Household Hints.

Rodney and Otamatea Times, Waitemata and Kaipara Gazette, 15 May 1912, Page 2

Household Hints.

To black brown boots and shoes, first rub with a raw potato.

Fat,; oil, or butter are excellent laxatives,/ and: often prevent the need of purgatives.

To ease all traces of scorch stains wet the scorched place, rub- with soap, and bleach' in the sun.

Thick pieces of cork gummed at the frame corners will keep pictures from the wall and prevent mildew.

To dry an umbrella, open and place it with the handle on the floor. If dried in this way the ribs will not rust.'

Raw beef bones should never be thrown away, for if broken into small pieces they will make some excellent stock.

When baking, the oven door should be shut as gently as possible, as, if it is slammed, it is apt to make the cake or pastry heavy.

After blackleading the stove try rubbing it over with a rag dipped in turpentine and polishing off in the usual way; it gives a beautiful black-jefc polish. .... .

Zinc-covered surfaces are best cleaned with powdered bath-brick and soap. Then wipe over with a little dry whiting; and give a final rub with a chamois leather.

To keep walnuts fresh pack the ripe nuts between layers of sand in a jar in a cold place. When required' lay them in warm water for an hour or two and they will peel as new.

A dark line around the neck is often caused by wearing stiff/tight collars. Wear a soft stock, and cleanse the neck with a good soft soap and cream and bathe it in cold water.

Before driving a nail through a piece of wood, push it first of all through a cake of hard soap. You will find that it will then go through the wood without any trouble, and will not split it.

To clean French kid gloves, place them on your hands and wash them in some spirits of turpentine until quite clean, then hang them where there is a current of air, and the smell will disappear.

When black silk begins to get shabby and duii-Jooking, try sponging it over with the water in which potatoes have been boiled. This freshens" it up . wonderfully, and makes it quite glossy-looking.

If you want your oilcloth to wear and keep its colour, do not wet it oftener than isi necessary. Rub it well with a soft flannel wrung out of milk and water to remove dirt, then polish with a soft duster.

Stained gas globes may be cleansed and their brightness restored by washing in warm water in which half a packet of salts of lemon has been dissolved, and after being well rinsed under the cold water tap.

When long brooms are worn out, do not throw them away as useless. Cut all the brush part off, seccotine a thick piece of felt or velvet on, and it will make a good polisher for beeswax floors, and save kneeling.

To prevent brass from tarnishing, clean it in the usual way, and then rub on a little methylated spirit. Next apply some powdered chalk, rubbing it on with a dry rag. This preserves the brass, and makes it nice and bright.

When a knife board is employed in lieu of any of patent machines which represent so much saving of labor, it should always be warmed before the fire Before it is used. This has the effect of considerably hastening the operation of polishing the knives.

The following method is excellent for keeping steel bright:—Dip a piece of rag in a little paraffin, then in fine ashes, and rub the steel briskly for a few minutes. Then polish with a clean cloth and dry, fine ashes, and " you will be delighted with the result.

For an ironing stand, instead of using the common implement made of iron, which admits the air through the bottom and consequently cools the iron quickly, try this suggestion. Take a clean white brick, set it on the stove for half an hour before using as a stand for ;he iron. This keeps the iron hot for a long time and retards radiaaon.

The Serge Shine.—All wearers of serge knows that it has one disagreeable quality—it grows shiny with hard wear. Washing, sponging, and pressing fail to remove this shine. Wash or clean the dress or skirt thoroughly, then take a piece of very fine emery-paper and scrub the goods lightly. This process lifts the slight nap, and the shiny look disappears. Pressing will then assure a good-looking garment.