Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1889-07-04
CARE OF FLATIRONS.
How to Keep Them In Good Conditio
and Always Ready for Use.

How to Keep Them In Good Condition
and Always Ready for Use.
1t is so easy to keep the fiatirons in
good condition that there is little ex-
cuee for any housewife neglecting
them, nc matter how busy she may be.
ANY woman can easily tell at a glance
when these articles are well kept.
Some housewives will have in their
possession irons that have been their
mothers before them, and though
they have been in constant use for
years, are still as firm and smooth as
any one could wish. Other women,
with the same kind of irons, would,
by neglect and carelessness, in n year
or two render them unfit to use.
Where there are many starched
clothes to be done up weekly, it is a
good plan TO wash the irons once a
week, but where plain clothes and
only few starched are to be done,
once q month is enough to wash the
irons. Take some clean ammonia
soap suds. and with cloth wash the
irons we'll, afterward wiping with q
dry cloth, then put on the back of tho
stove in o clean place to dry thorough
ly. To clean the irons always have a
piece Of coarse sand-paper, or hand
full OF COARSE tahle-salt on piece Of
wrapping-paper, in which to rub
them.
Always have the top Of the range
n1n n
irons. and never, II it can be avoided,
allow them to get too hot. If such q
thing does occur, cool them by setting
up on end on the hearth. Some
women, when in a hurry, cool irons by
plunging them into cold water. which
is very poor plan, and those treated
in this way will soon be ruined.
Never do this or allow it to be done
with your irons, unless you are pre-
pared to purchase new set. There
is also the danger of scaldipg from the
steam that suddenly arises when the
iron is first placed in the water. Some
housewives black and polish the
handles and tops of their irons the
same as the stove. but it is scarcely to
be commended, as there Is always a
danger of smearing the clothes.
Don't keep the irons on the stove
when not in use. for it Is sure TO harm
the temper of the iron, and don't, If it
can be avoided, have irons on the
stove when cooking, more particular
ly when the article cooking is one
that is apt to flow or boil over, or
while frying. After taking an iron
from the stove, when wanted for use,
first rub it over piece of heavy
wrapping paper kept for that purpose,
then rub the smooth part with cloth
in which is encased a bit Of wax.
Rub the iron well over a clean cloth
and then it is ready for the clothes.
In ironing starched clothes, if any OF
the starch sticks to the iron always
scrape it off with knife ere putting
again to heat on the stove.
1t is not always the best plan to
keep the irons on a mantel or open
shelf, although it is the usual way, for
they are sure to be dusty when wanted.
1t Is much better to keep them in a
dry, closed place, so they may always
be ready for use. An old lady of our
acquaintance always used the lower
oven of the range, which is called the
hot closet, but in her range, at least,
was misnamed, as it was q very cool
place, and was just the kind of re-
ceptacle for any thing that was to be
kept dry, such as irons. Boston
Rudoet