HARLAN FENTON

Every method, and who says so.

This is the full list of methods in The Household Book and Volume II, with the mark each one carries and the source printed at the foot of its page. The method itself is in the book; this is the receipt.

The Household Book: 161 CHECKED, 40 REPORTED, 2 FOLK, 16 of them corrections. Volume II: 42 CHECKED, 3 REPORTED.

The Household Book

Section One

The Kitchen

  1. 1Finding Where the Ants Are Coming InCHECKED
  2. 2The Line They Will Not CrossCHECKED
  3. 3Wiping Out the TrailCHECKED
  4. 4The Sweet Bait, And Who Must Not Make ItCHECKED
  5. 5The Smells That Move Ants AlongREPORTED
  6. 6Chalk, Cucumber Peel And The Rest Of ItFOLK
    • No supporting research found for chalk or cucumber peel. What does work against ants: University of California Statewide IPM Program, Pest Notes: Ants
  7. 7The Four Days At ZeroCHECKED
  8. 8The Half Hour At A Hundred And ThirtyCHECKED
  9. 9Bay Leaves In The Flour BinFOLK
  10. 10Turning Out A Cupboard ProperlyCHECKED
  11. 11Glass, Metal, Or Heavy PlasticCHECKED
  12. 12What Lives In The Crack Under The ShelfCHECKED
  13. 13The Kettle That Has Furred UpCHECKED
  14. 14What Vinegar Will Not DoCHECKEDCORRECTION
  15. 15Soda And Vinegar TogetherCHECKEDCORRECTION
  16. 16The Three Things Never To MixCHECKED
  17. 17The Burnt Pan, Soda MethodCHECKED
  18. 18The Burnt Pan, Boiling MethodCHECKED
  19. 19Salt And A Cut Lemon On CopperCHECKED
  20. 20Seasoning An Iron PanCHECKED
  21. 21Bringing Back A Rusted PanCHECKED
  22. 22Washing Iron, And The Soap StoryREPORTED
  23. 23Keeping A Drain OpenCHECKED
  24. 24The Drain That Has Already StoppedCHECKED
  25. 25Cornstarch On A Grease MarkREPORTED
  26. 26Glass, Newspaper And A Little VinegarREPORTED
  27. 27Salt And Half A Lemon On A BoardREPORTED
  28. 28Oiling Wood That Touches FoodCHECKED
  29. 29The White Ring On The TableREPORTED
  30. 30Old Crockery, And What Not To Keep Food InCHECKED

Section Two

Keeping Food

  1. 31What A Date On A Package Actually MeansCHECKED
  2. 32The Nine That Keep Almost IndefinitelyCHECKED
  3. 33Honey, And The One Rule That Never BendsCHECKED
  4. 34Salt, Sugar, And Why Dry Things Do Not SpoilCHECKED
  5. 35Reading A Can Before You Open ItCHECKED
  6. 36Reading A Jar Before You Open ItCHECKED
  7. 37The Ten Minutes Before You TasteCHECKED
  8. 38Where Botulism Actually Comes FromCHECKED
  9. 39Grandmother's Methods We Now Know Not To UseCHECKEDCORRECTION
  10. 40The Cold Corner: Finding The Coolest Place In A HouseCHECKED
  11. 41Apples And Potatoes Must Live ApartCHECKED
  12. 42Onions And Potatoes LikewiseCHECKED
  13. 43Sand, Sawdust And The Box Of RootsCHECKED
  14. 44Squash On A Shelf, Not On ConcreteCHECKED
  15. 45Curing An Onion Before You Store ItCHECKED
  16. 46The Crate Of Apples And The One That Spoils ItCHECKED
  17. 47Hanging Cabbage Upside DownREPORTED
  18. 48Drying Herbs Without An OvenCHECKED
  19. 49Drying Apple Rings On A StringREPORTED
  20. 50Telling When A Dried Thing Is Dry EnoughCHECKED
  21. 51Conditioning Dried Fruit In A JarCHECKED
  22. 52Keeping Flour And Meal Past A YearCHECKED
  23. 53Rice, Beans And The Oxygen QuestionCHECKED
  24. 54Brown Sugar Gone HardCHECKED
  25. 55Bread Kept Without PlasticREPORTED
  26. 56Bread Gone Stale, Three UsesCHECKED
  27. 57Butter Kept On The Counter, SafelyCHECKED
  28. 58Eggs: How To Tell A Good One From A Bad OneCHECKED
  29. 59Water-Glassing Eggs, And Why The Colleges Say NoCHECKEDCORRECTION
  30. 60Milk Soured On PurposeCHECKED
  31. 61Rendering Fat And Keeping ItREPORTED
  32. 62Refreezing: What You Can And What You CannotCHECKED
  33. 63The Freezer That Went Off While You Were OutCHECKED

