PICNIC BOTTLES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 285, 1 December 1934, Page 2 (Supplement)

PICNIC BOTTLES.

Good-sized bottles of convenient shape are often in request at picnic time. These may have contained something of an oily or a sticky nature, and it is not always easy to get them clean quickly by ordinary rinsing. A very excellent way of getting over the difficulty is on the following lines. Secure some bran, sawdust, or fine ashes, and put some of these into the bottle until it is a third full. Then fill up to half its capacity with water. Cork the bottle and .then, .holding it horizontally, start to revolve it slowly. In a few moments examine the bottle and it will be found that the interior is quite clean, the tiny particles of the substance used rapidly removing any coating, no matter how thick it may be. Sometimes a bottle may be clean and yet it may have some unpleasant odour which rinsing will not remove. Mustard is a powerful deodorant, and a dessertspoonful of this with water placed in the bottle, which is then shaken vigorously, will rapidly remove all taint. Naturally, the bottle should be rinsed clean of the mustard solution, but this is easy to remove with plain water. Few people know that a bottle may be converted into something like a vacuum flask if it is packed with cloth, paper, or any non-conductive material into a basket. Whatever material is used should be not only at the sides, but also at the bottom and top of the bottle. Then the contents will keep scalding hot for many hours. To prevent the corks of picnic bottles coming out, it is an excellent plan to pull a leather fingpr from an old glove right over the top.