaby1 wrote: »

I remember Callard & Bowser brand of toffee. Is that the one where I had to borrow my dad's heaviest hammer to break it up into shards, to eat! It may still be available in those new Olde Sweet Shoppes that have popped up around the city.

Not seen slabs of toffee in years my gran used to have a silver toffee hammer

maringo wrote: »

Hot bread poultice if we had any cuts that looked like they were going septic was very effective if I remember right - I have a vague memory of my mother bless her lighting papers in a bin at the bottom of the basement stairs think it was to kill mump germs from the house as my brother had it and to stop us picking it up. Maybe it worked as I never got them. Also of her making senna tea to keep us all "regular". And regular spoonfuls of cod liver oil.

Sweet candy cigarettes. Macaroon bars. Iced gems. Gobstoppers. Cleeves toffee slabs. Macaroon bars. Caramac bars. Cream soda. Jacobs rasberry creams - can nearly taste them as I type

We used to spend hours on a pomegranate around Halloween with a pin eating each little bit.

Oh yes I remember those sweety delights. Never had pomegranites though but I did have a nibble of a few a girlfriend of mine used to get.

looksee

Iced Gems! I loved those as a kid, my mother would be sure and get me a bag on my birthday! Thinking back they really were nothing special, a blob of rock hard icing on a tiny biscuit/cracker affair. And yes, we had a toffee hammer too, not that it saw a great deal of toffee!

Animord

looksee wrote: »

Iced Gems! I loved those as a kid, my mother would be sure and get me a bag on my birthday! Thinking back they really were nothing special, a blob of rock hard icing on a tiny biscuit/cracker affair. And yes, we had a toffee hammer too, not that it saw a great deal of toffee!

Ooooh! Iced Gems - they'd break your teeth! I loved them at the time, but they don't seem wildly appetising now.

OldGoat

Jellybaby1 wrote: »

What did we used to call Pomegranates when we were chiselers?

Apple something? Something apples?

I occasionally forget that Mrs Goat is Australian. I asked her this morning "What did you call pomegranets as a kid"? She gave me that FFS look and with her eyes to the heavens she replied "Pomegranets".

Wine Apples! I just remembered. We called them wineapples.

looksee

We called them pomegranates and got them the odd time at Christmas. Half a pomegranate and a pin to hook out the seeds...

BrensBenz

According to a few hundred fonts of wisdom, i.e. daytime shopping channels, all of the tasks that were accomplished with these strange, (pre-Torchy Torchy the Battery Boy) products can now be done quicker and better with a steam cleaner:

• Remove creases from clothes;
• Deep clean dentures;
• Remove wrinkles with this portable sauna;
• Revive plants, including plastic species;
• Kill 99.99999999% of nine-legged, dibiddy dibbidy worms;
• Renovate stonework on historic buildings;
• Neutralise nuclear fall-out;
• Etc.

So forget all about Robin starch and Brillo. Join the 21st century, develop a mid-Atlantic drawl and buy a steam cleaner.

23% of 4 customers agree. Steam cleaners are not available in grocery or pharmacy stores. Terms and conditions apply.

Rubecula

if you do that can you throw away your mop bucket, your cleaning cloths and detergent, and throw away your iron too?

While you are at it dump the kettle LOL

looksee

Lol, I have my daughter-in-law's steam cleaner sitting in the kitchen for me to try, to see if I really want one! And I have to report to my neighbour on the results, as she is thinking about it too!