Soviet everyday life was full of unusual household tricks that today seem like real wonders. Many of them are perceived with surprise or even shock by modern youth, as the habits of that time were radically different from today's.
Main Household Habits of the USSR
1. Mending Tights
Nowadays, torn tights are most often thrown away. In the USSR, however, they were skillfully mended. If the damage was too severe, the tights were not discarded but repurposed: they were used to store onions, as a sieve, or even as a washcloth.
2. Boiling Laundry
Whitening laundry without a washing machine and modern detergents was considered an art. Laundry was boiled in large pots with the addition of soda and household soap for several hours to achieve perfect cleanliness.
3. Washing on a Board
Washing on a board was a common practice. First, the laundry was soaked with soap, and then it was thoroughly scrubbed by hand on the board. This process required strength and patience: backs ached, hands were covered in calluses, and heads tired from the strain.
4. Washing Bags
Plastic and paper bags were cherished in the USSR. Before stacking them together, each bag was carefully washed. Sometimes even milk bags were reused, which modern youth finds surprising.
Soviet household habits demonstrate the ability to save and find practical solutions in conditions of scarcity and limited resources.
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