Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1900-03-05
LADIES' COLUMN.
4 CHEMICAL CUPBOARD.

The average housekeeper has {
! natural and well founded objection to
| sschemicals," by which she generally
! means powerful acids or alkalis, which
are used in housekeeping and in laun-
| dry work. Only in exceptional cases
are such powerful articles used in
cooking, and they should certainly be
avoided in the domestic kitchen, as
it requires practical chemist to han
die them properly. Acids that are
classed as "non-poisonous," yet pro-
duce the powerful effects ascribed to
them, may be very deleterious to
health, and in that sense dangerous
to use and poisonous in the hands of
an ignorant person who does not know
how to use them.
The only powerful chemicals which
should be used about the house are
those simple alkalis and acids used
for cleaning. Virulent poisons, like
oxalic acid should be avoided, be-
cause such simple ingredients as vim
egar and salt will accomplish the
same result. 1t is good plan to keep
all such articles in a cupboard by
themselves. Such a place can be
formed by blocking off a corner of
the shelf of the pantry where dishes,
not food, are kept. There are many
of these chemicals which are danger
Gus in the hands of young child,
hence they should be kept out of reach
of children. Ammonia, even weak
household ammonia, may destroy the
hearing when spilled in the cavity of
the ear or destroy the eyesight if it
touches delicate part Of the eye. 1t
is valuable as washing fluid, and is
used in the bath to soften water. It
should be used, however, very mod
erately, as it renders the skin dry and
rough when used too freely in the
water. The same thing may be said
of most of the washing powders and
other compounds which assist in
washing. Soap powders are fruitful
cause of chapped hands. Where any
such article as an alkali or soap
powder is used there should be sim
pie acid toilet wash used afterward to
correct it's effect on the hands. A pro-
portion of one fifth citric acid, two
fifths of glycerine and two fifths
rosewater makes "a very good and
perfectly safe preparation to use on
over the hands after they have been
subject to dishwater or laundry suds
in which alkai soaps or soap powders
or washing fluids have been used.
Ammonia is not SO good as little
alcohol in washing windows, kerosene
lamp chimneys Or any glass about the
house. Ammonia is apt to leave
blur over the glass which it is difficult
to clean off. Strong ammonia eats
into the glass, SO that permanent
blur is created.
Sa3soda is a chemical that must be
used very carefully. AS a washing
fluid it Injuries delicate goods, and
totally destroys the color of most
colored goods. Borax is safer arti-
Gle to use, as it is comparatively mild
in it's effects.
Galvanized and polished iron sinks
and cooking utensils ofpolished sheet
iron are cleaned by the use of boiling
hot vinegar and salt. Let spiders
soak on the back of the stove with
hot solution of strong vinegar and
salt in them. When all signs of black
are gone, polish the spiders well and
wash and wipe them ory. Sinks may
be very successfully cleaned with tur-
pentine and boiling water. Turpen-
tine is very useful chemical to keep
in the closet.