HOUSEHOLD HINTS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7329, 15 February 1902, Page 3

HOUSEHOLD HINTS.

j For the Hands.— Ke&p at hand half a lemon, | fxom which the pips have been removed, and a filbert-sized piece of borax inserted. The juice will removo almost every kind of stain, ■ and its constant use keeps the handa white i and sofk. • * . j To Improve Your Kails. —^lnstead of scrubbing them wilih a brush. Ix> removo the dirt, kofrp L,a.lf a lemon, on your wa-abstand, and dig .S^Tir fingeTa in blub after 1/he washing till all dirt is removed. Besides cleaning the nails Miis 'treatment iho'.ips -to make them a good ] ■ collour. I Homo Cure for Rheumatism. — Rheumaitism . may be completely cured, and- chronic cases . be greatly Telieved, by using the following: — ; Mix together 4oz vinegar, the same of turpentine, Joz spirits of camphor, and a beaten egg. Stir -well and bottle. Rub the aching joints with this lotion night and morning. t A Tickling Cough. — A handkerchief wrung out of cold water and fastened around a child's , throat will almost instantly stop the tickling ' cough children are so often troubled with, and : if repeated once or twice will relieve the croup, j In thß morning only bathe the throat with cold water, but do not put flannel or other bindings annind. I The Washhouse Boiler. — So many people complain that the boiler rusts and iron- | moulds the clothes. This may bo entirely prevented by rubbing the 'boiler well with any good kitchen soap immediately after emptying it and whilst it is warm. Giv© it a liberal coating, remembering that the eoap is not wasted, as it ail goes into and helps the first filling of the boiler next washing day. New Tablecloths. — When yon buy new tablecloths or sheets hem a piece of tape for two or three inches on each side of every corner. This gives strength -to the parts on which most strain comes when they are dried and shaken after 'being washed. Tom corners show slovenly housekeeping, and prevention is certainly better than euro in this case, for a mended 1 corner spoils ihe look of a sheet or tablecloth B't o-ncc. ' j Washing Hair-brushes. — Hair-brushes should be 'washed in hot or tepid water, to which soda or ammonia has bpen added. The brushes should bo dipped) in and out of the water till clean, taking care that, the backs and handles do not get wet. After rinsing in clear, cold water, put them in 'the air to dry; they should never be dried close to the fire, or the bristles will become discoloured, and the use of scap will make; the bristles soft. New Gladstones.— lf you buy a new leather bag rub a.' little aweet oil well in, and then k

■ polish with a (?ry duster before using. This j j makes tho leather softer and nicer, and the j j bag will never grow to look as though it were i I ingrained with dust, as bags have a way of j j doing when they have been in use some time. By tho way, the same treatment will greatly improve a shabby old bag, or a polish with beeswax and turpentine will do likewise. Moths in Carpets. — If the moths are in a carpet turn it back and iron on the wrong 6ide with a good hot flatiron. Then sprinkle the floor undcrneaith liberally with turpentine, pouring it into the cracks in the floor, if there are any.. Rub the 'turpentine in and then you can turn back your carpet. Repeat this treatment two or three days. Some people sponge the right side- of the carpet with spirit of turpentine before ironing. The spirit must not be used near a light or fire. Very Pretty Effect.— -Have any of my readers who are tired of plain enamel ' tried sprinkling it while wet with gold' dust? The effect i 9 very good. After <the article is enameiled take j a pad of wadding, dip it lightly all over the printers' gold dust (.Judson's will . do), and shake it lightly all over the wet surface. At wide intervals touch the surface with the gold dust to make it look as- if it were more thickly sprinkled in places. The effect is very good and does equally well on paint or varnish. To Poach Eggs. — If you want your poached eggs to be a nice compact round shape, break them into cups, and let stand for an hour before cooking. Then, fill a saucepan half, full of boiling water, and 1 when ■■it is boiling fast stir it until a small circle is formed in the water. Drop the egg in the middle, and the rotary motion of the water will form a circular covering of white around the unbroken yolk. By the way, an absolutely new-laid egg should never be used for poaching. To cook to perfection, it should be about two days old. To Wash Ribbons. — Make Buds of ivory soap and warm water, dip the ribbon into this, smooth it out on a marble slab or pane ox glass and scrub one way only with a nail brush well lathered with ivory soap. When thoroughly cleaned rinse in clear water, being careful not to crease; replace on the slab or pane while wet, passing youx hand over it to take out all the creases ; leave until dry. If the ribbon ia a long one, after scrubbing and rinsing, wind it tighitly round a bottle with smooth surface. Do not. remove until entirely dry- Thi9 is perfectly satisfactory, and. does not leave the ribbon stiff and harsh. For a Burn.— Either carron-oil or boric ointment is an, excellent remedy. Carron oil is made by slowly mixing enough lime-water with linseed-oil ito make it look a creamy yellow, and a bobfcle of it ready prepared should always bo kept on hand. Boric ointment can. be bought from .any chemist. A piece of lint should b© saturated with the oil and laid on the burn, "with a pi«ce of oil-skin and a bandage over to exclude air. The ointment is spread on the lint and used in the same way. .''When dressing a burn get everything ready before taking off the bandage, so "that the place may be exposed to the air «s little as posPr'epaiing Glue for Ready Use.— To any' quantity ol glue use common whisky instead of water. Put both together in a boctie, cork it tight, and set it by for three or four days, when it will be fit fox use without the application of heat. G-lue thus prepared will, keep for years, and is at ail times fit for use, except in very cold -weather, when it should be eet in warm water bsforo using. To obviate the -difficulty of the stopper getting tight by the glue - drying in, the mouth of the vessel, use a tin vessel with the cover fitting tight on the outsid^ to prevent the escape of the spirit by evaporation. A strong solution of isinglass made in the same manner is an excellent cement for leather.