Section Three

The Cold Months

  1. 64Heat One Person, Not One HouseCHECKED
  2. 65The Room You Live In, And The Doors You ShutCHECKED
  3. 66Finding The Draft With Smoke Or A TissueCHECKED
  4. 67The Draft Under The DoorCHECKED
  5. 68The Cold Coming Off The Window At NightCHECKED
  6. 69Curtains That Reach The Sill, And Why It MattersCHECKED
  7. 70Bubble Wrap On Glass, And What It Costs YouREPORTED
  8. 71Closing The Chimney You Are Not UsingCHECKED
  9. 72The Ventilation Rule That Comes With All Of ThisCHECKED
  10. 73Foil Behind A RadiatorREPORTED
  11. 74Shelf Above A RadiatorREPORTED
  12. 75Moving The Furniture Off The Cold WallCHECKED
  13. 76The Rug On A Bare FloorCHECKEDCORRECTION
  14. 77Warming The Bed Before You Get InCHECKED
  15. 78The Hot Water Bottle, Correctly FilledCHECKED
  16. 79Layers That Work And Layers That Do NotCHECKED
  17. 80Keeping The Feet Warm FirstCHECKED
  18. 81What A Cup Of Tea Actually DoesREPORTED
  19. 82The Flowerpot Heater Does Not WorkCHECKEDCORRECTION
  20. 83Never Heat A Room With Flame You Cannot VentCHECKED
  21. 84Pipes: Which Ones Freeze And Which Ones Do NotCHECKED
  22. 85Wrapping A Pipe With What You HaveCHECKED
  23. 86Leaving A Faucet Dripping On The Worst NightCHECKED
  24. 87If The Heat Goes Off: The First HourCHECKED
  25. 88If The Heat Goes Off: The First NightCHECKED

Section Four

Doors and Windows

  1. 89Three Inch Screws Into The StudREPORTED
  2. 90The Strike Plate Nobody ChecksREPORTED
  3. 91The Dowel In The Window TrackREPORTED
  4. 92The Bolt Through The Sliding Door FrameREPORTED
  5. 93A Door Hinge On The Outside, And What To Do About ItREPORTED
  6. 94The Chain That Does NothingCHECKEDCORRECTION
  7. 95Pots And Pans On A ChairREPORTED
  8. 96Cans On A Line Across A DoorwayREPORTED
  9. 97Bells On The DoorREPORTED
  10. 98Cans On A Basement LedgeREPORTED
  11. 99Gravel Where Someone Would WalkREPORTED
  12. 100Thorns Under The WindowREPORTED
  13. 101A Dog That Sleeps InsideREPORTED
  14. 102Geese And Guinea FowlREPORTED
  15. 103The Light That Comes On By ItselfCHECKED
  16. 104The Light Left On That Fools NobodyCHECKEDCORRECTION
  17. 105What A House Looks Like When Nobody Is HomeCHECKED
  18. 106The Note On The Door You Should Never LeaveREPORTED
  19. 107Keys: The Places Everyone LooksREPORTED
  20. 108The Neighbor Who Has Your NumberCHECKED
  21. 109A Window That Will Not Shut ProperlyCHECKED
  22. 110The Door That Sticks In Damp WeatherCHECKED
  23. 111Rehanging A Dropped Door With A Longer ScrewREPORTED
  24. 112The Letter Slot And The Long ArmREPORTED

