CARE OF SIDE-SCREENS.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18500, 22 February 1930, Page 10 (Supplement)

CARE OF SIDE-SCREENS.

CAREFUL HANDLING PAYS. The owner of a car that has side screens should keep constantly in mind that the celluloid panels of its side screens, and the one forming the rear window of its hood, are comparatively easily scratched and broken. If visibility through them is to be retained undiminished, they must be treated with due respect.

When out of use they should be carefully stowed away in the pocket or locker provided for them, with no other loose objects—tools, for instance —that could be brought into direct contract with celluloid by road vibration. As a counsel of perfection it may be suggested that each panel should be prevented from touching and rubbing against the next one—or the sides, top or bottom of the storage compartment —by pieces of soft cloth. That precaution is hardly necessary, it can be said, if the locker or what-not is dustproof, and the screens when stowed away are clean. Clean celluloid will not scratch clean celluloid, but dust between them will have that effect if contact should occur. It is risky when the screens are not in use to stow them in the car. There is not only the risk of their becoming scratched; it would not be without precedent if a careless passenger put his or her foot through one or more, or dropped a hard and heavy package on them. If they must be stowed loosely for the time being let them be arranged in orderly fashion and protected against harm. The cleaning of the celluloid panels with a dry cloth, if they are dusty or muddy particularly the latter is highly conducive *to scratching. No really bad scratches may be in evidence after one or even half a dozen “dry cleans”; but the scratches are and sooner or later there will be calse for the remark, “How scratched the screens have become.”

A clean and thoroughly wet sponge should be used first in cleaning the screen, both insftle and outside, and if the dust is thick or there are mudspots, the sponge should be used “gingerly” to start with, then Wrung out, dipped in clean water and used again. Finally, the panels should be dried off with a damp chamois leather. Both the sponge and the leather should be moved in straight lines across or up and down the panels. If then a stray particle of dust causes a scratch, the latter will not be such an eyesore, so noticeable, as a circular scratch due to the circular movements of the sponge or leather.