MODERN REMEDIES

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 91, 15 October 1934, Page 15

MODERN REMEDIES

THINGS WORTH KNOWING

KITCHEN AND CLOTHES

Much time and labour in preparing new potatoes for cooking may be saved in. the following manner, states an exchange. Place the potatoes in a pail with a little water; then stir round and round briskly with a fairly stout stick for a few minutes. When the water is poured off it will be found that most of the skin has been removed, and the little that remains is so loosened that the job may be completed in a few minutes. Petrol will remove grease stains, but soap and water or a weak solution of ammonia and water are necessary for stains in which there is any sugar. When using petrol, remember it is highly inflammable. You can remove the smell of onions from a saucepan t>y Tubbing it thoroughly with salt and then washing it in warm water. When stewing prunes, after washing and soaking them all night, add a breakfastcupful of cold tea to the water in which they are cooked. This will improve syrup and flavour. When baking potatoes, grease them first with a little butter, ' and when cooked they will be brown and crisp, with an attractive glazed appearance. FKUIT STAINS ON LINEN. Bub powdered borax on fruit stains on linen, then pour boiling water through the fabric before washing and boiling it. To tighten a loose knife handle, take the handle out and nearly fill the cavity with a paste made of three parts of resin and one of powdered bathbrick. Make the prong of the knife almost red hot, insert it into the paste, press it in firmly, and leave on one side until cold. Dusters should bo washed when new before they aro used. Rough dry thoroughly, but do not put through the wringer. To make them absorb dust from floors and polished surfaces, sprinkle with liquid furniture polish and wring in the hands to spread it. Flannelette dusters are best for this purpose. Eiderdowns can be kept in place on children's beds by sewing to each, corner a strip of elastic—about 12in long. To the ends of the elastics sew the press part of a carpet press stud, screwing the stud part to the under side of the bed frame. To distinguish mushrooms from poisonous fungi, sprinkle a little salt over the gills. If they turn black the mushrooms are wholesome; if they turn, yellow they are poisonous. When buying skin gloves of any kind, hold them up to the light, in order to detect any weak parts in the skin. Choose, those through which the light does.not penetrate. If the shantung is new, soak it for half an hour in cold water, to which has been added one tablespoonful'of vinegar. Einse and squeeze in warm soapy water, 'rinse again in warm and then in cold water, shake well, and dry, with as few creases as possible. Iron when perfectly dry on the right side, using a hot iron. Tor Tired Feet. —Soda is a useful remedy for tired feet. Let them soak in warm water to which a tablespoonful of soda to sufficient water to cover the feet has been added. Let it be enough to cover the instep and ankles, as they are the parts liable to get puffy when the feet are tired. To Get Kid of Mice. —Mice dislike the smell of turpentine, so if rags Boaked in it are placed at. the entrance to their holes it will often rid a place of them. • • . • .■ i \ TO POLISH PAtTA SHELLS. To..remove, water'spots !from: glasswar^ rub with.half a iemon dipped in common baking soda.,;.."':. ■_' , Db; not wrap bread ip a clotli, as it imparts an unpleasant., flavour.. Wrap well iiii: .grease-proof paper. 'To keep sandwiches moist, wrap first in waxed paper and then cover with a damp cloth. l Fibre suitcases should be cleaned by sponging them over with hot water to which has been added a little vinegar. Dry thoroughly and finish with floor polish. Tomatoes need not he scalded to peel them. Scrape them gently but firmly all over with a small knife, then cut into the top and peel like a peach. The skin will come off as thinly as paper. A splendid way of keeping cheese from going nioxildy is to dip a piece of white rag in vinegar and squeoze very dry, and then wrap your cheese in it.

To clean and polish paua shells, boil them for a little while in a weak solution of caustic potash. Then remove irregularities with a medium file and complete the process with first coarse and then fine emery paper. Wash well in warm water and dry in hot sawdust. After this polish well with chamois leather anS olive oil. To preserve the surface, brush the shells over with water in. which a little gum-arabio has been, dissolved.