THE HOME.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 12 July 1933, Page 3

THE HOME.

CONSIDER YOUR FUKNITUBE. ... Well-polishbd furniture does not make the well-kept home, but it certainly is one of the essentials to this end. Dusting every day, and a polish once a week, is the least attention necessary to keep it in perfect condition. Furniture will look even better if it is sometimes washed before being polished. This is particularly the case when it has had too much polish put on and then not all taken off. Furniture polish or cream left in the corners collects dust, and so, gradually, the furniture begins to look dirty. When washing mahogany or walnut furniture use a chamois leather and warm, soapy water. If there is carving on the various pieces, then you will need a soft scrubbing brush as well. When all the'dirt has been removed, rinse with warm vinegar and water, allowing two tablespoonsful of vinegar to each pint of water. Dry •arefully with a leather and then polish. Warm beer is the best thing to use for "washing" oak furniture. This should afterwards be polished with a wax polish, but the wood must be quite dry before beginning to polish. Linseed oil Avill help to keep oak in good condition. This should be rubbed over the wood with a soft duster, from time .to time. Undoubtedly the best way to clean upholstered furniture is to use a vacuum cleaner once a week, for then not only will the back and seat be kept free from dust, but all the corners also. One reason why dust is so harmful to upholstered furniture is because it harbours moth.

If you have no suction-cleaner, then the furniture must be beaten, except in the case of silk damask or brocade, which should only be brushed with a very eoft brush. Take the furniture out of doors to beat, but, if this is impossible, put a dust sheet in. water, wring nearly dry, : and then put this over the upholstery j \ before beating. The cloth, being jj damp, will collect the dust and prevent j it flying all over the room. If there j is a lot of dust in the furniture, the j | cloth should be rinsed and put on sev- ! j eral times during the beating process. , When you have got out ai'l the dust | you can, brush over with a soft-brist-led brush, paying particular attention to all comers. Always brush- the lengthways of the material —the way the pattern goes. To give ■ a general all-over clean to tapestry or repp furniture, warm a quantity of fig-dust in the oven and, using a soft duster, go all over the surfact with this. Should there be any spots, they can be removed with a little soapy warm water, or with petrol. Use water for spots of a sticky nature and petrol for grease-spots.' Be very careful in the use of petrol for it is highly inflammable and must not be used without taking the greatest precautions. It is really only safe when used out of doors and right away from the house. Some spots can be moved by moistening a little fuller's earth with water and spreading this over the spot. This should be left on until dry and then brushed off with a clean brush. Hide and leather furniture can be kept in good condition by using one i of the good furniture creams on the market. It is important, however, that all cream should be rubbed off with the polishing duster. J If the hide or leather is soiled, clean it with saddle-soap, or a mixture of equal parts, of .linseed oil and vinegar. Heat oil in a jam jar in a pot of •boiling water and add vinegar when cold.- Use sparingly with a piece of old i silk.