Chapter 3

Kerosene for Tinware Stains, Etc.--Kerosene removes stains from tinware, porcelain tubs and varnished furniture. Rub with a woolen cloth saturated with it; the odor quickly evaporates.

To Preserve Enamel Pans--If new enamel pans are placed in a pan of water and allowed to come to a boil and then cooled, they will be found to last much longer without burning or cracking.

To Prevent Dust When Sweeping--Wet the broom before starting to sweep; it makes it more pliable and less hard on the carpet's pile and also prevents dust from arising.

To Clean Paint or Rust from Linoleum--When linoleum becomes spotted with paint or rust it may be cleaned by rubbing with steel shavings or emery paper.

Linseed Oil for Kitchen Floor--Boiled linseed oil applied to the kitchen floor will give a finish that is easily cleaned. It may also be painted over the draining board of the sink; this will do away with hard scrubbing. It should be renewed twice a year.

Window Cleaning Hints--The six following paragraphs will be found useful when cleaning windows:

After Polishing Windows, moisten a clean rag with a very little glycerine and rub it over the pane. Windows polished in this way do not "steam" and will stay clean much longer.

A Cold-Weather Cleaner for Windows--Dampen a cheesecloth with kerosene and you can clean your windows quickly in cold weather when water can not be applied to the glass without freezing.

Window Cleaning Help--Before starting to clean windows carefully brush all dust off the frames. Add a few drops of kerosene to the water used for cleaning and it will give the glass a much brighter and more crystal-like appearance.

To Clean Windows--First wash the glass with water to which a little ammonia has been added and then polish with a chamois which has been dipped in water and wrung as dry as possible.

Cloths for Cleaning Windows Without Use of Water can be made with a semi-liquid paste of benzine and calcined magnesia. The cloth, which should be coarse linen or something free from lint, is dipped into this mixture and hung in the air until the spirits have evaporated and it is free from odor. This cloth may be used again and again and is a great convenience. When soiled, wash it and redip.

To Remove Paint from Window Panes--Paint can be removed from window panes by applying a strong solution of soda.

To Clean a Glass Bottle, cut a lemon in small pieces and drop them into the bottle; half fill with water, and shake well.

Old Stocking Tops for Dusters or Dustless Mop--Old stocking tops make good dusters when sewed together. They also make good polishing cloths for oiling and rubbing down floors and furniture.

Several old stocking tops cut into strips and dipped in paraffine oil make a fine dustless mop for hardwood floors.

Cheap Stain for Wood Floors--Ten cents' worth of permanganate of potash will stain a wood floor. When dry polish it with some beeswax and turpentine. It will look as though it had been that color for years. Put the permanganate of potash in an old tin and pour about one quart of boiling water over it; then, with a brush, paint over the floor, after it has cooled. When thoroughly dry, polish. The floor will look like oak.

Cheap Polish for Varnished Floors or Linoleum--Take equal parts of kerosene, linseed oil and turpentine to make an inexpensive polish for oiled or varnished floors. An application of this polish to the kitchen linoleum with soft cloth or mop will keep it like new.

Varnish for Linoleum--To make linoleum last much longer and have a better appearance, give it a good coat of varnish every few months.

To Make Wallpaper Waterproof--To varnish the paper back of the sink, or other places, so it may be wiped with a damp cloth, coat with a mixture made with one ounce of gum arabic, three ounces of glue, and a bar of soap, dissolved in a quart of water. This amount will coat quite a wide surface.

IN THE SEWING ROOM

When Hands Perspire and soil the sewing material, try bathing them with strong alum water.

To Prevent Oil from Soiling Goods--To prevent a sewing machine that has been oiled from soiling the material, try the following method: Tie a small piece of ribbon, or cotton string, around the needlebar near the point where it grips the needle.

When Scissors Get Blunt, sharpen them by opening and drawing backward and forward on a piece of glass. This will sharpen the bluntest of scissors.

To Tighten a Loose Sewing-Machine Belt, put a few drops of castor-oil on it; run the machine a few minutes and the belt will tighten.

To Remove Sewing-Machine Oil Spots:

(a) Wet the spots with spirits of turpentine and wash out with cold water and toilet soap, or,

(b) Rub the spot with chalk as soon as noticed. Leave for a short time, then brush, and the spot will disappear.

