The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1891-12-15
the HoM c.
THE CARE OF CARPETS

pet fresh looking anu Wnole Tor any
length of time something more should be
done than mere scraping with broom. 1t
is we'll before sweeping to throw on the
floor either salt or waste tea leaves. This
should be done some four or five minutes
before commencing to sweep. Coarse
brooms will cut a carpet. and although inn
perceptible at first, 1t Will at length show
Its ravages in the largely increased num-
Der of shredS or sprouts, especially If the
carpet be pile fabric.
A corn broom soaked in water Is rend-
dered tough and pliable, and is less liable
to cut then in Its ordinary condition. An
ordinary cl0thes-bruJh or shOe-brush Is
best adapted to fine carpets. When car
pets are very dirty they should be cleaned
by beating and shaking. The usual May
beating is generally enough for a carpet in
ordinary wear, but no law can be laid
down upon this subject. If a carpet Is
much used and exceedingly dusty, more
shaking or beating Is required than were
it seldom worn. A dirty carpet literally
infects a room. Ii you consider the enor-
nous Quantity of organic matter from the
feet of people treading upon 1t, this is by
no means surprising.
II Is unnecessary for us to tell one that
carpet lining, be 1t of newspaper or cotton
batting, greatly saves the wear of car
pet and prevents the accommodating dust In
the cracks of the floor from rising and in
juring 1t. In cleaning badly Soiled car
pet, great precaution should be used. Brus-
sells tapestries, Wiltons or velvet carpets
may be cleaned with OX-gall, one pint to a
pail of water. An ordinary scrubbing-
brush should be used, and afterwards the
carpet should be vigorously rubbed with a
coarse cloth; fresh water should then be
applied.
Before commencing the above operations
the carpet should be beaten till well freed
from dust, and stretched and nailed firm
~ to the floor. 1t should be wiped perfect
ly dry. A small portion only Of this should
be done at time, and warm sunny day,
when drying will be rapid, should be Sc
lected for the work. A carpet treated in
this manner will be greatly refreshed in
its cOlorings. Ingram carpets will scarcely
bear the securing without becoming so
very soft that they will become almost i'm
mediately Soiled again. This may In some
measure be prevented by brushing them
over with hot, weak solution Of size in
water, to which little alum has been ADDED.
Curd soap, dissolved in hot water, may
liable to iDjure the cOlors If they are pro-
duced by false dyes. When there are
spots of grease on the carpet they should
be covered with curd soap. dissolved in
boiling water and rubbed with brush I'M
til the stains are removed, when the car
pet must be cleaned with warm water as
before. The addition of little gall to the
soap renders it more efficacious. Some per-
sons use mixture OF soap, fnller's earth
and turpentine.
To remove spots Of sugar glue, blood, al
bumen, from dyed tissues of wool, simply
washing with water is generally sufficient.
For spots of grease. s0ap-water or ammonia
For varnisb, resins. etc., .turpentine. BEN
zine; then soap. For tallow, alcohol 95
degrees. For vegetable, wine and fruit
stains and red ink wash with warm soap
water or ammonia. For rust and black ink.
repeated washings with citric acid, II the
color Is well dyed weak muriatic acid, IL
the wool is of the natural color. For lime,
lyes or alkalies, weak nitric acid. poured
drop by drop. and rub with the fingers the
spot previously moistened. For acids, vim
egar, fruit acids or mold. ammonia, more
or less weak according to the tissue and
color. For tar and wagon grease. rub
with pumice stone, then soap. then let it
stand; wash alternately with turpentine
and water.-Housekeeper.
OLD RECIPES.
New rules have not always the value OF
those which have borne the test of many q
baking day. Some Of those reliable
methods are given below.
APPLE PUDDING-Have two quarts Of
pared and quartered sour apples: put them
in q stew pan with half a pint of water
and grating of nutmeg and set on the
stove. Now sift one pint of flour, two
small teaspoOnfuls of baking powder, one
halt teaspoonful of salt, a teaspoonful Of
sugar aud mix quickly with nearly one CUP
Of sweet milk. Roll out the dough to fit
the sauce pan and put 1t over the apples,
cover tightly and set the pan where 1t will
cook half an hour constantly but not
violently. Be sure that the apples were
boiling when the crust was laid over as
that ensures the lightness. Serve with a
molasses sauce.
For the sauce boil together for three
0ne-half cup Of molasses. Mix two table,
spoonfuls of corn starch with four of
water and enc of vinegar. Stir this
mixture into the boiling molasses and wa
ter. Add two tablespoonfuls of butter and
simmer for fifteen minutes longer. The
sance should be started before the pudding
is made as the latter should be served as
soon as done.
CREAM PIE-Two eggs, two-thirds cup
Of sugar, heaping tablespoonful of butter.
three tablesp00nfuls of milk, one cup of
flour, one and one-half teaspoonfuls of
baking powder. Bake In two layers.
For the cream. boil three-quarters of a
cup of milk and One-half cup of sugar to-
gether. MIX tablespoonful of corn starch
IN IIEtl6 colo milk ana aQd a beaten egg.
put in also tablespoonful of butter and
when the milk and sugar boil pour it over
the cornstarch, egg and butter and stir
rapidly. Flavor when cool and spread be-
tween the cakes.
STEAMED BROWN BREAD One cup of
molasses, two cups Of sour milk, one cup
of water and one rounding teaspoonful of
soda, one and one-half cups of Indian meal,
one and 0ne-half cups of rye meal, one cup
of four Steam three hours and bake one
half hour. 1t is thin mixture but is all
right when cooked. according to the au-
thority who gives it.
MOLASSEs GINGERBREAD-Pu together
one cup molasses. one half cup sour milk,
one-half teaspoonful of salt and one tea
spoonful ginger. Add also rounding
tablespoonful of butter melted and tea
spoonful of soda dissolved In little cold
water. Add two cups OF -four and beat
quickly. Pour the mixture into drip
ping pan and bake twenty minutes. Eat
while fresh.
CINNAMON BUNS-Reserve one quart of
dough from the bread and work In a cup
of sugar and two tablespOonfuls of butter
and roll half an inch thick cut into buns.
spread with sugar and cinnamon and let
rise before baking.-N. r. Farmer.
THE LATEST MUFFs
Muffs continue to increase in size and
are already called huge by the furriers,
who must sacrifice their choicest bits of
fur to make them look handsome Ronnd