Evening star., 1901-06-29
HOU SEkEEPING LORE
HINTS IN KEEPING
WICKER CHAIRS CLEAN.
The Proper Way to Treat Floor Mat.
tinE-RestOring furnished Gilt Pic
ture Frames and Furniture.
Written for The Evening Star.

Written for The Evening Star.
Wash willow and wicker, in the natural
finish. with a scrubbing brush. and plenty
Of warm borax soap suds, and dry quickly
in the sun. If possible. But first dust
thoroughly and look after stains and
splotches. Dry-clean varnish or enameled
wicker by rubbing 1t hard with a swab of
prepared chalk and very fine hardwood
sawdust, tied tight in square of cheese
cloth When the cloth gets dirty put its
contents into a fresh piece After the rub
bing, brush hard with a soft bristle brush
Rub very dirty places with a swab of
tripoli as big as the end of the thumb, dip
ped as lightly as possible in boiled linseed
oil.
To clean upholstered furniture, cover the
material with towel and whip with a
rattan, shaking the towel whenever it grows
dusty. Wash all visible wood in tepid soap
sudS, dry 1t very quickly, then rub hard
with a flannel and a few drops of kerosene.
This for walnut, cherry and oak in any
finish. Mahogany needs to be merely wiped
with damp cloth, then rubbed for half
an hour with q clean flannel. Brush the
upholstered parts very hard, then wipe
them quickly with a cloth wrung very dry
out of clear. hot water Follow this with
a clean. white flannel dipped in alcohol. AS
soon as the flannel shows dirt, wash 1t
clean in tepid water. Otherwise the alco-
hol will dissolve the dirt, and deposit it
In streaks upon the surface of the fabric.
Clean out tuftings with a little swab of
cottonwood tied on the end of a stout
skewer and wet in alcohol. Throw away
the cotton as soon as it gets dirty. Clear
alcohol lightly used will not mark the
most delicate brocades The swab must
not be wet enough to trickle under pres
sure. Clear the intricacieS of carved work
with the same sort Of swabs, but take
especial pains not to have them too wet
With very delicate carving one must some
times have recourse to a sandblast, using
very fine tripoli and small, hand bellows
Direct a quick stream of sand against
the carving. In flying back from it, the
sand brings away the dust.
Clean gilt furniture with a sifted whit
ing made into cream with alcohol. Cover
small space at a time and rub off before
1t hardens. If spot sticks. touch it very
lightly with clear alcohol If there is
much dirt or deep tarnish, wash quickly
with borax soapsuds. wipe dry, then cover
with the wet whiting, and let 1t dry. Brush
1t off with a stiff brush and polish after
ward with soft leather.
Good Things to Know.
This is the best way of cleaning all
manner of gilt frames. With very big ones,
cover with sheet. then lay the frame
fiat, and leave it thus until after the
brushing. A gilt frame specked but un-
tarnshed needs to be rubbed with a fan
mel wet in alcohol and polished afterward
with soft leather, stretched smooth over
the palm.
Brasses. as knobs, handles and such as
is used upon modern furniture, are COM
monty lacquered, so can be cleaned with
alcohol and a soft cloth. Damp the cloth
in place of wetting it and rub quickly.
Unlacquered brass can be cleaned in vari-
Gus ways. One of the best is to wash 1t
well in warm soapsuds, then rub with salt
and vinegar, using a flannel swab, and
polish afterward with dry whiting and a
c1n oil Jnth Tol 10 lot fha oyI
and salt touch the wood. If the brass is
either open or intricate it is better cleaned
with tripoli mixed to a soft paste with
sweet OIL. Rub hard and quickly and
polish afterward with tripoli In powder.
To clean mating. sweep 1t twice-first
with stiff broom working along the grain
of the straw. then crosswise with a soft
broom dipped in warm water, rinsing with
clean water This brightens all sorts Of
colored mating, and also saves it. in
measure. from fading.
Very light mating Is best washed. after
sweeping, with weak borax water or rather
yiping with cloths XrunE out OF It. Any