Section Five

The Yard and What Comes In From It

  1. 113Where Everything Gets In: The Walk Around The HouseCHECKED
  2. 114The Gap Under The SidingCHECKED
  3. 115Steel Wool In A Mouse HoleCHECKED
  4. 116Mice: The Traps That Work And The Ones That Do NotCHECKED
  5. 117The Plug-In Repeller Does Not WorkCHECKEDCORRECTION
  6. 118Peppermint Oil And The MouseREPORTED
  7. 119What Draws Mice In The First PlaceCHECKED
  8. 120Firewood Never Stacked Against The HouseCHECKED
  9. 121The Woodpile And What Lives In ItCHECKED
  10. 122Standing Water, Emptied Once A WeekCHECKED
  11. 123Gutters, And The Ten Minutes That Saves A WallCHECKED
  12. 124The Downspout Pointed The Wrong WayCHECKED
  13. 125Soil Piled Up Against The SidingCHECKED
  14. 126The Shrub Grown Against The WallCHECKED
  15. 127Wasps: Leaving Them Alone, And When Not ToCHECKED
  16. 128The Paper Nest That Is Already DeadCHECKED
  17. 129Flies At The DoorCHECKED
  18. 130The Fly Trap In A JarCHECKED
  19. 131Slugs And The Beer TrapCHECKED
  20. 132Slugs And The Copper StoryCHECKEDCORRECTION
  21. 133Ticks: The Walk Back Into The HouseCHECKED
  22. 134Boots, Bags And Cardboard: What Rides InCHECKED
  23. 135Never Bring Home A Second-Hand MattressCHECKED
  24. 136Firewood Ash: What It Is Good ForCHECKED
  25. 137Ash On An Icy PathREPORTED
  26. 138Shovel First, Salt Second, And What Salt RuinsCHECKED
  27. 139Leaves Against A FoundationCHECKED
  28. 140The Compost Heap Kept Away From The WallCHECKED

Section Six

Repair and Making Do

  1. 141The Screw That Will Not Hold: The MatchstickCHECKED
  2. 142The Stripped Screw Head And The Rubber BandREPORTED
    • No authoritative test of the rubber band method was found. General hand-tool safety: US Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Hand and Power Tools (OSHA 3080)
  3. 143The Seized Bolt And The Time It NeedsREPORTED
  4. 144A Drawer That Sticks: Candle Wax On The RunnerCHECKED
  5. 145A Squeaking Hinge Done ProperlyCHECKED
  6. 146A Chair That Has Gone LooseCHECKED
  7. 147Glue: Which One For Which BreakCHECKED
  8. 148Clamping Without ClampsCHECKED
  9. 149The Split In A Wooden HandleCHECKED
  10. 150Sharpening A Knife On What You OwnREPORTED
  11. 151Sharpening ScissorsREPORTED
  12. 152Rust On A Tool, Vinegar MethodCHECKED
  13. 153Rust On A Tool, Oil And Abrasive MethodCHECKED
  14. 154Keeping Tools From Rusting In A Damp ShedCHECKED
  15. 155The Zipper That Will Not RunREPORTED
  16. 156Sewing A Button So It StaysCHECKED
  17. 157The Hem That Came Down, No MachineCHECKED
  18. 158Darning: The Only Stitch You NeedCHECKED
  19. 159The Patch On The InsideCHECKED
  20. 160Reviving A Bar Of Soap That CrackedREPORTED
  21. 161Candle Stubs Made Into One CandleCHECKED
  22. 162A Can That Will Not OpenCHECKED
  23. 163A Jar Lid That Will Not TurnCHECKED
  24. 164The Wobbling TableCHECKED
  25. 165Scratches In Wood: The WalnutCHECKED
  26. 166Filling A Hole In A Wall Without Buying FillerREPORTED
  27. 167Sixteen Things This House Does Not Throw AwayCHECKED

Section Seven

The Medicine Shelf

  1. 168Turning Out The Shelf, And What Has Been Sitting There Ten YearsCHECKED
  2. 169A Medicine Date Is Not A Food DateCHECKEDCORRECTION
  3. 170The Bathroom Cabinet Is The Wrong CupboardCHECKED
  4. 171Up, Away, And Out Of SightCHECKED
  5. 172A Child-Resistant Cap Is Not Child-ProofCHECKED
  6. 173When To Call Poison Control, And What To Have In Your HandCHECKED
  7. 174The Old Bottles: Ipecac, Mercurochrome, Camphor And WintergreenCHECKEDCORRECTION
  8. 175Getting Rid Of Medicines: Take-Back FirstCHECKED
  9. 176Into The Trash, The FDA WayCHECKED
  10. 177The Short List That Goes Down The ToiletCHECKEDCORRECTION
  11. 178Needles And LancetsCHECKED
  12. 179The Mercury ThermometerCHECKED
  13. 180The First-Aid Box, Stocked To The Red Cross ListCHECKED
  14. 181A Small Cut: Clean Water, Cover, And When It Is A Doctor'sCHECKED
  15. 182A Burn: Cool Water, Cover, And When It Is A Doctor'sCHECKED
  16. 183Butter On A BurnCHECKEDCORRECTION
  17. 184The List In Your Wallet, And The Questions For The PharmacistCHECKED

