The Washington herald., 1911-05-08

Many Of the suggestions will not be
new to women who have been enrolled
for several years in the goodly army of
,housekeepers, but for new housewives
they should serve to shorten or render
less fatiguing the more laborous parts
Of the springtime overhauling Of the
house
Suppose there is white paint to be
cleaned-paint that really needs to be
covered with a fresh coat but that must
do without one. The young housekeeper
will feel like going at it with strong
soapsuds and may find herself discour-
aged when she finds how long 1t takes
to thoroughly clean 1t and how unsatis-
factory are the results.
Ammonia Renders Water Soft.
Let her try the magic results of putting
enough ammonia in the water to render
it soft. Then add the usual amount of
common hard soap and the labor will be
rendered much easier. Care should be
taken not to use too much ammonia
only enough to make the water feel soft.
To wash molding that Is close to the
ceiling without injuring the most delicate
wall paper take a piece Of cardboard
about eighteen inches long and eight
inches wide, place 1t very close to the
base of the molding. sliding It along
until you have completed the entire room.
The same results can be obtained in
cleaning the mop boards Of a room, only,
of course. the cardboard must be placed
above the mop board.
Whoever tries this will find 1t both
time and labor saver.
If you have a very dirty looking paint
ea wall in your kitchen don't try to clean
it with soap. Wiring a cloth out of warm
water, then sprinkle with common bak-
ing soda. Wash the cloth often, dipping
into the soda each time. You VIII De
surprised at the result.
Washing Soda In Paste.
Suppose there are places in your parlor
where corners have been torn up by the
baby and that seem not to be willing to
be mended by ordinary flour paste. Try
putting lump of washing soda in the
paste and you will have no more trouble.
Suppose you have decided to be your
own paperhanger and try your hand at
decorating a room at small cost Here is
tested formula for making a good
paste:
Buy a little powdered alum in hard
ware store and dissolve fstful of II in
a little cold water. Mix one and one
half pounds of pastry flour in the same
pail, adding enough water to make
smooth, thick paste.
Have ready some boiling water and
stir slowly into this mixture, stirring all
the time to prevent Jumping. 1t will
now be quite thick, but when ready to
use thin out with a little cold water.
This may seem a great complication, but
it is really very simple to make.
Nearly every housekeeper will find GER
tain curtains that must be freshened, but
which she knows will probably come
home in bad shape If sent to the laun-
dry, so worn are they. Yet she would
like to make them serve just little
longer Try this method of dry-clean-
ing them, said to be excellent:
Pin sheet on the carpet or floor of
a room and scatter over 1t dry Indian
meal and borax mixed in the proportion
of teaspoonful of the latter to cup
of meal Over the sheet pin a curtain
smoothly and upon this scatter the mix
ture; then lay another curtain, sprinkle
with more of the mixture, and SO op,
until the curtains are all pinned down.
each being well sprinkled with the meal
and borax. Pull out the pins, roll up
tightly, having the sheet outside so that
it covers all, lay the roll away for about
two weeks, then shake out the curtains,
being sure to get all the mixture out of
them, and they will turn out white and
clean as possible.