The Washington times., 1916-09-13

Simple Devices
For Cleaning
BY ISoBEL BRAND.

7 HAVE been using kerosene TO clean
i the white painted woodwork in the
kitchen. 1t In really an excellent
cleanser. especially as It polishes while
1t cleans, although II requires long rub
bling in order to clean II perfectly dry.
But-after using It for quite some time.
find that tits developing yellowish.
unpleasant tinge on the woodwork, and
I've had to abandon It's use.
Instead I've tried another plan. I
moisten a wooden cloth, rub some whit
ing on It. and apply this to the wood
surface to be cleaned. Then the same
surface Ia wiped with another cloth that
has been dipped In clear water and
finally with dry cloth. This gives the
woodwork remarkably fresh appear
ance. One must be careful not to have
the cloth so wet that little drops gather.
and the wood surface must be left
wiped absolutely dry. 1t takes a little
longer than the other way but the re-
suit is far better.
At cleaning seasons I'm always ever
washable wallpaper for the kitchen at
the time we took our apartment. It's
very much easier to clean than the bed
room wallpaper, which does not look 30
immaculate. no matter how thoroughly
I work over II.
Use Lukewarm Water.
In the kitchen. simply use a soft
cloth moistened in sudsy lukewarm
water for the walls.N 1t takes but a few
minutes to clean all the walls. and they
look as fresh as new. over the stove
there are sometimes specially obstinate
black smoke-marks. but these are easily
rubbed of with some non-gritty powder.
as are also the little grease spots that
do not yield readily to the plain soap
and-water treatment.
In the hall, bedrooms and living
rooms, where we have the neutral gray
or cream-colored wallpaper, have 10
take more time for the cleaning. First
have a special bag of the "dustiess
duster" cheesecloth with drawstrings pm
top, which 1 cover over the broom, tie
ing tightly on top. and this use TO
clean the high parts OF the room which
are otherwise inaccessible.
and / generally 20 through all the rooms
I timed myself one day
to find out which plan was quicker
sweeping cleaning, busting and scour-
ing each room completely, and then
passing on to the next room ana going
over ali these processes In each room In
turn; cd busting all rooms, then
sweeping all rooms. securing all
rooms and busting all rooms. and foun1
out that the second method was by far
the quicker OF the two.
Need Not Change Tools.
One doesn't have to change tools so
often, and It IL less firing to keep right
on sweeping. from room to room, than
to lay down broom. pick UP duster, lay
down buster, pick up wet cloths, ETC..
and remain In the same room.
After wiping the walls down with a
light stroke, I examine them to see
whether there are any conspicuous spots
grease spots or smoky-looking places.
The only way / am able safely to re-
move them Ia by using the soft "aer-
ated'' rubber that artists use for eras-
ing. A gooi-sized piece can be secured
for about 10 cents and 4 VIII erase
marks from wall paper without injuring
the paper itself or removing any OF the
coloring. 1t does not, however, remove
grease spots In every case.
For cleaning other woodwork-not the
light tints-I use a very cheap and safe
polish which had the painter nearby
mix for me. II Is a mixture of one-third
benzine and two-thirds crude oil, and Il
splendid for everything except the white
wood finish or mahogany furniture.
The one point that one must be abso-
lutely careful about In applying any OF
these oil preparations to wood, Is to
wipe Il entirely and perfectly dry. II It
is left half-damp. the floating par
oil, and the last estate OF the woodwork
Is worse than the first.
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