Discover the time-tested household formulas that can simplify your cleaning and repair needs. At Omi Knows Best, we explore historical remedies and share what truly works. We explore the importance of sourcing from authentic 19th-century manuals and why it matters today. Transparency is key to trust.
Omi Knows Best curates household formulas from 19th century books, manuals and newspapers, bringing you sustainable and practical solutions for cleaning, stain removal, and material care. Our sourcing philosophy is rooted in authenticity, revealing the stories behind each method while ensuring they adhere to modern sustainability standards.
Don't take Omi's word for it. Most of the shelf is scanned and free to read — go and check the working. Eight in English, one in French, one in Dutch: thrift was never only an English-speaking habit.
The great Victorian encyclopaedia of the home — cleaning, repair, thrift and everything between. Omi's workhorse.
Read it free →The bestseller that answered everything from stain removal to etiquette. Over a million copies sold.
Read it free →The make-do bible: “Nothing should be thrown away so long as it is possible to make any use of it.”
Read it free →The most famous household manual ever printed — half a million words on running a house.
Read it free →A runaway bestseller of practical housewifery — 100,000 copies in its first decade.
Read it free →“Information for everybody” — one of America's most-owned books of practical receipts.
Read it free →Two hundred and fifty Southern ladies' contributions — and the silver-polish receipt Omi tested.
Read it free →Midwestern practicality — including the claim that alcohol keeps ice off winter windows.
Read it free →A French household dictionary of receipts and domestic economy — the same thrift, another language.
Read it free →“Aaltje, the perfect and thrifty kitchen maid.” Zuinig means thrifty — the whole philosophy in one word, and the closest thing on this shelf to Omi herself.
Read it free →