HINTS AND SUGGESTIONS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3828, 26 July 1927, Page 66

HINTS AND SUGGESTIONS.

A few drops of lemon juice makes icing for cakes very white. A little salt added to starch will prevent the iron from sticking. Oil lamps burn brighter if a pinch of carbon or a few shreds of camphor are added when refilling. To waterproof cloth, dip it alternately in a solution of alum and in a solution of lead acetate with a little gum. Finger marks on highly polished furniture can be removed with a cloth dipped in paraffin. When dry the wood should be polished with a leather. When washing chamois leather gloves, add a teaspoonful of olive oil to the water. It will keep the leather soft and pliable, and the gloves will be less likely to split under the strain of putting them on after washing. Constant washing with waler and strong soap has a tendency to spoil the glaze of tiles. A rubber soaked in turpentine will clean the tiles just as effectively, and improve rather than spoil their surface. Stale bread is excellent for cleaning light-coloured suede gloves. Do not use soda to clean aluminium. A little pumice, powder on a damp rag is very effective. It is most important that the larder should always be kept well aired, so that the contents may be quite fresh and sweet. After using a scrubbing brush, rinse well and turn it on its side to dry. The brush will wear better if the bristles are not always wet, and if they are not allowed to get sodden with water they will not bend so much when in use. When coffee reaches boiling point add a pinch of salt to bring out the "flavour. When skimming soup, tilt the pot by lowering the handle towards you. The scum will rise to the opposite side, and can easily be removed. To put a gloss on silk after washing and rinsing rinse it in cold water to which methylated spirit has been added in the proportion of one tablespconful to a pint of water. Grease stains on a stove, should be wiped off immediately with newspaper. Before cleaning the stove, rub the stain with a cloth dipped in turpentine. New. kid gloves are not likely to split when first put on if they are placed between the folds of a damp towel for an hour or two before they are required. The dampness softens the glo'»s and allows them to stretch more readily.