HOUSEHOLD HINTS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 23 January 1926, Page 15

HOUSEHOLD HINTS.

If a material is scorched fairly lightl.v it should be left out in the sunshine, when most, of the marks will disappear. The best way in which to Temove iodine stains is to dip the stained material in ordinary ammonia. Rub it gently' and: wash afterwards. Thisi is an economical knife-sharp-ener. Get a small block of wood and tack some emery' paper over top. With a few rubs the knives will sharpen. Pots of jam should never be placed one upon the other, but must be stored with as much space as possible between them. The storing place should be dry and cool, so that the preserves will not- ferment. If a room where there are heavy curtains, upholstered chairs, etc., becomes very disagreeable through cigar smoking, try' this: Heat a shovel till nearly red 'hot. Place it in a coal scuttle in the room and scatter some ground coffee on it. If you make a large quantity' of puff pastrv and only want to use a portion of it on that day, it will keep verywell for five or six days in a covered vegetable dish; it is even nicer when baked after it has been put away. When marking linen take a rather blunt lead pencil and write the name or initials, and follow over the pencil mark with ink. The lead prevents that tiresome running of the ink. and the marking will be very' exact and neat.. This is a more economical arul easier wav to peel apples/ than using a knife •or parer: Pour boiling water over apples in a basin, cover, and leave for about. 10 minutes, when the skins will come off easily-. This is for apples to be cooked. A pi'etlv face pillow for an invalid is made of lavender gingham, filled with lavender free of stalks. It must not- be filled too full, or it would be hard. The lavender is said to have a soothing effect, inducing sleep. Tanned, leather is cleaned best with nitrous acid and salts of lemon, diluted with water, and afterwards mixed with skim milk. First clean the surface with a brush and soft- water, adding a little sand, then scour repeatedly with a, brush dipped in the nitrons mixture. Note that that is poisonous. Afterwards .clean the. leather with a sponge and water, and leave to dry'. Old puttees make very good mats for bathroom or kitchen. Cut. them into strips of equal length. Then cut in half and lay one half of the strips crossways over the other half, at the same time interlacing them, making a draught board effect. Finish off edge with brown binding. The strips do not need hemming as puttees do not fray'. -