Domestic

New Zealand Tablet, 8 July 1909, Page 31

Domestic

By MAUREEN

Household Items. If lemons are kept in cold water their freshness will remain unimpaired for several weeks. Kerosene will soften boots and shoes that have been hardened by water, and will render them as pliable as now. Every saucepan that has been used and finished with should be filled witli cold water, a lump of seda put into it, and set to boil out. Baby Soothers. i Under absolutely no circumstances, excepting the gravest illness in a physician's care, should an infant be given a 'pain-killer' or 'sleep-producer.' The effect of these powerful drugs upon the nervous system of a little child is so profound that the impress may never be eradicated. Many cases of defective ' mentality, of nervous diseases, of St. Vitus's dance, and the like, and of gravely impaired nutrition due to chronic alimentary troubles, have their origin in this lamentable practice. It is held that in some of the unfortunates addicted to the morphine, cocaine, or drink habits, the taste and inability, because of weakened will power to resist that taste, were established in infancy through the pernicious habit of administering so called soothing powders or syrups. A Labor-saving Idea. With very little expense the kitchen table may be made almost as nice as a marble top, and the labor of scrubbing avoided. Procure a plain white oilcloth and cut it four inches longer' and wider than the top. First scrub the table clean and then with a thick flour, paste put the oilcloth on and make it perfectly smooth. Then put a good deal of paste on the edge and lap it under the edge of the table. The top will be smooth and neat and much easier to .clean, and will last much longer than jf just put over loosely. Cupboard shelves may be done exactly in the same way. With care in cutting the oilcloth to fit and smoothing out all the wrinkles a beautiful cupboard will be obtained, and one so very easy to clean. Paint always becomes stained and is harder to put on, and papers are always untidy. Orderly Homes. There are many elegant homes with attractive front entrance, in which the kitchen and living rooms are in a constant state of chaos. Window-sills are convenient places for small things, and you can find a collection of reels of thread, crochet-needles, thimbles, tooth-brushes or even boxes of pills, on them. The sideboard and kitchen cupboard drawers are stuffed full of wrapping paper, cord, patterns,' writing paper, and envelopes— a miscellaneous lot of stuff for which no place has been provided. It is true that some houses are sadly lacking in shelves and cupboards and storeroom space, but a neat housekeeper will usually manage to provide places for everyday things, even without such conveniences having been put in when tho house was constructed. Small wall cabinets for the bedrooms can be made and will prove a convenience for medicine ,etc. Instead of having cold-cream, hand lotion, tooth-powder, and other toilet articles scattered, around on washstands or in drawers, collecting dust and having to be handled and wiped off every time the dusting is done/ these can be arranged in a neat little closed cabinet. The room will be easier to keep neat, and time will be saved. Having no place for shoes and slippers is one great drawback to neatness. Everybody pitches shoes, slippers, or rubbers into any corner. Where there are children, a box with a hinged cover in a convenient place is a receptacle not difficult to secure. Shoe bags made of cretonne or other ' strong material tacked on the inside of the doors of bedroom presses are withitn the reach of everyone. A foundation 18in x 27in allows for six pockets nine inches deep and six inches wide. A bag of this kind is also convenient for stockings or various other articles liable to be poked into no place in particular. Each child should be given a laundry bag and be taught to put soiled garments into it.