The Portland daily press., 1890-07-04
tn e HON E.
HOUSEKEEPING NOTES.

HOUSEKEEPING NOTES.
When ironing. If starchy deposit attaches
itself to the iron, it may readily be removed
by sprinkling small handful Of common
salt on piece of old carpet or thick cloth,
and passing the hot iron over it several
times.
Wash oilcloths in warm borax water, and
wipe with soft flannel wrung out in
SKINNED milk. Ink stains may be removed
by weak oxalc acid
When whitewashing your cellar add an
before applying.
Grease spots may be removed from carpets
by first covering with powdered chalk, and
then passing over them hot iron, the spot
and chalk first being covered with soft brown
paper.
A pair of shoes will last much longer if
purchased two months before they are
needed, and allowed to season in the atmos-
pierre Of house that length of time, as
American leather is cured too quickly to de-
velop its best wearing qualities.
When you have a surplus OF asparagus,
the best plan to keep it in good condition Is
to place the thick ends in water or bury half
length in sand.
Six underwear should be washed through
several cool waters in which soap and borax
have been dissolved. All silk wear should
be squeezed by the hand rather than rubbed,
although especially soiled spots must be
rubbed with little soap.
To prepare for carpeting floor which has
been infested with moths: Get plaster Of
paris, mix thin paste little at a time and
pour it into the CRACKS Of the floor; have
some one follow with knife and whIsk to
sweep it into the cracks neatly. A carpet
put down for three years over such floor
showed no signs of moths when taken up.
Before any garment is wetted in the wash
IL shoSsii,5 10 examined to see if there are any
spots or stains nesSdiiSngg special treatment.
Stains made by acids should be treated with
an alkaline preparation, WHINE almost all
fruit stains will yield to boiling wafer, which
should be poured through them to prevent
the stain spreading, as 1t might do If they
were dipped into the water.
To take grease stains from leather apply
benzine, and then rub over with whisked
BILE make paste Of fuller's earth and ben
zine, lay it on thickly, leave it twelve hours,
and then wash off with water.
Milk will readily remove ink stains on
linen, if used before the ink is dry; other
wise the best thing is exalic acid, applied as
for fruit stains. Another practical method
is to spread the stained part over plate and
rub it with some butter and salt till the stains
disappear, then wash with soap and water.
Sour buttermilk removes mildew and ben
zine, followed by hot iron and blotting
paper, with a wash in warm soap and water,
causes paint to disappear.
Lettuce certainly has Sedative action ON
the nervous system, and can be uSefully en-
ployed in insomnia.
Powdered alum used freely will give I'M
mediate relief from t00thache.
Tie following is timely for people who do
not mean to buy much ice: Butter or cans of
milk can be kept perfectly cold by being
wrapped in cloth and set in deep dish
containing a little water where air is circu-
lating. AS the cloth absorbs the water, cold
by radiation is produced.
There is no excuse for heavy desserts in
summer. Light batter puddings are almost
the only hot pudding suitable for warm
weather The variety Of cold custards, iced
desserts and creams is so large that there is
no excuse for greasy, rich pies and puddings
Good houS9keepers need not be reminded
that perfectly ripe fruit is to be served in
perfection ice cold, but never iced.
To clarity molasses, heat over the fire !;
pour in one pint of sweet milk to each gallon
Of molasses. The impurities will rise in
scum, which must be taken off before broken
by boiling.
Steel knives, which are not in general use,
may be kept from rusting if they are dipped
in strong solution of soda, one part of wa
ter to four of soda; then wipe dry, roll in
flannel and keep in dry place.
If grease spatters your favorite Wilton,
mix half glass of fuller'S earth and the
same amount of magnesia With boiling wa
ter, apply it hot, and brush off when dry.
hot iron and brown paper.
If cellar has damp smell, and cannot
be thoroughly ventilated, few trays of char.
coal, set around on the floor, shelves and
large basketful of charcoal be placed in a
damp cellar where milk is kept, the milk
will be in no danger Of becoming tainted.
In restoring draperies or curtains of art
Eeedlework on muslin, they should first be
well shaken to get out the dust, and then
soaked in cold water to remove the worst of
the dirt; they are then washed in tepid
water with good white soap, rinsed through
cold water with little salt in it, and dried
quickly in the shade. They should be folded
before getting, quite dry, and ironed lightly
with not too hot iron.
Ink stains on mahogany must be obliter-
ated by touching the spot with feather
dipped in teaSpoonful of water to which a
few drops of nitre have been added, and di-
rectly the stain disappears. Rub it over
quickly with cloth dipped in cold water
A few pieces of horse radish root put
among pickles will keep the scum from ris-
ing on top and improve their flavor.
All grained or vanished woodwork should
be cleaned with tea, made of medium strength
and strained, after which it should be rubbed
sionally in boiled linseed OIL, and wiped
thoroughly with a day flannel CLOTH Moth
ing is more convenient than a wooden
skewer for cleaning out crevices and cor
ners
Well-ventilated bedrooms will prevent
morning headaches and lassitude.
Apply linseed oil and turpentine in equal
parts with soft cloth to the white spots on
your furniture.
Wax drlppings from the tapers now so
oh
be removed from linen tablecl0ths with hot
iron and piece Of blotting paper, or by dip
ping the part in eau de cologne, which rem
ders the wax brittle. so that it can easily be
rubbed off with the finger.
White gowns grow yellow If left to hang
uncovered. Make bags for them and for
yotr silk and velvets as well. Seal-skin re-
tainS its beauty for greater length of time
if kept in the dark free from dust To make
the most successful bags for these purposes
use light calico, which has no fuzZ and
washes easily. Sew the breadths together.
leaving the top and bottom open. Sew
hooks and eyes on the bottom and run a
shirr string in the top. The gown should
first be put on wire arm, and the bag
drawn over it and fastened at the bottom
with the hooks and eyes; then draw the
string over the arm, leaving the loop by
which it is hung up uncovered. Ii the gar
ment is white, or delicate in color, put cake
of white wax in the bag to prevent IL turning
yellow.
Sedentary women, as. a rule, eat far too
much meat. OF should be taken hot and well
served at one meal, with fish, broth, salad or
croQuettes at another, but certainly omitted
at the third meal. Less work for the diges-
tion means more vigor for the brain.
Many housekeepers need warning against
the frequent use of feather busters These
busters simply chase the particles from the
furniture into the air, where they are in
hailed. A soft cloth is good, and a chamois
skin is sometimes better, for buster.
The best way to clean wash bowls, baths
and stationary marble basins is to rub then
with dry salt.
When cutting tablecloth before hemming
It always save the pieces. because these