14 Household Chores Our Grandparents Mastered That We Rarely Do Now

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Life sure looks different today than it did in our grandparents’ time. While we push buttons on our appliances and order groceries online, they spent hours on tasks that seem old-fashioned now. 

Our grandparents knew how to preserve food without refrigerators, wash clothes by hand, and keep warm without central heating. Their daily routines were filled with chores that required skill and resourcefulness.

Here are 14 household chores from Grandma’s day that we’ve mostly stopped doing.

Beating Rugs

Once upon a time, beating rugs outside was a common chore to remove dust and dirt. While it might have been a good workout, today’s vacuum cleaners are far more effective and less labor-intensive. With just a push of a button, we can have clean floors in no time.

Making Homemade Cleaning Products

Many of our grandmothers made their own cleaning supplies using simple ingredients like vinegar and baking soda. While this is still a great option for some, most people today prefer the convenience of store-bought cleaners that come in a variety of scents and formulas.

Baking Bread from Scratch

Baking bread from scratch was a point of pride for many families. The smell of fresh bread wafting through the house was hard to beat! However, with so many delicious options available at local bakeries and grocery stores, homemade bread has become less common for many.

Keeping a Garden for Food

Growing vegetables and herbs was once a necessity for many families, ensuring they had fresh ingredients year-round. Nowadays, most of us rely on grocery stores for their produce, making gardening less of a priority—even though it’s still a rewarding hobby for those who choose to pursue it.

Scrubbing Floors by Hand

In the past, scrubbing floors on hands and knees was standard practice. Grandma would spend hours making sure every inch was spotless. Luckily, modern mops and steam cleaners have made this chore much easier, allowing us to keep our homes clean with minimal effort.

Ironing Everything

For our grandmothers, ironing was a weekly ritual. Every shirt, dress, and pair of pants had to be perfectly pressed. Today, many of us opt for wrinkle-resistant fabrics or simply embrace a more relaxed style, reducing the need for ironing.

Sewing Clothes and Repairs by Hand

Before the era of fast fashion, mending clothes was common practice. Grandma would sew up tears, replace buttons, and even make new garments by hand. Now, people prefer to buy new clothing rather than spend time repairing old items, though some are returning to this craft as a way to embrace sustainability.

Cleaning Windows with Newspaper

Many grandmothers swore by using newspapers to clean windows, believing it left them streak-free. Specialized cleaning solutions and microfiber cloths have now made window cleaning easier and more effective.

Hand-Wringing Laundry

Before electric dryers became commonplace, laundry was a labor-intensive process. After washing, Grandma would wring out clothes by hand, often resulting in tired arms. Today, we simply toss our clothes in the dryer, making laundry day much less of a workout.

Canning and Preserving Food

Canning was essential for preserving food, as it allowed families to store seasonal produce for the winter. In the past, families would spend hours in the kitchen, sealing jars carefully to ensure nothing spoiled. Most of us now rely on refrigeration or freezing to keep our food fresh. 

Hand-Making Pasta

In Grandma’s kitchen, making pasta from scratch was a cherished ritual. She would spend time kneading dough and rolling it out by hand. We now have the option of store-bought pasta, saving us time without sacrificing flavor.

Collecting and Storing Firewood

For many households, collecting and storing firewood for winter was a necessary chore. With the availability of central heating and modern heating systems, this task is now largely unnecessary for most people, making life a bit more comfortable.

Grinding Coffee by Hand

In Grandma’s kitchen, grinding coffee beans by hand was a daily ritual. Using a manual grinder, she would take her time to ensure the perfect grind for brewing. Nowadays, we use electric grinders for convenience or buy pre-ground coffee.

Dusting

Dusting was a regular and meticulous chore for our grandparents, far more involved than it is today. Grandparents often relied on feather dusters, cloths, or brushes to clean every surface, from furniture, figurines and shelves.

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