Old Time Wallpaper Cleaner

Taken from a genealogical list I belong to:

I could not pass up sharing this with all of you. I ran across this written in my Mother’s hand…..they actually used this in the Thirties and earlier. Mom got this “recipe” from her Mother. And of course, this was when they did not have the treated wall paper that we use today. I love family history and this is a part of what our Mother’s and Grandmothers and early ancestors used.

From the 1930’s…..Wall Paper Cleaner

1 cup white flour
2 Tblsp salt
2 Tblsp vinegar
1 Tblsp kerosene
½ cup warm water

Put all ingredients together in a pan, mixing well until smooth. Place over fire (or stove) stirring continually until dough is soft, not pasty. It takes about 1 or 2 minutes over a hot fire to cook to the proper consistency. Take into hands immediately & knead into a ball. Rub onto the wall paper as you keep kneading the ball.

(Mom made this personal note on the recipe card. “I remember them rubbing the ball on the wallpaper…ball becomes very black. When that happens, you need a new ball then.)