Old time remedies
 

I have come across some older remedies for problems/maintenance tasks which we still perform. According to a maintenance book from the 1930s-40s:

- Scale and dirt accumulated from use of river water in automotive radiators and engines may be cleaned by using at least a 50% mix of water and white/apple cider vinegar, run for at least an hour at 150 degrees or better, then drained, followed by a vigourous clean water flush (preferably city water).

- leather and cowhide seats may be preserved by cleaning with saddle soap, followed by an application of neat's foot oil, then rubbing to prevent stains. This should be followed by sealing with wax paste, to keep the oil inside the skin

- rubber parts may be made smoother and prevented from cracking by rubbing a mixture of clean clock oil and white grease on the affected areas (wow, I almost used dirty clock oil).

- Tire valves should not be filled with clay to prevent them from being damaged, instead, old chewing gum may be used if metal caps are not available. :D

anyone got any others?

I wonder how you get the gun out of your tire valves when it's time to put more air into them?

I have used white vinegar to get rid of calcium build-up on water valves, shower heads, and faucets, so I know that works well.

Vinegar is acid, aluminum is an alkali metal, guess what wins.

Same deal with the radiator flushes, the pH is low (acidic) to eat the scale, but it eats everything and is not particular, so citric or vinegar, it's going to do some damage.

Saddle-soap and mink-oil used to be my leather treatment.