The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1869-05-13
UseruI Arts for Home Use

A substance called "Starch Lus;re" is
used for washing purposes which. when
added to starch, causes the linen TO
which it is applied to assume not only
high polish but II dazzling whiteness.
A portion OF the size OF an old fashion
ed cent added to half pound of starch,
and boiled with it for two or three min
utes, will produce the best results. This
substance is nothing more than stear-
Inc, colored by 3 slight addition OF
ultra-mnrine blue, the essential ingre-
dent being the stearine; and with or
without thu colorinE matter. will be
found to add much to the beauty OF
linen articles 10 which it is applied.
Stearine is to be had at.any good drug
store. -.
For the preservation OF the lustre of
articles of silver Or plated ware. when
not needed for nCiuHl use for cOnstd-
cradle time, Il coating 81. CDllOdiOu ito
be had ut the dug 6lores), may be en-
ployed to great ADVANTAGE Tho arti-
Cles are to be heated, and the COllOdion
then carefully applied by means of u
brush, so az to cover the surface thor
oughIy and uniformly. 1t il used most
conveniently when diluted with alco-
hol, as for Photographic purposes. Ar
ticles thus prepared exhibit no trace
whatever OF their covering, and have
stood for more than year in shop
windows, and in dwellings, retaining
their white lustre and color, while
other pieces not thus prepared became
seriously furnished.
A material for fastening knives or
forks into their handles when they
have become loosened by use, is much
needed article. The best cement for
this purpose consists of one pound of
colophony (purchasable at the drug
gistsY, and eight ounces OF sulphur,
which are to he melted together, and
either kept in bars or reduced to pow
der. Ono part of the powder Is to be
mixed With half a part of iron filings,
fine sand or brick dust, and the cavity
OF the handle is thea to be filled with
this mixture. The stem of the knife or
fork is then TO be heated and inserted
into the cavity; and when cold, it will
be found fixed in its place with great
tenacity.
Straw hats which have turned yellow
may be bleached by the use of soap
prepared by taking any good soda soap
and precipitatinE it from it's solution
by means of common salt, and adding
20 it one. fourth the weight of sulphate
of soda, previously rubbed into a mass
with water, then drying the product.
About equal parts, by weight, of water
are to be poured upon this. and for every
two pounds of soap, half an ounce of
spirits of sal-ammoniac is to be added;
and after the whole has assumed Il gel
atinous consistency, one part OF the
mass is to be dissolved In eight parts OF
warm water; smaller proportions of the
foregoing will of course answer for Il
few articles. The objects to be bleached
are to be washed by means OF a brush
in this solution, and transferred, while
still moist, into water calculated with
hydrochloric acid, (twenty. i've parts
water to one-and-a. half OF ac1d), and
allowed to remain a few hours i'll this
with fresh cold water and dried. Ex-
pertinent has proved the result of this
method of bleaching to be exceedingly
satisfactory.
An excellent waterproof varnish,
without alcohol, for various articles, is
prepared by taking three parts, by
weight, OF pale shellac, one part OF spir-
its Of sal. ammoniac, and six or eight
OF water, and shaking them together In
a bottle, aud to be then corked up Tor
twelve hours. This Is then placed in
an earthen vessel over Are, and boiled
with constant stirring, till the shellac
is dissolved. This solution replaces TO
great advantage the alcoholic solutions.
of shellac; and when mixed with about
twelve parts of water, with the addition
of terra de sienna or ochre, can be used
in the preparation of oilcloths. After
little exposure to The air the amon1a
evaporates, and leaves a layer entirely
impervious TO and unaltered by water
The same solution may also be used in
various combinations for staining wood
IF q brown color, and rendering il at
tho same time water proof. The APP
plications in this direction will suggest
themselves readily to our readers. 1t
is an interesting fact, in connection
with this substance, that 1t readily dis
solves certain aniline colors, as green,
yellow, blue, ETC.; and it can thereby
be employed for the purpose OF impart-
ing g brilliant and permanent water
proof color, and of Initiating many ar
ticles. In decorative painting 1t re-
places to great advantage the various
CLUES and sizings usually employed,
and which are so readily acted upon by
atmospheric and other agencies.