HOUSEHOLD HINTS.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXV, Issue 5134, 28 November 1903, Page 13

HOUSEHOLD HINTS.

To Preserve Colour in Wasting Clothes.—Gather about 21b of ivy leaves, put thorn' in a saucepan, cover them with water, and boil for half an hour. Strain, and add a littlo soda to the liquor, which is then ready for use. Black skirts, stockings or other black garments may bo washed in this compound without fear of their turning brown.

To clean a white felt hat nrst prepare a paste of powdered magnesia and water. Brush this well into the felt; leave till dry, and then brush off. The paste must be rather stiff, or tbor© will ho difficulty in brushing it out afterwards. To Make Liquid Glue. —First dissolve Jib of glue JH| aiittlo hot water, stirring in an iron saucepan over the fire -dl molted. ; Then add. still stirring briskly, so that it may mix ,well, nearly a gallon of boiling water. This brushed, while hot, over a wall that is to be papered, makes the paper stick better. Brass Polish.—This is quite easy to make at home, and far cheaper than bo buy it ready made. Put loz of soft soap, loz of ammonia, and loz of rot-ten-stone into a jug. Pour on 1, pint of boiling water, and mix thoroughly. Some people prefer to use the juice of

a lemon instead of tho ammonia. Bottle when cold, and keep tightly corked.

To Clean Knife Handles. —Bono or ivory knife handles may be cleaned by rubbing tliom with a paste _ mado of lemon juice and whiting. Rinse with clean hot ivator, and dry thoroughly. To fasten a handle that has come loose, take equal parts of rosin and quicklime. ■\Voll mix. half nil tho hole, heat tho handle at tho top of tho blade, and push well in. When cold, it will ha perfectly firm again. To Clean Ilusty Steel.—First rub thoroughly with sweet oil, leaving enough oil on tho article to bo cleaned to thoroughly soak into tho rust. Leave till next day. and then rub with unslakcd lime, till all rust is removed. But if rust ia allowed to eat deeply into steel nothing will remove tho marks, so it is. wise to look over any steel articles tliat aro not in use at least once a month, and have them cleaned if necessary. If possible, a good plan is to smear thorn over with unsalted mutton fat and wrap in brown, paper. In every kitchen it is important to have a jar of browned flour for colouring gravies, soups, etc. To prepare tills, place a quart of flour at a time in a pudding tin. in a moderate oven, and stir it about at intervals till brown. Keep tho jar well covered and dry.