Evening star., 1939-11-04
First Aid
For the
Aiing House
By ROGER b. WHITMAN,

lQuestion-Having recently pur-
chased q new home with hardwood
floors, we would like to know how
to take the proper care Of them, and
II water can be used to clean them,
or If it turns them dark.
Answer-It is advisable to wax
the floors with paste floor wax.
Clean regularly with a dry brush or
mop; never use an oil mop. Take
up dirt with liquid wax-not water
wax-or with a cloth slightly damp
with water, and Immediately wipe
dry.
Apply new wax once every few
months or when wear begins to show
at doorways and other points of
heavy traffic. Use polsher at least
once a week. Do not use water on
a hardwood floor, for it may make
black spots.
Lawn Ants.
Question-My lawn is fairly rid
died with holes around which are
swarms of small brown ants, and a
larger variety with wings. Could
these be termites? How can I get
rid of them? And how can q lawn
be cleared of Japanese beetle grubs?
Answer-Those insects are not
termites; they are varieties OF ants.
Ant traps of different kinds can be
had at a hardware or garden store;
these or some other ant poison
scattered around a lawn will get
rid of the trouble, for the worker
ants will carry the poison back to
the queens on the nests. A lawn
can be cleared of Japanese beetle
grubs with arsenate of lead, which,
however must be handled with great
care because it is poisonous, and
can kill your pets and birds as well
as the grubs. The usual method is
to mix with four times as much sand,
to scatter it over the lawn, and then
to wash it into the ground with
hose.
Kinds Of Wood.
Question-Where can I get in
formation on the different kinds of
wood used in home workshop?
Answer-You can get booklets
from the National Lumber Manu-
facturers Association, Washington.
There is a chapter on this subject
in the book Home Craftsmanship"
by Emanuele Stieri. The makers of
tools for home workshops issue
booklets that include this subject,
which can be had from tool dealers
or direct.
Covering a Copper Tank.
Question: have a copper boiler
In my cellar, which sends off lot
of heat. Would you advise me to
cover it with asbestos? I have twc
storerooms there with valuable
furniture. Is there any danger of
the boilers bursting If it is covered?
Answer Covering the tank is ad-
visable. Most of the manufacturers
of asbestos pipe covering also make
asbestos hot-water tank jackets
which come in sections to fit the
average size tanks. They are easy
to put on. A hot-Water tank may
burst with or without a covering on
it if too much pressure is built up
inside the tank. because of over
heated water. To guard against
this possibility, install a pressure
relief valve.
Cleaning Tile.
Question-My tile bathroom floor
was never bleached. It is dark gray
no matter how much 1t is scrubbed.
How can 1t be whitened?
Answer-It may be that the tile
Is naturally dark: not q clear white.
To test this, rub a section Of the
floor with steel wool wet with
Javelle water, or some other bleach
ing liquid containing chlorine. If
this works, do the whole floor in
the same way.
Dampness on Plaster.
Question-Plaster applied directly
to the inside walls of my stone
house is damp; dampness seems to
come through the stone walls. What
can be applied to prevent it?
Answer-Dampness of the inside
wall does not come through the
stonework. It is condensation Of
the warm and damp house air, for
the plaster is at the same low tenn
perature as the outside wall. The
remedy is to cover the wall with
stin insulating sheets or to replaster
1t on lath on furring strips, so
that the inside plaster will no longer
be cold.
Gold Trim.
Question-We want to finish q
wood COrnice over tuo uy1ndoyvs uit1,
white enamel and two lines Ct gold
trim. What sort Of gold trim is
advisable?
Answer-Use q top quality gold
paint that you can get at an art
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