My attempt to post a mother-themed blog for each year between 1946 and 1964 stalled at 1947. I searched my collection and found nothing of interest for 1947. I did, however, find this ad from the August 1948 edition of American Home magazine. The sweet picture showing a young girl playing with her dog with her smiling mother at looking on gives us a glimpse of a simple mid-century kitchen.
The ad is for Rheem hot water heaters. This important appliance is a necessity for any home, but I’m guessing that you haven’t spent a lot of time dreaming of water heaters. I’ll give them credit. They managed to make a boring subject slightly interesting with their tagline.
How Hot should your Hot Water Be?
I don’t know. How hot should my hot water be? Besides making my evening cup of herbal mint tea at the perfect temperature of 212 degrees, I have never considered the temperature of water. Here’s the rundown.
The perfect temp for washing clothes is 160 degrees F.
The perfect temp for bathing is 105 degrees F.
The perfect temp for washing dishes is 120 degrees F.
So . . . you should set your water heater to 140 degrees F and adjust your tap water accordingly. And . . . if you want it higher or lower, just walk to the water heater and adjust the dial using their handy temperature dial that is as simple to set as a radio dial. Now you know.
Mid-Century Page 
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