Hair Invigorator

Bay rum two pints, alcohol one pint, castor oil one ounce, carb. ammonia half an ounce, tincture of cantharides one ounce. Mix them well. This compound will promote the growth of the hair and prevent it from falling out.

Source: The White House Cookbook, F.L. Gillette

To Remove the Odor of Onions

Fill with cold water kettles and sauce pans in which they have been cooked adding a tablespoonful of bread soda and the same of ammonia. Let stand on the stove until it boils. Then wash in hot suds and rinse well. A pudding or bean pot, treated in this way, will wash easily. Wood ashes in the water will have the same effect.

Source: Things Mother Used To Make, L.M. Gurney

Grandmother’s Universal Liniment

One pint of alcohol and as much camphor gum as can be dissolved in it, half an ounce of the oil of cedar, one-half ounce of the oil of sassafras, aqua ammonia half an ounce, and the same amount of the tincture of morphine. Shake well together and apply by the fire; the liniment must not be heated, or come in contact with the fire, but the rubbing to be done by the warmth of the fire.

Source: The White House Cookbook, F.L. Gillette

To Clean a Vinegar Cruet on the Inside

Put into it shot, pebblestones, or beans. Fill it with a strong soap suds, and one teaspoonful of bread soda or ammonia. Let stand an hour, shake well and often. Rinse with clean water.

Source: Things Mother Used To Make, L.M. Gurney

To Wash Greasy Tin and Iron

Pour a few drops of ammonia into every greasy roasting-pan, first half-filling with warm water. A bottle of ammonia should always stand near the sink for such uses. Never allow dirty pots or pans to stand and dry; for it doubles the labor of washing. Pour in water, and use ammonia, and the work is half done.

Source: The Easiest Way in Housekeeping and Cooking, H. Campbell

For Toothache

The worst toothache, or neuralgia, coming from the teeth may be speedily and delightfully ended by the application of a bit of clean cotton saturated in a solution of ammonia to the defective tooth. Sometimes the late sufferer is prompted to momentary laughter by the application, but the pain will disappear.

Alum reduced to a powder, a teaspoonful of the powder and an equal quantity of fine salt well mixed, applied to the gums by dipping your moistened finger in the mixed powder; put some also in the tooth, and keep rubbing the gums with it; it scarcely ever fails to cure.

Source: The White House Cookbook, F.L. Gillette

Remedy for Rheumatism

One-half pint of turpentine, one-half pint of alcohol, one ounce of camphor, one ounce saltpetre, one ounce ammonia, one-eighth of an ounce of cayenne pepper. Shake well before applying.

Source: The Housekeeper’s Friend: A Practical Cookbook

Powerful Rubefacient

(Good with friction for rheumatism, sprains, etc.). — One ounce of yellow bar soap, one ounce of boiling water, and three ounces of hot olive-oil, dissolved together ; half an ounce of camphor dissolved in the olive oil; when the above ingredients are well amalgamated, add one quarter ounce of oil of origanum ; half an ounce of spirits of ammonia; thrice the quantity of spirits of wine. Stir until nearly cold, then keep well corked in wide jars.

Source: The Unrivalled Cook-Book and Housekeeper’s Guide, Mrs Washington

To Keep the Hands from Perspiring

To keep the hands from perspiring, make a lotion consisting of a quarter of an ounce of powdered alum and one teaspoonful of spirits of ammonia in a pint of boiling water. When cool, bottle it, and use on the hands freely.

Source: Audel’s Household Helps, Hints and Receipts

Toothache

Toothache can be effectually cured by putting a small piece of cotton wet with ammonia into the cavity of the affected tooth; or, pulverize about equal parts of common salt and alum. Cut as much cotton as will fill the tooth; damp it; put it in the mixture, and place it in the tooth. This is also a good mixture for cleansing the teeth.

Source: Audel’s Household Helps, Hints and Receipts