Section Eight

Water

  1. 185Where The Main Shutoff Is, And Going To Find It NowCHECKED
  2. 186Turning The Water Off Before You Need ToCHECKED
  3. 187The Drip That Is Costing YouCHECKED
  4. 188Changing A Faucet WasherCHECKED
  5. 189The Running Toilet And The Dye TestCHECKED
  6. 190A Slow Bathroom Sink, Before You Reach For AnythingCHECKED
  7. 191The Trap Under The Sink, Opened And CleanedCHECKED
  8. 192Hard Water, And The Showerhead In A BagCHECKED
  9. 193If Your Water Comes From A WellCHECKED
  10. 194The Smell From A Drain That Is Not The DrainCHECKED
  11. 195The Three Kinds Of Damp, Told ApartCHECKED
  12. 196Drying A Room Without Buying AnythingCHECKED
  13. 197Calcium Chloride: The Tub You Can MakeCHECKED
  14. 198Rice And Salt Do Almost NothingCHECKEDCORRECTION
  15. 199Mold On A Wall: What Actually Removes ItCHECKED
  16. 200Bleach On Mold Is Not The AnswerCHECKEDCORRECTION
  17. 201Storing Water, And How Much Is EnoughCHECKED
  18. 202Water When The Supply Stops: The Two Safe Sources In Your HouseCHECKED
  19. 203Making Water Safe To Drink: A Rolling Boil, Or Bleach By The DropCHECKED

Volume II: Winter, Power & the Garage

Part One

Before Winter

  1. V1The Furnace Filter, Looked At Once A MonthCHECKED
  2. V2The Furnace: What You Look At, And What You Call ForCHECKED
  3. V3Smoke Alarms: The Monthly Button And The Ten-Year DateCHECKED
  4. V4The Fire Extinguisher, And When To Leave It On The WallCHECKED
  5. V5The Attic Hatch Nobody SealsCHECKED
  6. V6A Blanket For The Water Heater, Electric OnlyCHECKED
  7. V7How Hot The Tap Runs, And Who Turns It DownCHECKED
  8. V8The Ceiling Fan Turned Around For WinterREPORTED
  9. V9Firewood Dry Enough To BurnCHECKED
  10. V10What Never Goes In The FireplaceCHECKED
  11. V11Ice Dams, Read From The GroundCHECKED
  12. V12The Outdoor Faucet: The Cover And The Frost-Free KindREPORTED
  13. V13The Box For The House, Packed Before The StormCHECKED
  14. V14Free Weatherization: Ask Before You PayCHECKED
  15. V15After It Snows: The Vents, The Meter And The Way OutCHECKED

Part Two

When the Power Goes

  1. V16Tell The Utility You Depend On PowerCHECKED
  2. V17The Machine That Keeps You Well: A Plan Before The StormCHECKED
  3. V18Medicines That Live In The RefrigeratorCHECKED
  4. V19Before The Storm: Filling The Freezer With ColdCHECKED
  5. V20Snow Is Not A RefrigeratorCHECKEDCORRECTION
  6. V21At Hour Four: The Cooler, Block Ice And Dry IceCHECKED
  7. V22What Stays And What GoesCHECKED
  8. V23Buying A Generator: Look For The ShutoffCHECKED
  9. V24Running A Generator: Outside, Twenty Feet, And The Alarm InsideCHECKED
  10. V25Never Plug A Generator Into The HouseCHECKED
  11. V26Phones, A Radio, And Light That Isn't A FlameCHECKED
  12. V27Unplug Before The Power Comes BackCHECKED
  13. V28Wires On The GroundCHECKED
  14. V29When To Leave, And What Goes With YouCHECKED
  15. V30After The Lights Come BackCHECKED

Part Three

The Garage

  1. V31The Winter Box For The CarCHECKED
  2. V32Stuck In The Snow: Stay With The CarCHECKED
  3. V33The Battery Before The ColdREPORTED
  4. V34Tire Pressure By The Door Label, On A Cold MorningCHECKED
  5. V35The Penny In The TreadCHECKED
  6. V36Wipers, Washer Fluid, And What Is In The JugCHECKED
  7. V37Antifreeze, And The Dog In The DrivewayCHECKED
  8. V38The Engine Left Running In The GarageCHECKED
  9. V39Gasoline: In What, And WhereCHECKED
  10. V40Paint Through The Winter, And Out The DoorCHECKED
  11. V41The Garage Shelf, And The Door Into The HouseCHECKED
  12. V42The Garage Door That Must Turn BackCHECKED
  13. V43The Snow Blower: Engine Off, Stick In The ChuteCHECKED
  14. V44The Shovel And The HeartCHECKED
  15. V45Ice Grips On Your Shoes, And Short StepsCHECKED
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