To Pair Stockings--For stockings with white heels or tops, mark with indelible ink. For all-black stockings, use colored threads, making a cross-stitch on one pair, two cross-stitches on another, etc.

To Prevent Cutting of Stockings--If the covering of the button on side elastics comes off, wind with a fine rubber band.

A Sewing Suggestion--A small, inexpensive flashlight should be kept in the sewing machine drawer. It will not only save many precious minutes, but will relieve eye strain when threading a machine needle on a dark day or at night.

IN THE BEDROOM

To Clean Bed Springs--To clean the dust and dirt from bed springs, set them out in the yard on a sunny day and turn the hose on them freely. The sun and wind will afterward dry them in a few minutes.

If Your Alarm Clock Rings Too Loudly, slip an elastic band around the bell to diminish the noise. The wider the band that is used, the greater will be the suppression.

Protection Against Spilled Water in Sick Bed--If water is accidentally spilled in bed when attending someone who is ill, it can be quickly dried by slipping a hot-water bag filled with very hot water between the bed covers over the wet spot and leaving it there for a few minutes.

To Clean and Polish Brass Beds--Brass bedsteads can be cleaned by rubbing them with a cloth which has been slightly moistened with sweet oil; then polished with a soft, dry duster, and lastly with a chamois leather. If this is done occasionally, it will keep them in good condition for years. But it is a better plan to use the lacquer, given below, after cleaning.

Wooden bedsteads should be wiped every three months with a cloth moistened with turpentine to keep them clean.

To Keep Brass from Tarnishing--To keep brass beds and other forms of brass work from tarnishing, and also to avoid frequent polishing, the brass should be lacquered with gum shellac dissolved in alcohol. Apply the lacquer with a small paint brush. Ten cents worth will lacquer a bedstead.

Clear, hard-drying varnish is also good for this purpose.

IN THE PARLOR

New Way to Fasten Lace Curtains--The best way to secure lace or net curtains in place over the poles is to fasten with the very fine wire hairpins, known as "invisible" hairpins. These are so sharp that they can be pushed through the curtains without injury to the fabric, and are so fine that they are more invisible than pins. They have the added advantage of never slipping out of place like small-headed pins, or becoming entangled in the lace like safety-pins. Put them perpendicularly (up and down) in the curtain with the rounded head at the top.

Filling for Sofa Cushions--Cut a roll of cotton in small squares and put it in a pan in the oven and heat it for half an hour. Do not let the cotton scorch. Every square will swell to twice its original size and will be as light and fluffy as feathers for stuffing sofa cushions.

To Brighten Carpets--Wipe them with warm water to which has been added a few drops of ammonia.

To Clean Picture Glass--Clean the glass over pictures with a cloth wrung from hot water and dipped in alcohol. Polish them immediately, until they are dry and glossy, with a chamois or tissue paper.

Polish for Leather Upholstered Furniture--Turpentine and beeswax mixed to the consistency of thin cream makes a fine polish for leather upholstered furniture.

To Fasten Small Pieces on Furniture--For fixing on small pieces of wood chipped off furniture, use the white of an egg.

Onion Water for Gilt Frames--Flies may be kept from damaging gilt frames by going over the frames with a soft brush dipped in a pint of water in which three or four onions have been boiled. This is also good for cleaning the frames.

To Remove Fly Specks from Gilding--Old ale is a good thing with which to wash any gilding, as it acts at once on the fly dirt. Apply with a soft rag.

To Clean Gilded Picture Frames, use a weak solution of ammonia and water. Go over the gilt gently with a moist cloth, and after a few moments, when the dirt has had time to soften, repeat the operation. Do not rub hard, and dry by dabbing gently with a soft cloth.

IN THE BATHROOM

For Clogged Lavatory Basins--Mix a handful of soda with a handful of common salt and force it down the pipe; then rinse the pipe thoroughly with boiling water.

To Clean Bath Tub and Wash Bowl--Some housekeepers like to use kerosene in the bath tub to take off the soapsuds and stain that will gather, but the odor is sometimes objectionable. To clean the bath tub and the wash bowl in a jiffy use a half lemon rind turned wrong side out.

To Clean Mirrors--A little camphor rubbed on a mirror after the dust has been wiped off will brighten it wonderfully.

