INFORMATION EXCHANGED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23034, 11 May 1938, Page 5

INFORMATION EXCHANGED

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS BY KKMINA "P.F." (Hamilton) would like to know of a way of preventing slaters from attacking wallpaper and carpets. Mildewed Curtains "Pendle" (Bay of Plenty) would like to know how to remove a band of mildew from coloured cotton curtains. Cleaning a Blind "Grateful" (Bay of Islands) would like to know how to clean a brightlycoloured bedroom blind which has become 'mildewed by damp night air. Mildew on Book Bindings ''E.L.N." (Ponsonby) would be grateful if any reader could tell her now to prevent mildew from attacking book bindings. The discolouration appears chiefly on black-covered books, and is able to be rubbed off with a duster, but reappears again within a few days. Waterproofing Gabardine Dissolve lib. soap in one gallon of boiling water. In another vessel dissolve lib. alum also in one gallon boiling water. When partly cooled put the coat to soak 15 minutes in the soap solution. Then wring out and soak in the alum solution an equal time. Drain from the latter solution and hang to dry. If the material is still found to be rather permeable on fully drying, repeat the process once or twice. Stained Kid Gloves "M.H." writes: —Touch the spots of mildew with a sponge or cloth dipped in peroxide of hydrogen, till the marks fade out. Another method is to dampen the spots with a little buttermilk and lay aside for a few hours, repeating the damping process until the marks disappear. In either case, as soon as the marks are gone and the glove leather has dried a little, rub over gently in one direction where treated with a little fresh milk on a flannel. Leave to dry and the gloves should then lie as good as new. For best results first dip the flannel in milk, then touch it on a piece of good soap. Fie Melon Jam "Tops.v" sends in the following recipe in answer to a reader's request:—Allow jib. sugar to each pound of melon. Cut tip overnight and put on the sugar. Stir occasionally to dissolve the sugar. In the morning strain and boil syrup for 15 minutes, then add melon and boil briskly until it jells. Allow one lemon to 21b. melon. Cut in halves and boil with the jam, removing these before bottling. "T.P." sends in this recipe:—Pare off the melon rind, cut in, slices and remove seeds and then cut into small pieces. To 101b. of melon add 51b sugar, also the rind of six lemons thinly pared and the juice of the lemons. (Oranges could be used instead if liked.) Boil three or four hours. Cut up melon the night before and sprinkle part of the sugar over it. Add loz, bruised ginger. When the jam sets firmly it is finished.