HOUSEHOLD HINTS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18946, 17 December 1929, Page 13

HOUSEHOLD HINTS.

A poultice of cold water and oatnjeal will quickly relieve a scald or burn, and a sprinkle of oatmeal in the socks will remove the odour from perspiring feet. The gummed paper which surrounds sheets of postage stamps makes excellent labels for jam-jars, containers, etc. Place a piece of grease-proof paper on a thermos cork whenever the flask is used. Next time you plan to have an apple sponge as a sweet for dinner, prepare the sponge, put it into a greased dish and place the sliced apple on the top. Instead of a saucepan, use a fryingpan to make white sauce in. It saves much time. For cleaning stained iron, saucepans, etc., make a mixture of soap and fine sand. Cover pieces of soap with boiling water and stir to a jelly, then add the sand till the mixture attains the consistency of butter. If covered it will keep for months. Save your candle ends, and when you have enough, melt them down for floor polish. After melting, remove the wicks and while the grease is still liquid, add an equal quantity of turpentine. Pour the mixture into tins or wide-mouthed pots and leave it to set. Before using the polish, warm it slightly. When removing stains from silks or fine fabrics never rub the material. Apply the remover lightly by swabbing or pressing and let it dry naturally. Such mediums as lemon, turpentine and ammonia are likely spoil material if rubbing is persisted in. If your dog has the habit of slipping his collar, buckle a fairly broad leather strap around his body just behind the front legs. Put on the ordinary collar and then connect collar arid strap with another strap. The method is humane and effective. When baking small buns, place them on a cold oven-slide. If put on a hot slide they will spread instead of rising. When it is Sunday, and you have forgotten to order shoe polish, don’t worry! Try using a lemon instead. A few drops gives a brilliant polish to shoes of any colour. When the family grumbles about the bacon at breakfast, don't always blame the grocer. It may be your fault. Do you keep it uncovered, and in a cool place, where there is a continuous current of air? If you have a persistent attack of hiccough, or hiccup, as it is more generally known, hold your chin in a cupful of cold water. The resultant cure is almost instantaneous. • Ink will not run on newspaper if the paper is warmed before use. If you do your own housework and have a kitchen stove to polish, try adding a little liquid ammonia to the polish, and watch the result! If soot falls on the drawing-room carpet, there is no need to worry, for it will sweep up without any ill-effect if you cover it with ordinary, dry, kitchen salt, and sweep both up together. When making men’s pyjamas, put in a double yoke at the back across the shoulders, thus doubling the life of the coat. When weighing treacle, flour the scale first and the treacle will not stick. A room which smells of smoke can be freshened by burning a few drops of vinegar on a hot shovel. Burnt saucepans should be left filled with salt and water until the next day, then brought slowly to the boil, when the burnt portion will come easily away. When oil or grease gets spilt on the kitchen hearth, how annoying it is and how slovenly it looks! These stains may be removed by covering immediately with hot ashes or burning coals. How many housewives know the many uses of charcoal? It is excellent for disinfecting and deodorising the sink. Just mix a little with clean water and throw it down. When chimneys smoke only upon the fire being first lighted, it may be prevented by heating the chimney by burning straw or paper in the grate before lighting the fire.