Housekeeping Hints.

Auckland Star, Volume XXV, Issue 305, 22 December 1894, Page 3 (Supplement)

Housekeeping Hints.

Straw Matting may be cleaned with cold water in which some salt is dissolved, using a coarse cloth, and not a brush. The salt prevents the straw from turning yellow.

The Smell of Paint may be taken away by closing up the room and Betting in tha centre of it a pan of lighted charcoal on which have been thrown some juniper berries. Leave this in a room for a day and nights, when the smell of the paint will be gone. Some persons prefer a pail of water in which a handful of hay is soaking. This is also effectual in removing the scent of tobacco smoke from a room.

Ink Stains out op Mahogany.—-In a spoonful of waber put a few drops of spirits of nitre ; with a quill pen let a drop fall on the spob of ink, and immediately ib disappears rub the place with, a web cloth, or there will be a white spot, which will not easily come out. .

To Preserve Iron or Steel from Rust. —Dissolve half an ounce of camphor in one pound of hob lard, removing all scum, and add to this as much blacklead as will make itthecolour of iron. If spread on articles and left on a day, and then rubbed clean, they will keep so for many months. But if the articles are to be pub away out of use, they should be well dusted over with unslacked lime ; or, in the case of cutlery, they may be laid in it, baking care that the lime does nob come near the handles.

To Remove Rust.—One part of sulphur to two parts of tripoii, carefully mixed, and laid on with a soft leather. <

To Polish Brass.—Boil two ounces of roche alum in a quart of strong lye. Wash the brass in ohe mixture, and when dry rub ib with fine tripoii. Or a mixture may be made of rotten-stone, aofb soap, and oil of turpentine, made pretty Btiff. Mix with a little water wheh using, and rub over the metal, and polish with a dry cloth or leather.