I am not immune to the nostalgia of a simpler time, when tellers weren't automated, scooters were powered by feet and the neighbor's pet was a bulldog, not a pomapoo.

It was also a time when there were simpler cleaning products, such as soap and baking soda, and certain standards for home-keeping.

And although today's technology holds the promise of more time, we actually seem to have less of it. Niche cleaning products – wipes for countertops, wipes for glass, wipes for furniture – have stepped up with promises to help give us more of that shrinking commodity.

Classic Household Hints offers ways to live simpler and cheaper. Old and new tips commingle in this little volume. Chapters are organized by subject, such as organization or floors, or by room, such as bedroom and kitchen.

Flip the book open anywhere and start reading. Most tips are timeless: "If you have several items to iron, start with those that need the coolest setting, and progress to those that need higher temperatures."

A few are more pertinent to today: Take advantage of the buy, sell and remodel shows on cable TV channels if you're thinking of a major change in your residence. You may end up saving thousands of dollars.

Most hints are common sense or offer ways to clean almost any surface in the home with products that are household staples.

•Make a paste of cornstarch and water to remove a fresh grease spot from wallpaper.

•Use a felt pad-style lint brush to remove dust and lint from lampshades.

•Remove water spots on stainless steel with a cloth moistened with rubbing alcohol.

Consider Classic Household Hints for someone who considers home-keeping an art. But anyone who has followed Martha Stewart has probably heard a good number of these.

As for technology, not a day goes by that I am not grateful for the modern convenience of my refrigerator's icemaker. But I do appreciate ammonia's cleaning powers on glass.

Susan Waggoner

(Stewart, Tabori & Chang, $17.95)