Evening star., 1931-04-10
Cleaning and Furnishing
Spring Activities All Around House May Be Ar
ranged With Definite Aids. to Efficiency.
Creating Attractive Features.

first-aid kit consisting Of glass bottles,
wide-mouth jars and containers, either
in a solid color or decorated, may be
bought either singly or in sets, and
some are very inexpensive. Placed on
an extra shelf. they would add bright
touch, as well as being very useful.
A triple wall mirror with a shelf
underneath and a good light over 1t
may serve as a dressing table. Some
mirrors come with shelf already at
tached. This combination can be ar
ranged at convenient height to permit
the use of small chair or stool.
In the Kitchen.
Linoleum or oilcloth in the kitchen
which has become shabby can be
painted the same as If 1t were floor.
First scrub thoroughly with hot baking
soda water, rinse and allow to dry with
the door wide open. Paint with two
coats of floor paint and one OF varnish,
allowing each to dry well before using
the next coat.
Rubber spatulaS, used by many house
wives for scraping dinner dishes before
washing them, also are good for other
purposes. One woman keeps clean
one especially for the use Of scraping
mixing bowls. 1t is surprising how
much cake batter can be coaxed out of
ullxlIlB DOWl py IIlcdI1S Va q AuU0CA
spatula after the big spoon has done
its best.
Silver teapots which have become
stained inside with tea should be soaked
overnight in boiling water, to which
some baking soda has been added.
Rinse thoroughly next morning. Repeat
two or three times if necessary, and the
teapot will be spotlessly clean.
Soap scraps should be collected and
put into a saucepan Of boiling water
and allowed to melt. After stirring
well, pour into a bottle and cork well.
few drops of this strong solution
added at any time to washing water or
dish water produces q fine lather.
IF cellar StairwayS are dark or the
cellar steps are difdcult to see, border
of white paint along the edge Of the
steps is very useful in helping one to
find ones way up and down. The steps
are usually painted all over so as to
harmonize with the walls or floors.
After this is dry the white paint is
applied in a strip about two inches wide
or a little less along the outer edge of
the tread of each step. A strip of the
same width also Is painted at the top
of the perpendicular side, or riser, of
each step so that there Is a guide in
going either up or down.
Furniture Stains.
Furniture that has become stained
should have the stained parts lightly
rubbed with a mixture Of olive oil and
methylated spirit. It Is a good plan to
keep a bottle of this handy at Spring
cleaning time and use 1t on furniture
before polishing. To remove white
stains from furniture you must have
three wooden cloths ready. Dip one
cloth in linseed oil and rub the spot
briskly. Moisten the second cloth with
alcohol and rub quickly, and with the
third cloth polish with good furniture
polish.
Mahogany furniture that has become
dull can be cleaned with a piece of
muslin that has been squeezed out Of
mixture of vinegar and hot water. Then
dissolve two teaspoonfuls each of tur-
pentine and nnseed oil in a pint Of
water. Polish with q chamois skin
| dipped In this solution.
when Hanging Pictures.
Nails for hanging pictures, plate
racks, and other articles viii remain
more firmly fixed in plastered wall If
the following method is used: Make a
paste Of plaster of paris and water and
place it in the cavity made in the wall
| by driving in the naif and then remov-
ing it. Replace the nail, driving it well
into the paste.
Screws that are too tight can be
| locsened II screw driver Is placed in
the head of the screw and tapped gently
| surrounding paint and the screw can
/ then be easily removed with screw
driver in the usual way.
Curtains and Shades.
] Rufies on colored curtains should