The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-02-11

large enough to satisfy demand
And today the demand Is create
than ever before, partly because o
the increased need for sponges II
industry and the armed services
Furthermore, the best sponges II
far of the coast, in deep water
Sponge divers cannot reach distan
sponge waters and return by sun
down, as required by the Coas
Guard.
Rubber sponges, the normal SUBJ
stitute, cannot be made. Rayor
sponges, however, are still being
produced. Channels skins for window
cleaning are also available. And
every household has Its own supply
Of cleaning rags made from worm
out clothing.
Manufacture Of other rubber
items-kneeling mats for scrubbing
rubber household gloves, window
squeegees - has likewise been
banned.
The brushes-if they're new war;
time stock-Which the housewife
uses to clean radiators, to dust vene-
tian blinds, or to wipe away cobwebs
will be Of horsehair. The Chinese
hog bristles formerly used for the
best-quality brushes are difficult to
import and are needed In industry.
Importation Of Mexican istle, the
vegetable fiber used for scrub
brushes, continues as before
There1l be enough scrub brushes for
the housewife, the soldier on K. p,
end the sailor detailed to scrub the
ships deck.
Vacuum cleaners are completely
Of the production picture, and have
been for many months. The 10
vacuum cleaner companies and their
$4,000 employees are now producing
such war items as small electric
motors for aircraft, bomb fuses, gas
masks and incendiary bombs.
Carpet sweeper production has
also been stopped. Use of iron OF
steel for production OF carpet beat
ers is prohibited.
Housewives without these con-
veniences may have to 60 back To
the broom, mainstay Of the house.
keeper of another era-not so far
removed but that many will still re-
member the little tricks used to set
tie dust, such as Strewing the carpet
with little bits of moiStened paper
before sweeping with a broom.
The new brooms will sweep clean
But they will differ slightly from
the prewar models. Broom manu-
facturers are having to reduce the
multitudinous varieties formerly
produced to q few standard types
Broom handles won't have so much
shiny lacquer ON them. Instead OF
two pounds of wire to fasten the
broom corn to the handles Of q
dozen brooms, only about half q
pound is being used. But no more
than that is actually necessary. The
extra coils at the top Of the business
end of the pre.war broom served
largely a decorative function.
There Is little danger that house
floors will have to go unmopped
Even though Army camps and
ships decks call for o lot OF swab-
bling. good mops are still available
for civilian use.
When she does her hopping.
though. the wise housewife win be
careful TO avoid marring linoleum-
covered floors when moving furni-
ture.
Cork for linoleum has to be I'm.
ported from Portugal. Gun kauri-
which gives linoleum rs gloss, has
10 be imported from New Zealand.
Shipping difficulties hamper I'm
portation OF these materials and
llnoleum production has been
slowed,
No-Fub polishes for llnoleum and
floors call for earnauba wax, which
comes from the leaves OF the Bra
allan wax palm and also has 70
be imported. However there should
be enough n0-rnb pollahes - and
other floor vases tooo-loF spring
housekeeping this year.
@onn cleaners Cor rugs ana llpa