San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-03-09
CARE OF FURNITURE.
The Housekeeper Is Amply Rewarded for
the Work Expended.

the WOrk Expeuueus
How many houseleepers are aware
that furnace and steam heat are to a
large degree responsible for the crack
ing and warping of the lighter kinds OF
furniture, especially bamboo, and that
to counterfeit the ill-effects of the same
they should be rubbed regularly with
equal parts of linseed oil and turpentine,
applied with o flannel and then rubbed
in with q soft cloth2 Bamboo Is also
improved by an occasional wash in
cold water, II thoroughly dried otter
ward.
Mahogany, rosewood, or black wal
nut should be rubbed regularly with In
seed oil or crude petroleum, very little
being put on at time, and rubbed in
thoroughly until the surface looks like
a mirror. If the rubbing is done once
every two weeks it is not difficult to get
a shine in a short time, but the first
application may require longer. Any
of the natural woods that are not var
nished can be polished in the same way,
but varnishedsurfaces should be washed
with water in which tea leaves have
been STEPPED for half an hour. This
will make them much brighter than If
washed with soap and water, and I'M
like the latter will not remove the gloss.
When the vanished furniture be-
comes scratched tho spots should be
gone over with came's hair brush and
shellac varnish till they disappear.
Nothing should be allowed to touch the
places until the application is thor
oughly dry. If a small splinter of
wood is knocked off bureau or chair
glue it on again with little liquid
them with paint to match the rest of the
wood. When this is dry varnish and the
break will hardly be perceptible. If
the broken piece is large, and where it is
likely to be hit and knocked off again,
in addition to the glue secure it in posi-
ton with small brads, or, for a make
shift, pins driven in as far as possible
and the remainder filed off fat to the
surface. The end of the pin must be
touched with the paint at the same
time as the edges.
When larger breaks occur, such as
the leg of chair or the arm of sofa,
do not trust to glue alone, but strength
en- the weak part with an extra piece of
wood, nailed on the side that does not
show, in such a manner that the nails
do not come quite through to the right
side.
Leather trimmings which have such
a persistent way of separating them
selves from wood may be securely
fastened by means of q paste made of
melted India rubber, mixed with shell
lac varnish. The leather itself can be
made to look almost like new by be-
ing washed with warm milk. This is
especially good for leather seats or
lounge coverings.
The best thing to use in cleaning
delicate satin furniture is fresh bread
crumbs. Rub the soft part of the bread
between the hands until thoroughly
crumbled, then rub over the satin with
swift, smooth strokes, changing the
crumbs as soon as they grow discolored.
When the soil is removed dust off the
remaining crumbs with a soft cloth or
wbisk. Other furniture covering can be
cleaned with benzine or naphtha.
About once a month the upholstered
furniture should be well beaten and
busted.
When the stuffing of chairs and sofas
begins to bulge out on the under side
turn the article upside down, take out
the tacks which hold the foundation
canvas or burlap, and, after pushing the
stufing back into place, take interlac-
ing strips Of webbing across the bot
toms, and replace the burlap. If the
stufing getslumpytn the backs of these
articles, untack the burlaps from the
backs and distribute the filing, adding
to it or taking from ties comfort de-
maDds. Then retack.
To remove ink stains from mahogany,
rosewood, or black walnut furniture,
put half a dozen drops Of spirits of nitre
in a spoonful Of water, and touch the
stain with a feather wet with this. AS
soon as the ink disappears rubthe place
with a cloth wet with cold water, or
the nitre will leave a white spot that
will be very difficult 70 remove. If after
washing off the nitre the ink spot still
appears, apply the treatment second
fiTna -philadelnhia Record