To Clean and Purify a Sponge--Rub a fresh lemon thoroughly into a soured sponge and then rinse several times. The sponge can be made as sweet as a new one.

IN THE LAUNDRY

To Clean Dirty Clothesline--Wrap it around the washboard and scrub it with a brush and soap suds.

Brick for Iron Stand--If a brick is used for an iron stand, the iron will hold its heat much longer than when an ordinary stand is used.

Lemon for Whitening Clothes--Put a slice of lemon, with rind on, in your boiler of clothes and it will remove stains and make your clothes white without injuring them.

To Prevent Starch from Sticking to the Iron--Borax and oily substances added to starch will increase the gloss on the article to be ironed and will also prevent the starch from sticking to the iron.

To Make Water Softer for Washing--Use four ounces of alcohol and one-half ounce of ammonia. If used for toilet purposes add to this one dram of oil of lavender.

A couple of teaspoonfuls of glycerine to a small tubful of water will soften the lather in which flannel pieces are to be washed.

To Protect Hand from a Gasoline Iron--When using a gasoline iron, a little steam always rises from the iron and burns the hand. Before putting on your glove, rub the side of the hand well with vaseline and this burning can be avoided.

To Prevent Woolen Blankets from Shrinking--After washing woolen blankets put them on curtain stretchers to dry and prevent shrinking.

To Restore Flannels, which have become hard and shrunken, to their former softness, soak them in gasoline.

To Make Linen Glossy--When a gloss is desired for linen goods, add a teaspoonful of salt to the starch when making.

Quick Method of Sprinkling Clothes--Turn the nozzle of the garden hose to a fine spray and sprinkle the clothes while they are on the line. All plain pieces can then be rolled up and laid in the basket as they are taken down. Starched pieces may need a little further hand sprinkling.

When Laundering Sash Curtains, never starch the hem; the rod can then be run through it without danger of tearing.

To Clean Wringer Rollers--Kerosene is excellent for cleaning the rubber rollers of a clothes wringer. After it has been applied rinse the rollers off with warm water.

When Ironing Calicoes--Dark calicoes should always be ironed on the wrong side of the goods with irons that are not too hot.

To Make White Curtains Ecru or Cream Color--First soak curtains over night in cold water to remove all dust. In the morning wash in usual way and rinse thoroughly to remove all soap. Then put them in boiler with a tan stocking and remove when the desired color is obtained.

To Stretch Curtains Without a Curtain Frame--Fold the lace curtain double lengthwise; then pin it on a tightly stretched line with many clothes-pins and slip a clean pole inside the folded curtain. This stretches the curtain satisfactorily and saves considerable time and money when a curtain stretcher is not available.

Right Way to Hang Skirts--In laundering skirts made of pique, cotton or woolen pin them to the line by the waistband so they will hang straight down. If pinned this way they shrink evenly all around instead of sagging, as they do when pinned at the hem.

Bleaching a Scorched Spot--If you scorch a piece of white goods while ironing, immediately rub the spot with a cloth dipped in diluted peroxide, then run the iron over it and the cloth will be as white as before.

To Iron Over Buttons, Etc.--When ironing over blouses or frocks with large buttons or hooks and eyes on, use several thicknesses of blanket or Turkish towels to iron them on. Turn the garment button-side down, and press on the wrong side. The buttons will sink into the soft padding and leave a smooth surface for the iron to run over.

To Restore Color--When color on a fabric has been accidentally or otherwise destroyed by acid, apply ammonia to neutralize the same, after which an application of chloroform will usually restore the original color. The use of ammonia is common, but that of chloroform is but little known.

To Set Color in Wash Goods before laundering: Any colored fabric should have color set before washing, using the method below which is best suited to the goods:

For green, blue, pink, pinkish purple, lavender and aniline reds, soak for 10 minutes in alum water, using three ounces of alum to a tub of water.

For black-and-white, gray, purple, and dark blue, soak in salt water, using a teaspoonful of common salt to a quart of water; soak one hour and rinse thoroughly.

Dry in the shade. If in doubt about the goods, first try a small piece of it as above and note carefully the result.

Vinegar is also considered good for dark colors, using one-fourth cup of vinegar to one quart of water.

Sugar of lead is best for delicate greens, blues and tans. Use one teaspoonful of sugar of lead to one quart of water.

