A Housewife’s Diary

Manawatu Times, Volume 61, Issue 237, 7 October 1936, Page 14

A Housewife’s Diary

Hints About The Home

Gramophone Eecords. Clean them by wiping with a soft rag moistened with a very little paraffin. Allow records to dry before putting them away. Enamelled Trays. A polish can be given to enamelled trays by sprinkling lightly with flour and rubbing them hard with a dry duster. Shoe Bag. Cut the feet off silk stockings that are worn out. Gather together the leg part and you have a good shoe bag. Carpet Reviver. Ordinary kitchen salt rubbed into a faded carpet and briskly swept with a carpet-broom revives the colour. Baby’s Pram. Wash over and then polish with a wash leather wrung out of vinegar and hot water. Onion Smell. Add a little vinegar to the washing-up water to remove odour of onions, fish or cabbage from pans. Butter Paper. Butter will not stick to the wrapper if, before the latter is removed, the packet is held under cold running water for a few seconds. Dry Throat. A good gargle consists of a teaspoon of glycerine in two tablespoons of water. Rusty Knives. Soak in linseed oil for several hours, when the rust can be wiped off and the knife polished as usual. Pictures. Do not try to match pictures that are not of exactly the same size. A picture should be hung on a level with the eyes. Grease on Paper. Put blotting paper over stain and rub with hot iron. Repeat several times. Apply to both sides of paper a little oil of turpentine with soft teush, and afterwards some rectified spirits of wine. Oilcloth. Do not use soap when cleaning oilcloth. Use a clean flannel and warm water. Dry it with another flannel. Later polish with a floor polish. s

Strong Paste. Mix good clean flour with cold water into a thick paste. After blending well together, add boiling water and stir until smooth. Now put in a teaspoon, or two, of brown sugar and about six drops of oil of lavender. Separating Stamps. If stamps are stuck together, cover with a piece of paper and press with a hot iron. 1 Keeping Buttons. The best place to keep odd buttons is in a£ wide-mouthed bottle. Mice Nuisance. Soak newspaper in creosote and stuff into’ any holes. Grater. | Grating a raw potato will remove remains of suet from a grater which should then be rinsed with water. For Baby. Use up odd pieces of coloured wool by knitting them in squares and joining together l to make a quilt for baby. Nose. A foreign body in the nose can be removed by sniffing some pepper to cause sneezing and then gently blowing the nose. Cleaning Leather. Give it a weekly wash with soap and warm water, adding a pinch or two of borax to the latter. Rinse in cold water and, when dry, stretch it out flat. Bedtime Drink. A glass of hot milk in which has been stirred a teaspoon of honey aids sleep. Hot Bottles. Tack a piece of chamois leather inside the cover of a hot water bottle and the bottle will remain hot until the morning. Fir Cones. Save any well-shaped cones you come across to colour with gold or silver paint for use as Christmas decorations. Satin Shoes. Liquid dye used for straw hats can be also used to re-colour satin shoes. Stuff the shoes full of paper before beginning operations, and do not make them too wet or the, dye will soak through and stain your stockings. Floor Stain.

Two ounces of permanganate of potash dissolved in one quart of boiling water. Strain through muslin before using. Patent Shoes. Brush a little blacking into the cracks, then, with a finger, rub over with furniture polish. Polish with a soft cloth. Wet Shoes. Wash off mud, wipe thoroughly, rub in plenty of vaseline. Keep away from fire and do not wear shoes until grease has dried. Tumblers. If new glass tumblers are placed in cold water and gradually brought to the boil it will prevent them from cracking when used.