HOUSEHOLD HINTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 67, 20 March 1926, Page 26

HOUSEHOLD HINTS.

Pastry will be lighter if mixed with a knife instead of the hands. If washed with milk, or milk and water, white paint will look like new. Mix blacklead to a cream with equal parts of vinegar, paraffin, and turpentine. This gives a brilliant polish. A teaspoonful of dry mustard in the water when washing up cutlery and crockery used for fish removes the disagreeable odour instantly. Sheets of blotting-paper saturated with turpentine and laid in heavy clothing will keep moths away. When a joint seems inclined to he tough, pour a little vinegar over it before putting it in the oven, and cook slowly. A pinch of bicarbonate of soda added to fruit while it is cooking help 9to take out the acidity, and consequently less sugar is required. Before putting away heavy boots for the summer, smear them well with dubbin. This keeps the leather soft and prevents cracking. For patent leather olive oil is the best preservative. Do not apply furniture polish to soiled furniture, or it will never look bright. Wring a cloth out of warm soapy water, and wipe the furniture carefully. When quite dry, polish in the usual way. When you are at the seaming stage of any garment, keep an iron always on the fire, and press each seam well as you do it. A garment can't get too much pressing. Always press on the wrong side. White kid gloves that are not badly soiled can be cleaned at home with a mixture of finely-powdered fullers earth and alum. It should be rubbed in with a piece of flannel and then brushed off with a soft, clean brush. When 6ewing on beads the needle should be frequently dipped in water. The moisture makes the beads stay on the needle, and work progresses much more rapidly than when the needle is dry. H bright saucepans and kettles have to be used over a smoky fire, smear a little grease over the bright part to prevent the smoke blackening the kettle. If washed after use in hot water the .pan -will become bright again. 7