WASHING AND CLEANING.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XL, Issue 9122, 1 July 1891, Page 4

WASHING AND CLEANING.

To Clean Knives and Forks.

Never put the knives in hot water. Hot water injures them in two ways ; it loosens the handles and spoils the temper of the steel. When knives are to be cleaned, wipe them first with a damp cloth, and then rub them on a smooth board which has been previously rubbed with a bath brick or knife powder. In cleaning steel forks, rub them betwixt the prongs with a piece of thin wood and leather. When knives and forks are to be stored they should be wrapped in brown paper, and not allowed to touch each other. If wrapped in flannel they will rust. The best way to clean silver articles is to wash them first with warm water and soap, and afterwards polish) them with pure London whiting and a piece of leather. As pure whiting, free of grits, can seldom be had, except in London, you may substitute hartshorn powder it. Cleaning Carpets. ake a pail of cold water and add to it i cc gills of ox gall. Rub it into thecarpet with a soft brush. It will raise aj lather, which must be washed off with' clear cold water. Rub dry with a • clean cloth. Before nailing down a carpet after the floor has been washed be certain. that the floor is quite dry, or the nails will rust, and injure the carpet. Fuller's earth is used for cleaning carpets, and weak solutions of alum or soda are used for reviving the colours. The crumb of a hot wheaten loaf rubbed over a carpet has been found effective. Beating Carpets. Beat a carpet on the wrong side first' and then more gently on the right sideBeware o,f using sticks with sharp points* which may tear the carpet. Sweeping Carpets. Persons who are accustomed to use tea leaves for their carpets, and find that they leave stains, will do well to employ fresh-cut grass instead. It is better than tea leaves for preventing dust, and gives the carpets a very bright, fresh look. Avoidance of Black Specks on Linen. The formation of such specks is understood to be caused through boiling the goods in lyes which are partially but not sufficiently alkaline to saponify the dirt on linen. Their substance has invariably been proved to consist of greasy and oily matters, as also lime and other salts. The only remedy which we therefore can give to avoid them is to boil the goods withi a sufficient amount of soap in solution, or to use a proportionate amount jof simple alkali, as soda, potash, &c., to the amount of linen under treatment, and to the amount and nature of dirt which they contain;