Grandmas always seem to know it all don’t they? Well, here are some unique and wonderful old-fashioned remedies you may not have heard before that we would like to share. While we cannot guarantee that grandma was always right, we do know, however, that there are times in life when just about anything and everything is sure worth a try! And….if all else fails…
Grandmas never run out of hugs or cookies.
~Author Unknown
GRANNY’S OLD-FASHIONED REMEDY FOR THE FLU: She used to mix 1 tablespoon of horseradish and 1 cup of olive oil and left it to stand for 30 minutes. She would then use it as a massage oil for instant relief for aching muscles.
HEALTHY LOOKING TOES: Soak your toes in Listerine….this powerful antiseptic leaves your toenails looking healthy.
SAGE GARGLE: Soothe your sore throat using grandma’s old-fashioned remedy! Take 3-4 dried sage leaves and put them into a cup of hot water and let stand for approximately ten minutes then gargle while it is still warm. Additionally, to treat canker sores add lemon (1/2 tsp.) to the concoction. Or, finally, there’s always the salt-water gargle! Do this by adding 1/2 teaspoon of salt to a glass of warm water and gargle to relieve the pain.
GRANDMA’S OLD-FASHIONED REMEDY TO REMOVE WARTS: Wart is not only an ugly word but even uglier when you’re the one having to look at several on your hands or knees. Whenever I was plagued by a wart, I just naturally ran to Grandma and her garden for the cure. When we had a full moon she would pick the largest dandelion from her herbal garden and would rub the milky substance from the cut end of the weed onto the warts. She would do this three times that night and, like magic, the next day they began to mysteriously disappear.
GRANDMA’S OLD-FASHIONED REMEDY TO RELIEVE COUGH: To treat a persistent, nagging nighttime cough, she would bring two cups of water to a boil and add two sliced lemons, 1/2 teaspoon of either mint or dried ginger, and 2 tablespoons of honey and 2 tablespoons of sugar. After mixing these ingredients and having brought them to a boil, they would soon turn into a thick syrup. Once this occurred, she would add an ounce of her favorite liqueur or brandy. Is it any wonder how a couple of spoonfuls of this warm syrup can cure a cough?
AN OLD-FASHIONED REMEDY FOR STUFFY NOSES: A solution of salt water (I/4 teaspoon to a cup of water) sniffed from the palm of the hand unclogged a stuffy nose.
GRANDMA’S OLD-FASHIONED REMEDY TO KILL BAD BREATH: Grandma loved to use parsley in her cooking and as a garnish on her dishes. But as a breath freshener it was her favorite: Bring two cups of water to a boil, add three sprigs of parsley, 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Strain and use as a mouthwash.
GRANDMA’S TEA REMEDY…basil and chamomile: Grandma brewed a soothing medicinal chamomile tea by adding basil leaves. This remedy works well to calm a nervous-type stomach. She did this by adding 2 teaspoons each of dried chamomile and dried basil leaves to a cup of boiling water. She would leave this to steep for 10 minutes to ensure great flavor. This mixture will work well to relieve your child’s tummyaches and works just as well for us grown-ups too!
GRANDMA’S CURE FOR A COLD: Grandma’s chicken soup enticed our appetites and cured our colds for generations. Was there a magic healing power in her recipe? Who knows? One thing I do know there are no cold remedies on the market today that compare to a loving touch and a pot of homemade soup seasoned with love in every bowl.
GRANDMA’S ALL-NATURAL HOME DEODORIZERS: Grandma use an aerosol spray?? I don’t think so!! However, her home always smelled so nice. How did she do it? Well, to rid her kitchen of unpleasant odors, she would place a small pot of water on the stove to boil, throwing in some cloves, a few sprigs of rosemary, and several lemon rinds. The aroma of this spicy brew filled every room of the house, giving us all that welcomed feeling. And, she always seemed to have bouquets brought in from the garden consisting of roses (her favorite), lavender, lemon leaves, and orange blossoms…what a wonderful way to make your home smell wonderful.
GRANDMA’S FAMOUS FURNITURE POLISH: Grandma didn’t just run to the store when her furniture needed a shine…oh, no! Instead she used oils of different varieties (vegetable or olive oil) and lemon, mixed it with water and a small amount (capful) of a liquid soap. She would shake this mixture well and rub into the wood for a nice lusterous shine for all her wooden furniture.
AN OLD-FASHIONED REMEDY TO KEEP FLOWERS FRESH: To keep her flowers fresher longer, she would add about 1 teaspoon of sugar and a capful of bleach to a gallon of water. She would pour this into the vase and then arrange her beautiful bouquet of fresh flowers. If the flowers were picked on a hot summer day, she would make sure the water was warm to prevent shocking the blossoms. She told us the bleach worked to stop any bacterial growth and that the sugar fed them their nutrients. The best time to pick flowers, she said, is early morning and to remember, of course, to cut them at an angle using a sharp blade.
GRANDMA’S HOMEMADE INSECTIDE: Grandma wouldn’t dream of using today’s insecticides! But she was a whiz at keeping bugs out of her home. She did this by crushing mint leaves to leave under her kitchen sink and other areas where bugs would enter her kitchen. Sometimes she would sprinkle pepper flacks or borax under the sink. At other times, she would pour some olive oil where she would see ants coming in, or even better yet, since ants aren’t too keen on lemon juice, she would squeeze it around those areas. Out in her garden, she would leave a bucket of beer, mainly to get rid of snails, but we would go out the next morning to find it full of all kinds of dead creepy crawlers!
Grandma and her old-fashioned remedies may seem far-fetched at times but she was a wise ole’ sole! You’ll never know if her tips and tricks really work unless you give them a try yourself. You’ll probably wish you could thank her the next time a cough keeps you up at night!
