Ever feel like your grandma had a cure for everything? From scraped knees to tummy aches, she always had some remedy ready. And let’s be real, even if they didn’t work miracles, they were made with love and had us believing in their magic. Here’s a look at some of the odd, but beloved, home remedies our grandmas swore by in the 1950s.
1. Vicks VapoRub on Your Feet
Forget rubbing it on your chest! If you had a cough, Grandma would slather Vicks on your feet and cover them up with socks. Apparently, it was supposed to stop the cough through some magical foot-chest connection. Whether it worked or not is still up for debate, but the smell alone took you back to her cozy, linoleum-floored kitchen, every time.
2. Onion in Your Sock for a Fever
This one sounded strange even then! Grandma would cut up an onion and stick it in your sock to draw out the fever. Sure, you’d smell like a hot dog vendor, but there was something about the ritual that made you feel just a little bit better. And if it worked, Grandma could proudly say, “Told you so!”
3. Baking Soda Paste for Bee Stings
A bee sting was no match for Grandma’s baking soda paste. She’d mix a bit of water with baking soda and apply it to the sting, telling you to hold still and let it do its work. The stinging might have faded as much from Grandma’s soothing presence as the paste itself, but either way, you were back to playing outside in no time.
4. Butter on a Burn
Back then, if you burned your finger, butter was the first thing Grandma reached for. Cold and creamy, it was slathered over the burn with the idea it would cool the skin and prevent blisters. Science later told us that butter actually traps the heat, but to a 50s grandma, butter was practically a healing balm.
5. A Spoonful of Sugar for Hiccups
Yes, before it became Mary Poppins’ iconic line, taking a spoonful of sugar was Grandma’s way of stopping hiccups. She believed the sudden rush of sweetness somehow “reset” the diaphragm. Did it always work? Maybe not, but we didn’t complain about the excuse for a sweet treat.
6. Whiskey for Teething Babies
It sounds wild now, but back in the day, whiskey was a go-to remedy for a teething baby. A quick dab of whiskey on the gums was believed to numb the pain. Maybe it was more the old-school way of toughening us up, but either way, it was definitely the cure of choice back then.
7. Potato Slices on Your Eyes for Styes
Forget cucumbers; if you had a stye, Grandma reached for potatoes. She’d cut a slice and hold it over your eye, swearing the starch would draw out the infection. There may have been a placebo effect in there somewhere, but the real cure was probably her care and attention.
8. Mustard Plaster for Chest Colds
If you had a bad cough, Grandma might pull out the mustard plaster. Mixing mustard powder with flour and water, she’d make a paste, slap it on a cloth, and place it on your chest. It would tingle—and even burn a little—but to Grandma, the tingling meant it was working. Plus, it always came with a side of love and hot cocoa, so you didn’t complain.
9. A Penny on a Bruise
Got a bruise from a tumble? Grandma would whip out a copper penny, telling you it would “draw out” the bruise. She’d press it to your skin and hold it there, as if she could will the bruise away. You might still end up with a sore arm, but the penny trick made for a good story when you showed off the bruise later.
10. Raw Onion for Earaches
If you complained of an earache, Grandma would grab an onion, warm it up, and press it to your ear. She claimed the warmth and oils would relieve the pain, and sometimes she’d even put a bit of onion juice on cotton for extra strength. Odd? Sure. But having Grandma’s warm hand holding it in place was part of the cure.
11. A Bar of Soap Under the Sheets for Leg Cramps
Ever been handed a bar of soap to sleep with? If you had leg cramps, that’s exactly what Grandma would do—slip it right under the sheets at the foot of your bed. This folk remedy had no explanation, but to Grandma, soap under the sheets was like an insurance policy against nighttime aches.
12. Warm Milk and Honey for Insomnia
A cup of warm milk with honey was the ultimate 1950s bedtime remedy for sleepless nights. Grandma would bring it over in her best tea set, and the soothing warmth made you feel loved and calm. Whether it was the milk, the honey, or just Grandma’s presence, you could almost feel sleep creeping in after the first sip.
While modern science may not back all these remedies, they were full of comfort, care, and a little dash of magic. After all, the best medicine was having Grandma there, armed with a pantry of cures and the belief that every spoonful or slice of potato would make it all better. Which of these remedies have you tried? Or better yet, do you have your own family cures to add to the list?
