Home & Housecraft

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18412, 2 November 1929, Page 15

Home & Housecraft

ODDS AND ENDS. Don’t throw away the superfluous fruit juices drained from canned fruits Use them for making this delicious salad dressing. Mix together two cupfulls of mixed fruit juices, the juice oi one lemon, three eggs, a third of a cupful of sugar, and one tablespoonful oi butter, then cook in a double boilei until thickened, stirring constantly. V. desired whipped cream may be addec when cool. The juices are also vers good for making fruit gelatines, sherberts, and tapioca. A delicious orange cake can be made by substitutinf orange juice for milk in a plain cake recipe. Diluted fruit juices make £ very pleasing cool drink. You do not have to use eggs in making mayonnaise. Cut down the cos of this dressing by substituting for ai egg two tableepoonfuls of condensec milk or one small, dry, mashed potato or two teaspoonfuls of gelatine dis solved in two teaspoonfuls of warn water. To the substitute chosen adc an eighth of a teaspoonful each of salt mustard, and paprika, and stir in gra dually three tablespoonfuls of vinega: or lemon juice. Don’t throw away the rinds of bacoi or of salt pork. When cooked witl spinach or greens of any kind, or ii soups of peas and beans, these rind will be found to add flavour and rich ness to the dish.

Lessen your ice bill by keeping your butter wrapped in waxed paper and covered with cold salt water—half a cupful of salt to two quarts of water — in a stone crock.

“Unwashable" Gloves.—To clean unwashable gloves put them on the hands, make a small pad of white blotting paper, and dip into liquid ammonia of the “household” kind, rub the stains with the pad, then all over the glove. Rub with a clean towel, remove from hands and hang up to dry. For Cleaning Shoes.—Kid, lizard, seal, or crocodile shoes can be quite satisfactorily cleaned in the absence of the special shoe cream needed for them by means of a clean rag dipped in milk and rubbed over them. Polish with a soft duster. A room seldom used is often inclined to be a little damp. When there is any suspicion of dampness, small blocks of camphor should be placed in each comer of the room. In a week’s time the camphor will have disappeared, and with it the dampness. When the gas fails to give a good light, it is often a sign that some dust or carbon has got into the burner and is preventing a free flow of gas. Do not use a pin or sharp instrument to remove the dust, but pass a stiff piece of paper backwards and forwards several times through the slit of the burner. THE LEMON AGAIN. Without doubt the praises of the lemon cannot be sung too loudly. Should your washing not be as white as usual, put a few drops of lemon juice into the rinsing water. A good cure for a cough Is lemon juice and glycerine mixture together; this also makes the hands white if it is applied every night. Equal parts of lemon juice and soda water will soon cure a bilious attack. Should you feel your beauty needs a little aid, take half a glass (without sugar) every morning; this will help to keep the blood pure, and make the eyes bright and sparkling. Fair-haired people should add a little lemon juice to the rinsing water, after shampooing; this will help to keep the hair bright and make it fluffy. STRING AND CANDLE GREASE. Many people use candle-ends as firelighters, but there is always the risk of the grease melting too quickly and running down the bars of the grate or on the tiles of the hearth., whence it is very difficult to remove. To prevent this, and yet use up your candle-ends as firelighters, try melting them in an old tin in the oven or on the warm stove. Then dip into the melted grease short lengths of old string. When these are dried a few of them placed among the paper will light the fire very quickly. It is a good way of using up these odd lengths of string, for which there seem to be no particular use, but which we hate to throw away. TO RESHINE VARNISH. Varnished doors and window-sills that are much exposed to the sunshine soon become bleached and dull in appearance. To restore the varnish rub over with a generous dose of linseed oil. Make the woodwork quite wet with the oil, and leave it to soak in. Then give another coating, and a third if necessary. Not only will this darken the varnish again, but it will make it less likely to be damaged by the sun’s rays. A tasty sandwhich may be made by placing sllices of tomatoes covered thickly with chopped mint between thin rounds of wheatmeal bread. To prevent fruit-cake from burning while cooking wrap and tie brown paper around the outside of the caketin.

WINDOW TREATMENT

POINTS TO REMEMBER. Window treatment allows a wide choice of materials, and is always a matter of individual choice. Here is a charming idea for a drawing room. Old gold net for short curtains of the casement type, and long ones of black artificial silk, edged with green and gold tissue braid, are likely to be successful and effective. The greatest care, however, should be taken to use the best quality fabrics and textiles for an individual scheme of this sort, and a careful choice of the particular shade of jade must be made. There are so many varieties of Green —and all do not go well with black.

WHEN WASHING SILK.

