1930’s Housewife: the Life Before P&G challenge

I have never doubted that I am a deeply privileged person, but my trip to the 1930’s certainly reminded me of that. You may have seen around the blogosphere that a whole host of bloggers (Marisworld, Mid30’slife, and meandmyshadow to name but three)  have been trying to spend the day as a 1930’s housewife, challenged by Proctor and Gamble to see what it was like to keep house before the advent of washing up liquid and washing machines. I practically snapped their hand off when they asked me: such fun, I thought.

Then followed several weeks of waiting for my voice to return after a bad case of Laryngitis before I could successfully video myself without being arrested for crimes to the English Language. Inspired by Being a Mummy I made an apron, then went one step further and tried to hire a costume. Apparently there weren’t many well-cushioned mummies in the 1930’s. But that was pretty much my only fail so I can’t complain.

There were six challenges which took in, in no particular order: cleaning, laundry, playing with the children, cooking supper, washing up and beauty.

Beauty is a rude word in my house, primarily because if I get a shower in the morning I am doing well, never mind actually putting make-up on. The toothpaste tasted of Germolene, which devastated PD who was so excited by the pinkness of it that she scooped lots onto her toothbrush. DH said that I smelled like rugby players all day. I think it would make a fabulous weight loss programme, since you are rendered incapable of tasting anything for hours afterwards. I found the soap and cold cream actually made my skin plumper and have been using it ever since. My skin had clearly been crying out for the attention. PD liked that I painted my face too.

Cooking was something that I enjoyed. We eat a lot of one-pot meals (a staple of 1930’s homes) although I had never made Scotch Hot Pot before. I doubt I will again. I did some research at our local library and made Eve’s Pudding for dessert which was a far greater hit. I had to substitute Camp Coffee (although used primarily in cake-making, there was an advert for this in the 1930’s newspaper I was supplied with) for loose-leaf tea, since I don’t drink tea. I think I’ll stick to real coffee: it tasted like watered-down treacle.

Washing Up proved to be utterly ghastly. I have no idea how people managed before Fairy Liquid. I really don’t. A dishwasher I could live without, although that would cause a pain akin to the pain you would feel living without chocolate. But that was the point at which I, metaphorically, got down on my knees and thanked God for being born in the 1970’s. I should point out that the dishwasher was invented in the 1800’s, by a woman. #justsaying

Laundry didn’t seem as awful as I thought it would be but I know that was down to my good luck: it was a nice day, so I did it outside on the garden table and whilst I was tired, I didn’t suffer the backaches that others did. I also had a sleeping baby, so could concentrate. In fact I found using the washboard quite therapeutic for getting out your aggression. And because it was sunny, it dried fairly quickly.

Playing with the Children was easier because I cheated. I made sure I did the challenge on a nursery day, which left me looking after Dimples and not the PD as well. I’d like to say that this was so I could better concentrate on the task in hand. Dimples loved playing with the blocks and other silent non-plastic toys. I loved it too. In my defence, The Girls tend to prefer playing with the toys that we have made together. It’s almost tempting to clear out all the other toys and donate them!

Cleaning made me realise that you don’t need fancy-pants products to have a clean house. But I do like using them, if for no other reason than the house smelled like a chip shop after I cleaned all the windows with watered down vinegar. Baking powder was a revelation: it made my oven knobs sparkle like new.

A couple of weeks on and I am still happily using some of the 1930’s techniques but I tell you now, if you try and take away my dishwasher and washing machine, I will be forced to hurt you. I have form. Oh, and the links all lead to the fun Youtube footage I have of me actually performing my tasks. I apologise now for some of the epic monologues: I don’t get out much.

[disclosure: I received a goodie bag of P&G products and a  Flip camera as a thank you for taking part in this challenge. They also supplied the goods I needed to complete my challenge. But I did it all by myself and any comments and opinions are mine.]