HOME HINTS.

Evening Post, Volume LXVI, Issue 136, 5 December 1903, Page 11

HOME HINTS.

To spread a. Tablecloth. — There is a right and v wiong way to perform everything — even so simple v mutter as the laying of a tablecloth. When not in use, a tablecloth should be kept in folded croanes, »ud when brought out to be spread should be In id on tho table and unfolded, its ontiio length (the width being doubled), with the centre crease along tho ocntro of tho table. Then the half breadth that is folded should be turned buck, mid the cloth will hang evenly. Careless servants often gather up the cloth "anyhow," without talcing the trouble to fo>d it up again in its own crcnfius and thus fresh ones are made. A tablecloth will last fresh-looking as long again if it is always folded up after its own folds, and put away uutil the next meal. Stain* on Droiwes.— Cundlo-groase can bo removed by rubbing with eau de Cologne ; varnish and paint Rtams rub. first with tweet-oil and afterwords with turpentine. Sherry takes out cluret-stains, paraffin blood-stains ; grease-stains can be removed with ammonia and alcohol or chloroform ; and whisky will remove fruit-tstaina from light or white materials. Treatment of Bruises. — To prevent a bruise from becoming discoloured, apply to it a cloth which has been wrung out of water as hot us can be bomo comfortably, and changoit as it becomes cold. Supposing liot water cannot bo procured, the next best thing is to moisten some dry starch with cold water and to cover tho bruised part with it. To Kuep Plate Polished. — Amongst the minor annoyances of housekeeping is the fact that, however carefully plate may be cleaned before putting it away, in tho course of a week or ao it hecomos dull and tarnished. This may be avoided by tho fol'n • ing simple means: — After thoroughly cleansing the plate and polishing it with whiting, wrap up each piece in tinfoil, such as is used in wrapping chocolate, tea, etc., then put them in a dry cupboard or drawer, and at the end of many years you will find your plate as bright us on tho first day it was packed. To Clean Brass on Bedsteads. — This should not, bo cleaned with any of the ordinary brass polishers, as theso destroy tho coat of lacqxier that is put on to prevent tho brass from ' tarnishing. The bright parts should be rubbed every* day with a soft cloth, and if they begin to look dißcoloured rub with a cloth slightly moistened with swoet oil, and afterwards polish with a soft cloth and chamois leather.