REMOVING STAINS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 461, 20 March 1909, Page 11

REMOVING STAINS.

Patches of mildow often present a probem to the careful housewife, but the little living organisms whose multiplication and growth account for the so-called " stain" cannot continue to exist if exposed - freelv to sun and air, and this, with a subsequent brushing or washing, is often sufficient to remove the eflect, though it may be necessary to boil the fabric before all traces disappear The process is aided, in the case of Zt- J T', ° tC - '- f • tho P atolles "o kept moist with lemon juico during their exposure, and well washed afterwards; or thev may sinipiy be washed in a weak solution of cnlondo of lime, without exposure' care being taKen to rinse well, as the ]ime wi „ rot the material if any is left in it. Mildew will aisa yieid to ammonia in many cases the solution being more or Jess strong according to the texture and oolour of ' the material, ior vinegar and acid stains in general ammonia is again useful, the same care boing exercised with regard to itq strength. .It will often restore colours which have been destroyed or changed by acids,:so .long-as the material itself has not been injured. Rust spots can be removed from nickel.by covering them with grease leaving for a few days, and then washing carefully with ammonia solution, after which the metal may be polished in tho usual way. Steel may be freed, from rust marks by rubbing well with sweet oil, and two days afterwards with unslaked lime, finely powdered. Yellow stains on ivory may be rubbed with turpentine, or with lemon juice and salt. Grease , spots in marble with a mixture of one part of powdered pumice, one of chalk, and two of powdered washing soda made into a paste with water; {he paste must be left on for some hours, and washed off with hot soapsuds. Slight surface discoloration of marble may be removed by rubbing well with emery powder on felt, and polishling afterwards with a damp cloth dipped in a mixture of emery and pumice-stone. Tho marks causcd by water, hot dishes, etc., on polished tables should be rubbed well with paraffin or cold-drawn linseed oil appljed with a soft cloth, the rubbing being continued gently until the marks disappear and the surface is quite dry, when the usual •furniture polish may bo applied; or methy.lated spirit may be rubbed on and left for a few minutes, after which tho polish is restored by sweet oil on a soft cloth. Marks on brown leather boots, bags, etc., may bo treated with lemon juice, the gloss being afterwards restored by beeswax dissolved in turpentine or by the brown leather cream generally used. Ink stains in brown leather should bo washed out with renewed supplies of milk, followed by warm water, after which thorough drying is essential. Petrol carefully rubbed in with a flannel is capital for very soiled brown leather articles, which should be dried in the sun and polished afterwards. For stains and discolorations of tho hands from almost any cause lemon juice is exceedingly useful, though on occasion turpentine, paraffin,-or ammonia may be better,- as tho foregoing hints will suggest.

Tho Minister of the Interior at Ottawa states that the total number of entries for froc homesteads in the four months ending December last was 311732, as oomparod with 8782 in the samo jjorifld of 1907.