Let’s get one thing straight—our grandparents’ generation had it hard. They needed to do all kinds of household chores but without the modern conveniences we take for granted today. Yikes! So, let’s look at 12 of these chores and what made them so difficult. Who knows? You might end up feeling grateful for modern technology!
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Sweeping Chimneys
Instead of calling in professionals, many of our grandparents took it upon themselves to clean their chimneys using long brushes. They swept out soot & ash to prevent chimney fires. Thankfully, this dangerous and dirty work is much more regulated today, with professional services keeping everyone safe.
Grinding Coffee by Hand
Our grandparents usually didn’t have a fancy electric coffee grinder or pods to pop into a machine. They manually ground their coffee beans using a hand-cranked grinder. Each morning, enjoying a fresh cup of joe required a bit of muscle, turning what we see as a simple push-button task into a mini workout.
Using a Wringer Washer
Post-washboard era but pre-automatic washing machines, the wringer washer was the only way to clean your clothes. After washing them, you’d have to manually feed each item of clothing through two rollers. This would squeeze out any excess water. It was a chore that would really pinch if you weren’t careful—literally!
Ironing with a Coal-Filled Iron
Before electric irons, people used irons filled with hot coals to press clothes. They were heavy & you had to handle them with care to avoid burns—or setting your clothes on fire. Today, the idea of using such an iron seems more dangerous than it’s worth, especially compared to our convenient, lightweight electric models.
Shoveling Coal for Heat
Keeping the house warm involved shoveling coal into furnaces, which became a daily & grueling task during colder months. Thankfully, we can control our central heating systems today with the flip of a switch. They’d seem like magic to someone from the past who was used to manual heating!
Beating Rugs for Cleaning
Instead of vacuuming, our grandparents would take heavy rugs and hang them on a line. Then, they’d beat the rugs with a large stick to remove dust. It was a labor-intensive task that was a common chore for many households but has been conveniently replaced with vacuum cleaners. Thank goodness for that.
Hand-Cranking Ice Cream Makers
If you wanted to make ice cream, you’d have to use a hand-crank machine. This involved turning a handle continuously until the mixture froze into ice cream—it was as difficult as it sounds! Even though making ice cream was a cherished activity back then, that didn’t make it any less strenuous.
Using Outhouses
The lack of indoor plumbing meant our grandparents had to use outhouses no matter the weather. Going outside in the middle of the night or during winter just to use the restroom seems pretty shocking to most of us today. If that wasn’t bad enough, having to clean these out was a nightmare!
Making Soap at Home
Soap wasn’t always something you could easily buy at the store as many of our grandparents made their own soap. They’d use lye & animal fats to create soap, which was rather time-consuming. It also required a lot of know-how to get right—a far cry from simply picking your favorite scent off a shelf!
Home Haircuts with Manual Clippers
In those days, there were no quick trips to the barber or stylist. Instead, many families owned a set of manual hair clippers and a family member would use these to get the job done—no electricity required. After reading that, you’re probably very appreciative that you have a hairdresser instead.
Ice Harvesting
Whenever you needed ice in the past, you would have to go get it yourself from a frozen lake or pond. Our grandparents chopped & harvested ice and then stored it in an ice house insulated with sawdust. When you compare that chore to the ease of today’s ice dispensers right in our freezers, it’s not hard to see who’s the winner.
Manual Lawn Mowing
Push mowers were the tools of choice for trimming the grass. These required pushing a heavy device across the lawn with no engine to help—just human power. Of course, we now have motorized lawnmowers to make this physically demanding task a whole lot easier. But that doesn’t make mowing the lawn any more exciting!
Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.
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