When washing a knitted silk jumper or suit make a good latter of soap flakes, and when cool enough immerse the garment and souse it up and down several times. If the suit is soiled, repeat the process. Rinse in warm water that has a spoonful of flakes dissolved in it, squeezing it as dry as possible. Lay it flat to dry on a sheet on the grass if possible. Don’t hang it up, or it will stretch ail out of shape. Careful wringing of silk is essential, especially the knitted variety. Silks and stockinetttes stretch, and they quickly loose their shape if twisted and pulled about while they are wet. The right way of freeing silk from water is practically not to wring it at all, but just to press the water gently out of it. Lift the garment from the tub, squeeze it very gently in your hands, then fold it in a towel, hold it against the side of the bath, and use your hand or any flat article to “push” the water out with. BABY’S COT. Baby’s cot should be free from draughts so look round your room and mark out the currents of air. They will flow from the window to the fireplace; from the window to the door; and from window to window, if there is more than one in the room. Then choose a position for baby's cot which is just to one side of one of these currents, as close as possible to the wideopen window, but out of a direct draught. VALUE OF EGG-SHELLS. Egg-shells are numerous in the ordinary kitchen, and too often these find their way into the garbage pall with little thought for their usefulness. In future crush all your egg-shells with a rolling-pin until they are as fine as powder. Use this powder to remove the stains from enamel saucepans; tea stains from cups or teapot, and fruit or other stains from white woodwork. For the stained saucepans or china dip a piece of flannelette in the crushed egg-shell and rub.gently; for the stained woodwork, dip a wet scrubbing brush in the powder and scrub vigorously.

Lemon juice and honey mixed together make a delicious syrup for fruit salad. The greaseproof paper that biscuits are wrapped in is handy for lining cake-tins. An excellent household lubricant may be made by mixing equal parts of separator oil and kerosene. It is especially good for sewing machines.

THE DUSTBIN. The problems of having a hygenic dustbin does not present itself so much to town dwellers, who have it emptied regularly every week by the council, as to country dwellers. However, every housewife should be as careful as possible over the dispensing of her refuse. The only refuse which should be put into the dustbin is that which cannot be burnt, such as broken china, tins, ashes, cinders, old pots and pans. All waste matter should be dried as much as possible and then burnt. Tins which have contained food should be emptied and sprinkled with ashes to prevent an unpleasant smell arising in the bin. Ashes should first be wrapped in paper so that the dustbin does not get lined with them. A very important point to note is that the bin should be kept perfectly dry. Always keep the lid on and, once a week, after it has been emptied, sprinkle it with some disinfectant powder. Should the inside become damp, take some rubbish and burn it Inside until thoroughly dry, then shake out all the loose dust. Keep the dustbin as far as possible away from the house—and away from windows! Also see that no scraps are allowed to be dropped on the ground around the bin. Keep the space tidy and well swept and sprinkle a little disinfectant powder around. If you find it impossible to burn all the scraps, drain them thoroughly and wrap up tightly in newspaper, put in the dustbin, and make 6ure the lid is closely fixed down. GENERAL HINTS. Make sheets of flannelette instead of linen or cotton for cold weather. They are soft and warm and can be boiled in the ordinary way. Mats made of sugar-bag material, if. laid on the bottom of an aluminium sink and on the draining plate will avoid unsightly marks on the aluminium and crockery, obviate danger of breakages and lessen the clatter of washing up. A' /,.■■) ■■ rA mixture of equal quantities of soft soap, white sand and whiting boiled together for an hour will remove stains from boards, kitchen utensils and tables. . ... . ... Before 1 setting hair in curling-pins add a teaspoon of slightly-beaten eggwhite to each cup of damping-water and the wave will remain in much longer. When cleaning the bathroom, rub a little kerosene on the cloth which is used for cleaning the white woodwork. It will banish flies and other insects, and keep the paint immaculate. If a little quassia-water is brushed through a child’s hair once or twice a week head-vermin will never gain a footing. If mint and similar herbs are held in the fingers and cut with scissors kept for the purpose, time will be saved and a better result achieved than if they are placed on a plate and cut with ; a knife.

Stretch a piece of string or wire along the front of the fireplace, and on it clip a few spring clothes-pegs. Used for lifting off lids of pots and kettles, the pegs save burnt fingers. To clean a grater quickly after grating carrot, lemon-rind, etc., rub it over with a piece of stale bread. To mend lace, place a piece of paper under the torn place, stitch on the machine until the hole is filled Tip, remove from the machine and tear away the paper. The quickest way to separate buttermilk from, butter is to add one cup (or two if necessary) of boiling water to the butter and continue churning. To extract thorns, gently open the skin with a sterilised needle, put a dab of lanoline over the opening and cover with cottonwool and a bandage. In a few hours remove the covering, squeeze the finger and the thorn will emerge and can be easily extracted. Shrivelled nuts can be made quite palatable by placing them in a bowl of cold water. Change the water every day for a week and they will be ready to use.