HEARTH And HOME

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20622, 11 August 1932, Page 4

HEARTH And HOME

'•Builder'' invites contributions from readers on any matters of | interest which they might like to 1 propose. Correspondence on various subjects pertaining to building will also be accepted. i NOTES. | I A squeeze of the blue buy added to j the cleaning water will always prevent white paint from turning yel- j low. Wire clothes lines will never get • rusty and so mark the clothes if given > a coat of white enamel. Use a good : brand, and allow the lino to dry thoroughly before clothes are placed on it. To restore cane- chairs, turn the chair up and, with hot water in whi'oU salt has been added, spon&e the canowork so that it is thoroughly soakea; if dirty, Use a little soap, Out no soda. Dry iii the open air, and they will be as good as new. Woodeu rollers of mangles or wringing machines should always bo dried alter use to prevent rotting. When all the clothes have been wrung, pass an old piece of blanket, through the rollers scleral times to dry out the moisture. ~, .Most tool-shops sell scraps of three>p|v wood. Buy a foot cr two and keep it handy" . Easily cut with a sharp saw. three-ply may be used (or wedges under uneven tables, etc., trays for hot dishes, and emergency trays. For cutting up meat scraps and poultry food it is invaluable. When attempting to extract or to drive screws in hardwood it is sometimes found impossible to move the screw' with a screwdriver. If the blade of the screwdriver be removed from the handle and placed in a brace, and worked in the same manner as a bit, the screw will turn readily. Most amateur window-cleaners find it difficult to clean the panes without leaving ugly smears behind. If, however, instea'd of using water, a clean rag is moistened in kerosene and the wholo surface of the window gone over with it, it wilt bo found that all trace of smears is banished. After tips the windows should be rubbed dry with a duster. Recently ways have been found of so modifying resin that it is soluble in china wood oil for example. 1 his combination yields a varnish similar in all respects to ordinary varnishes but possessing greater durability, hardness, elasticity, resistance to water, and so on Not only does the now type Tarnish possess these valuable qualities, but it can be made to dry hard tor a second coat in a time comparable witn that required by lacquers. The disappearance of point lighting in favour of area lighting would bring about the practice of design! ng light sources as part of the structure (says a writer in "Building News").. lne fact that in modern frame buildings the walls were non-supporting, made them of possible use M»gbt sources. In any ease'.the method of lUumination became an intimate *»«» » n W" ablo element in the architectural design Both the architect and the engineer should acquire more information on the great variety of methods open to use, the different qualities .of diffusing and reflecting media, the size and petition of reflect.ng equipment This both demanded close study, by the architect and opened new vistas in design.

STEEL FURNITURE.

CONTROVERSY IN ENGLAND. There is more controversy over steel tubing furniture than over any other kind of modern design. Those who for several years have collected antique furniture and think they know something about it are horrified at "this tin stuff," states a writer in the "Manchester Guardian." A home should be a home, and not a nursing home or an operating theatre. Jn a new year book on decorative art there are no antiques, genuine or "modern." Metal furniture abounds. The characteristic materials are steel and glass—hard, cold, and unsympathetic to some of us, but clean and bright and attractive to others. Windows like walls of plate glass, really doors sliding on runners, to give access to the open, are a great improvement on "French windows. Glass-topped tables and shelves and mirror-glass walk are popular, and on one page there is a complete tea set in transparent glass, complete witn kettle It must he said that steel tubing furniture,, although perhaps out oi place beside antique furniture, nevertheless harmonises naturally with upholstered furniture in simple lines such as is being made to-day. In some ot the American interiors. one finds tne tube furniture taking its place quite easily and naturally.

IN THE KITCHEN.

CARE OF EQUIPMENT. HINTS FOR HOUSEMAKERb. i[ oS t housewives take a particular pride in having their kitchen sink and bathroom equipment look "spick-and-span." Whether the furnishings disport themselves in white, ivory, green, or' some other tint, they need the right' l v iml ol' care, jnse as the ftiniituro or woodwork of a home needs its special treatment. Too much energy in of gritty scouring powders, however, may prove more of a detriment than a help. Housewives, it is claimed, took remarkable care of enamelled iron sinks when they first came in'-o the home, replacing the old wooden ones with metal linings. The glossy white surface was so precious that- it was cleaned with meticulous care. But to-day, perhaps, liocuuf-e ol tho speed of the ago, this scrupulous attention has been slackened. This may be the cause for sc'ratalicd-up sinks and lough-surfaced bathroom ii.vtures. Scouring Powders. Surfaces of enamelled plumbing arc much liko the surfaces of glass. A glass show case in a store, for instance, will most generally keep its glossy finish on the sides, but its top soon shows signs of scratches from the commodities which pass back and forth across its surface. The dust, sometimes containing fine sand, which accumulates on the top of tho case is ground into the glass when article after article is passed across the counter, making it dull and "cloudy. This illustrates what happens when a powder containing a too gritty abrasive is used in scouring the sink. Myriads of fine scratches are the rosult, and although it would take years to wear through tho enamel surface to the iron base, tho scratches themselves mar the appearance of tho equipment and. give a rough surface, which is in itself moro difficult to -keep clean. Immediate Cleansing. The old adage about the ounce of prevention is quite applicable when meals are being prepared about the sink. If the housewife, or maid, will keep food cleaned up from the sink as 6ho goes along, instead of allowing it to dry and stick to the drain board or other parts, , she will have much less trouble in cleaning the equipment later. To sec that fruit juices spilled on the sink are not allowed to remain is an important precaution. If left alone they will eat their way into the enamel, making ugly spots, because the lustre and shine have been destroyed. Especially are citrous foods harmful, such as oranges, lemons, and limes. Even raspberries, currants, and gooseberries will leave a stain. The safest way is the simple process of sweeping a tumblerful of water across the juice spilled on the drain board before it has a chance to eat into the surface. If this habit of immediately disposing of all juices splashed on the sink wore established, fewer blemishes would appear. Preserving time is specially hard on the kitchen plumbing. Leavhig a preserving spoon covered with the sticky jam on the sink means unnecessary labour later. After the sticky jam is gummed on, the first temptation is to remove it with a gritty powder, but this scouring docs the enamel no good. It is better to pour hot water over it until the sticky mass is loosened. But the best way of all is to prevent the necessity for scouring by washing the food off at once. * Gravy, syrup, sticky puddings, mud from vegetables, if allowed to dry, make much work, and either call for a vigorous scouring which is injurious to tho sink or require much time in th£ use oi hot water to dissolve the food until it comes off easily. Wood-Topped Tables. A wood-topped kitchen table rapidly shows stains of various kinds. If the table is rubbed regularly with the cut half of a lemon and afterwards scrubbed with bathbrick much of this staining will be prevented, but shoulu the table have a polished surface moro* drastic measures will have t > be taken. First, wash the table with warm water in which has been dissolved a small.piece of soda. Allow it to dry, and then smooth any rough parts down with glasspaper. Make a pad of cotton wool, and tie it up in soft linen. Sprinkle a little French polish on to the pad and rub the table with little circular movements. Any cracks in a kitchen table may be remedied by applying a wood' filler with the point of a knife. Allow the filler to harden and then smooth off level with the surface. ' Kitchen chairs which need renovating may be varnished, applying the varnish with a small flat brush. Varnish stain has the advantage of covering up all defects and scratches, and making the chairs look like new again.