Hints and Suggestions.

Otago Witness, Issue 2714, 21 March 1906, Page 66

Hints and Suggestions.

To Clean Playing Cards.— Rub the cai;ds on both sides witn a little butter on a piece of clean flannel. Then polish with another piece of flannel dipped Lsto dry flour, when they will be found equal to new. Dry Shampoo. — (1) 7oz rectified spirits of wine, 60 per cent., (2) 12£oz distilled water, (3) loz rock ammonia, (4) 8 drops oil of neroli, (5) tincture of green soap. Blend 4 with 1 by well shaking. Dissolve 3 in 2 and add 5, then mix both solutions. Filter through magnesia. To Clean a Brass Chandelier. — To polish brass take some finely-powdered carbonate of ammonia, moisten with water, and rub it over the brass. Then rub dry with a solt cloth, and give a good polish. Two lemons from which the juice has been squeezed and dipped in -dry .whiting, are excellent for cleaning brass artfcles. How to Clean White Felt Hats.— Brush all dust from the felt hat which is about to j?e cleaned, then _make,a paste of two pennyworth of white pipeclay and mix it. with a pennyworth of precipitated chalk and water. Now cover the hat all over with the paste, be sure to let it dry on well for a short time* and then take a soft clean brush and rub it lightly. Removing Ink Stains. — Into a basin containing four tablespoonfuls of cow's milk add four teaspocnfuls of bicarbonate of soda ; stir well til 1 thoroughly dissolved. Din the stained part in the basin, allowing it to remain for five minutes. Take it out and soap well afterwards. Rub lightly till the stained part becomes pale ; then wash and boil as usual, when the stain will have disappeared entirely. Care of Men's Clothes. — To take spots out of black cloth, sponge with equal parts of spirits of hartshorn and hot water. A little borax dissolved in soapy water will clean tweeds nicely. Light delicate-coloured trousers may fie revived by rubbing over with dry pipeclay, which must be carefully brushed out after lying a few hours. If knees or sleeves get out of shape or glazed, lay a wet cloth over the parts and fold away. Next day lay out on the ironing-board and iron carefully, with a linen cloth between the iron and garment ; if done neatly, tnis will shrink the stretched part and remove the glaze. To Stain Oak Colour. — Dissolve one pennyworth of American brown potash in one quart of hot water, then add as much brown umber and yellow, ochre as will give the shade desired by at least two applications. Apply hot, wipe off whilst still wet with a piece of rag, finishing in the direction of the grain. There is a method of staining and varnishing in one operation, but the more satisfactory way is to stain the wood first, then apply the varnish or polish. The colours mentioned can be purchased ground in water,, in which state simply mixing them with beer or vinegar makes good stains at small cost.