The Housekepeer.

Evening Post, Volume LXXX, Issue 38, 13 August 1910, Page 11

The House kepeer.

HOUSEHOLD HINTS. To Clean ji Bicycle. — Bicycles are difficult to keep clean and polished during tho winter. To remove any rust, cover with sweet oil and let it remain on several days. Then rub it well over with powdered whiting until the rust is removed. When there is any nickel plating 011 this jnsLchine, 6oot, applied with a soft cloth, will give an excellent polish. Cork handles can bo cleaned with methylated spirits. Handlea_ can bo cleaned with a damp cloth dipped in putty powder. Rub smooth *nd polish with a soft rag. To Wash Cha-mois Leather. — Make a weak solution of soda and -warm watei. Rub plenty of soft-soap into tho leather, put into tho soda and water, and let it soak for two hours. Then rub well until quite clean. Rinse in a weak solution of soda and water with yollow soap, but noo in water alone, or else it will dry hard. After rinsing, wring it well in a rough towel, *nd dry quickly, then pull it about and crush it until soft. To Re-curl Ostrich Feathers — It may bo a useful hint to wearers of the above, vrhich are now so fashionable, but also to fragile, when exposed to sudden changes of temperature 'to know that if the}- aro "out of curl" by reason of damp, or a passing Bhower they may be made to look aa good as new by the following simple process, tried and proved: — Very slightly damp with warm water, then put rather tight into Hindo's short patent curling 1 pins. Let remain in hot sunshine for about two hours. Remove curlers very carefully Fringed Toilette Covers. — When starching toilet covers or anything which has fringe trimming, double the cover into four and gather tho fringe tightly into the hand, holding it firmly while you dig tho middle of tho cover into the starch. When dry shako tho fringo well, comb carefully with a large toilet comb and it will tall as softly and prettily as when new. Cracks in Floors — Make a paste composed of one tablespoonfiil «t alum and ono pound of flour. Into this pour two quarts of boiling water and stir over fire until it boils. Then tear newspaper into small pieces and mix into tho paste until it is as thick as putty- Press warm into tho cracks. When it hardens it is like papier-mache. Caro of tho Nails — While spots on the nails corns from treating them rougiily. Tho mnnicure who knows her business 'never uses an instrument for pushing back the cuticle at the ba«.o of tho nails. Instead, after the fingers havo been thoroughly 6oftoned by soaking for ton minutes in warm soapsuds, fcho wipes them and pushes back tho skin. To Cool Dripping — Mutton dripping will not set hard and suety, as it usually does, if, directly tho fat is poured from the baking-tin, tho vessel containing it is put at tho back of tho 6tove and allowed to stay thoro until the btove it6elf cools. A Leaky Hot-water Bottle — When your hot-water bottles leak, do not throw them away, but fill with hot sand. Mako tho sand hot in the ovon and pour into tho bottle. It will koop hot much longer than water. Various Sachets— Scent sachets of padded variety, when no longer fragrant, make useful pincushions, which may bo laid about on tables. They are generally rather prettily got up, and look well with a selection of glass-headed pins. Littlo bits of coloured silk, which in days gone by were mado into various patchwork horrors, can be used up as bag» to contain poAvdered orris root or cedar-woorl sawdust. Half a dozen of these, about an inoh and a half square, strewn in a drawer or an ottoman, keep the moth out very effectually. Or little bags, of the same description, filled with bran or other stuffing, and tied at tho mouth with baby ribbon, may bo dangled together in bunches of threo or four, and mako charming bedroom pincushions, either hanging on the wall or from tho mantelpiece. Over-hot Oven. — If tho ovon gets too hot and tho joint burns, place a dish of ■water in it. and tho eteam will prevent) the burning.