To Get Rid of Ants--To rid the house of ants, smear the cracks and corners of the infested rooms with balsam of peru.

MISCELLANEOUS

A Cheap Floor Wax--A satisfactory and economical floor wax which is excellent for use on hardwood floors: To one-half cake of melted paraffin add one teacupful of turpentine. Apply to the clean dry floor with a cloth; then polish with a woolen cloth or weighted brush. It gives an excellent polish and keeps the floor nice and light.

To Loosen Screws and Nails which have become rusted into wood:

(1) Drop a little paraffin on them, and after a short time they can easily be removed, or,

(2) Hold a red hot iron to the head of the screw for a short time and use the screwdriver while the screw is still hot.

To Put Hooks in Hardwood--When putting hooks in hardwood, use a clothes-pin to turn them, or slip the handle of a knife or any small steel article through the hook and turn until it is secure in the wood. This will save your fingers from aching.

Insoles from Old Felt Hats--Cut out pieces from old felt hats big enough to fit the inside of your shoes. This makes a fine insole, and is a great help to keep the feet warm.

Novelty Candle-Holders--Rosy-cheeked apples, polished and hollowed out to receive the end of a candle, make charming candle-sticks at a children's party. Especially where a color scheme of red and white is carried out, nothing prettier or more suitable could be designed.

Lime for Damp and Musty Cellars--A few lumps of unslaked lime in the cellar will keep the air pure and sweet and also absorb the dampness.

Handy Ice Pick--If an ice pick is not available or is misplaced for the time being, an ordinary hat pin gradually forced into ice produces a crack and separates the ice without a sound. Needles and even common pins are used in hospitals to crack ice for patients.

Help in Freezing Cream Quickly--If the freezer is packed half an hour before the mixture is put in the can the freezing will be speedier. Allow three times the quantity of ice that there is of salt. Mix before using, or put in the freezer in layers.

Cutting Off Old Bottles and Their Uses--A bottle may be cut off by wrapping a cord saturated in kerosene oil around it several times at the point you wish to cut it, then setting fire to the cord, and just when it has finished burning plunge the bottle into cold water and tap the end you wish to break off. Odd shaped or prettily colored bottles make nice vases. The top of a large bottle with a small neck makes a good funnel. Large round bottles make good jelly glasses.

Many other uses will no doubt suggest themselves to your mind.

More Serviceable Umbrella Jars--Place a large carriage sponge in the bottom of the umbrella jar to prevent umbrellas from striking the bottom of the jar and breaking it. The sponge will also absorb the water from a dripping umbrella.

Squeaking Hammock--If your hammock has an annoying squeak where the rope or chain is joined on the hook, slip the finger from an old glove over the hook before putting on the rope or chain.

To Lubricate a Clock--If your clock stops on account of being gummed with dust, place a small piece of cotton saturated with kerosene in the clock, and leave it there several hours. The fumes from the kerosene will loosen the dirt, and the clock will run again as well as ever.

A Grape-Basket for the Clothespins, with a wire hook fastened to the handle, will save much time when hanging out clothes; it can be pushed along the line and will always be handy for use.

For Worn Carpet Sweeper Pulleys--To keep the wood pulleys on carpet sweeper brushes from slipping after they have worn smooth, wrap once or twice with adhesive tape. This will also keep the pulleys from wearing unevenly with the grain of the wood.

To Protect Clothing Spread on the Grass for Bleaching--When linen pieces or small articles of clothing are placed upon the grass to whiten, much trouble may be prevented by spreading a strip of cheesecloth over them and fastening it down with wooden pegs or hairpins. This does not prevent bleaching, but keeps off worms and bugs, and prevents the articles from being blown away by the wind.

To Soften Paint Brushes that have been used for varnishing and not been cleaned, soak them in turpentine.

To soften brushes that have dried paint in them soak in hot vinegar or in turpentine or gasoline.

Vinegar for Dried Mucilage--When mucilage has dried at the bottom of the bottle, pour a spoonful or two of vinegar in it, and let it stand awhile. The mucilage will be as good as ever.

To Remove Paper Labels, wet the face of the label with water and hold it near a flame or stove.

To Separate Postage Stamps--When postage stamps stick together do not soak them. Instead, lay a thin paper over them, and run a hot iron over the paper. They will come apart easily and the mucilage on the back of the stamps can be used as though it was new.

