The record-union., 1897-02-08
RANGE AND ICEBOX
Treated by Miss Parl0a in Her Last
Lecture.

Treated by Miss Parloa in Her Last
Lecture.
Miss Parloa began second of her
course of lectures on domestic economy
at the Y. NJ. c. A. building with THE
Range: Its Use and Abuse" miniature
range offering ocular demonstration of
the various component parts, interior
construction and regulation draughts
and hampers.
Questions We're frequent on the part
of the audience, and were answered by
Miss Parloa
The query, How do you account for it
that some ovens never bake properly on
the bottom?" voiced the experience of
many. This may be the result of
one of two things" said Miss Parloa.
There may be some arrangement of the
damper that shuts off the heat from the
oven that you do not understand. In
some ranges the slide is in the oven it
self. Or it may be that the fine ashes
underneath the oven have not been re-
moved, in which case they absorb the
heat. These under and back passages
should be cleaned out at least once a
| MONTH
great point insisted upon as to the
range was that the coal must never be
allowed to come above the lining, and
never allowed to burn to white heat.
Regarding the refrigerator, Miss Par
loa said: Always have it placed where
1t can be well lighted and drained. and
never allow the drain pipe of the refrig-
orator to connect with the
house drain. That is rank poison and a
menace to health. Clean and air thor
oughly once a week. Take out shelves
and rack, wash in suds, rinse in soda
water, wipe thoroughly dry. and put in
the open air for an hour. Clean the
| inside of the refrigerator, leaving no
particle of anything in grooves. Cleanse
the waste pipe with flexible wire, then
wipe out with cloth on the wire. Wipe
dry and leave open for an hour. This
may waste the ice; but better that than
contamination of the food"
AS to the kitchen furnishings, Miss
Parloa regards granite ware and the
blue ware porcelain lined as most sat
isfactory for the average family. Cop
per should only be used in large estab-
lishments, where there are a chef and
assistants to look after it vigorously.
Kitchen utensils should be as simple
of construction as possible and no more
purchased than are necessary. null
tiplicity of utensils is both annoying
and confusing There should be no
stint of towels, soap and water; but as
soon as a towel or cleaning cloth be-
gins to fray, throw it away as the lint
carried into the pipes makes great
trouble for the plumbers. A wire dish
cloth and wooden skewers are indispen
sable. All kitchen utensils should he
washed and wiped as carefully as china.
Any utensil in which frying has been
done should be wiped out with soft
paper before washing
The best cleaning polish for brass,
pewter and nickel is "Tripoli,' mixed
with few drops of sweet oil or para
fin. This is fine powder made Of
infinitesimal shells, and can be pro-
cured of the druggist for about fifteen
cents pound. 1t is excellent also for
cleaning furniture and bronzes, while
andirOns rubbed with it keep much lon
ger than when an acid is used.
Special stress was laid by Miss Par
loa on the care of plumbing. The
kitchen sink requires unremitting at
tention, as it is beyond the plumbers
art to prevent it's stoppage if the house
keeper does not look after it, The liquid
grease poured through it solidifes and
clings to the pipes. To prevent this,
wash the sink thoroughly after each
meal and pour hot water through the
pipes to scald them out A solution of
washing soda, allowing half pint of
soda to six quarts of boiling water
should be kept on hand for cleansing
the pipes. Warm the pipes first by
pouring boiling water through them
and follow it by two quarts of the soda
solution. If this Is systematically used
the six quarts week will keep a small
house in good condition. Ia special
emergencies, where the sink becomes
stopped with grease, use larger guam
titles of the soda and then flush thor
oughly.
In case of sickness, when disinfection
becomes necessary, dissolve four table
spoonfuls of carbolic acid in a pint Of
water and pour through the pipes,
waiting few moments before flushing.
New York Tribune.