Soap Application When Eyeglasses Steam--To prevent annoyance caused by a deposit of moisture upon eyeglasses, when going from a cold into a warm atmosphere, moisten the tips of the fingers and rub them over a cake of soap. Then rub them over the lens, and polish as usual. One application every day or two is all that is necessary.

For the Invalid's Room--A few drops of oil of lavender in boiling water is excellent for the invalid's room.

For Perspiration Odor--The unpleasant odor of perspiration often causes much annoyance. Instead of using perfumery, wash the body with warm water to which has been added two tablespoonfuls of compound spirits of ammonia. This will leave the skin sweet, clean, and fresh.

For a Sprain--Salt and vinegar, bound on a sprain, will relieve the pain in a very little while.

To Prevent a Blister on the Heel--If shoes slip and cause blisters on the heels, rub paraffin on the stocking. In a short time the slipping will stop.

For Burns, Etc.--If you burn your finger or hand make a strong solution of bluing water and soak the affected part in it for ten minutes, or longer if necessary. The pain will quickly disappear and no soreness will result.

For Insomnia--A heaping bowl of bread and milk, seasoned with salt, and eaten just before retiring, is recommended as a sure cure for the worst case of insomnia.

Sulphur to Rid House of Rats--Sulphur will successfully rid the house of rats if sprinkled in bureau drawers, closets, and around holes where they are liable to come in. The farmer, also, will find that his corn will not be troubled if he sprinkles it about the barn.

To Get Rid of Mice--Mice do not like the smell of peppermint, and a little oil of peppermint placed about their haunts will soon force them to look for other quarters.

Lumps of camphor placed about their haunts is another effective method of keeping mice away.

To Kill Weeds--If annoyed with dock, dandelion, or other weeds, fill an oil-can with kerosene. With a knife cut the weed off at the ground, or just below, and put a drop or two of kerosene on the heart of the weed. It will not grow again afterward.

To Take Mildew Out of Leather--Mildew on leather may be removed with pure vaseline. Rub a little of this into the leather until quite absorbed, and then polish carefully with a clean chamois leather.

To Destroy Earthworms--To rid the earth in flower-pots of worms, mix a small quantity of finely-pulverized tobacco with the earth in each.

To Induce a Canary to Take a Bath, sprinkle a few seeds on the water. This added attraction will make the bath become a habit with the little pet.

A Cure for Leaky Pens--Empty the fountain pen and clean it thoroughly; fill with ink and apply some soap to the threads of the screw.

If Your Fingers Become Stained with Ink, wet the head of a match and rub it on the spots. Then rinse the fingers with soap and water and the ink will quickly disappear.

A Handy Pen or Brush Holder for Your Desk--A sheet of corrugated paper is a handy thing to have on your writing desk to hold wet pens or brushes. The paper will absorb the liquid and the corrugations will hold the pens or brushes in convenient position.

A Novel Match Scratcher--To avoid matches being scratched on the wall-paper almost as much as on the match-scratch, try the idea of removing the glass from a small oval or square picture frame and framing a piece of sandpaper just as one would a picture. Put a small screw-eye on top of the frame, thus allowing it to hang perfectly flat against the wall. The frame prevents the match from being carried over the edges of the sandpaper onto the wall.

Emergency White Glove Repair--If your white glove rips or tears accidentally just as you are putting it on to go out, and there is no time to mend same, put a small strip of white adhesive plaster over the spot and it will never be noticed.

To Keep Rugs from Slipping--Cut a three-cornered piece of rubber sheeting to fit each corner and sew it firmly in place. Another way is to take a piece of heavy, rough sheathing paper a bit smaller than the rug and lay the rug on that.

For Sagging Chair Seats--When cane-seated chairs sag they can be tightened by washing the bottom of the cane in hot water and soap; then rinse in clean water and dry out-of-doors.

Two Uses for Velveteen--Old velveteen, fastened over a firm broom, is excellent for wiping down walls.

To polish furniture, use a piece of velveteen instead of chamois leather. The former is much cheaper than the chamois and serves just as well.

Saltpeter for Icy Steps--Ice on marble or stone steps can be thawed by sprinkling several handfuls of saltpeter on it.