The Housewife's Diary

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 68, 7 April 1937, Page 14

The Housewife's Diary

Hints About The Home Stale Bread. A stale loaf can be made as good as new if it is dipped into a bucket of cold water for one minute and then placed in a warm oven for twenty-five minutes. Good Dishcloth. A piece of loofah makes washing greasy •dishes more thorough and a dishcloth that is easily cleaned. New Mop Top. This can be made with strips of soft rags and a piece of hessian. Leave a hem so that re-made top can be drawn up over old mop head. Making "Gathers." ^ Run the material through sewing-maohine with the needle unthreaded, then gather hy hand, running the needle through each of the holes made by the machine. Curtains. When making curtains for several windows, mark each pair with two coloiired stitches, choosing a different colour for each pair. This makes it always easy to know the different pairs. Cut-Glass. A better shine will be given to cut-glass that is being washed if a blue-bag is placed in the ^washing water, Firelighters. Fold, -diagonally, some single sheets ox newspaper and tightly roll up into rods. Twist these paper rods around your hand and use six or eight of them, instead of wood, when laying a fire. ' * Shoe Toes. Bits of wet newspaper should. be pushed into the toes of shoes that pinch; if left until dry the paper will expand the toes and prevent them from cracking. Cracked Egg. A cracked egg can be safely boiled if rolled in a piece of a tissue paper. Tea Flavour. A piece of dried orange rind placed in tea caddy will improve the flavour of tea. Flowers. Use a piece of wire-netting folded three times over as a holder when arranging flowers in a wide bowl. Drooping flowers will revive if a lump of starch is placed in the water, Washing Cardigans. Sew a piece of tape or ribbon along hem of a cardigan or sports coat before washing and garments will keep their shapes better. Home-made Toffee. Sprinkling with icing sugar and ^haking well in a tin will prevent home-made toffee being sticky. Coal Dust. Use it with peat. Lay peat on fire and the coal dust on top. . * Glove Stretohers. A first-rate substitute is a pair of ordinary curling irons. Hoops. Children 's wooden hoops are made more attractive if painted in gay colours. such as red, yellow and blue. Moss on Trees. Wash with strong salt water or solution of lime. No Splashing. A little salt sprinkled in the frying pan before the fat is put in will prevent splashing. For Toddlers. A pair of braces for toddlers' knickers can be made from the neckbands of old soft collars; cut away the outer portions of collars; ends with two buttonholes go to the front and ends with single button-holes to the back. Laundry. Any stained article should have piece of paper attached stating the kind of stain; this enables proper treatment at the laundry. Ease for Cough. Bake a large lemon for 20 minutes and then scoop out the pulp and mix with honey. The mixture will be found to give much relief. Iron Rest. Tack an oblong piece of asbestos on to the ' ironing-board for resting the hot iron on from time to time. When Sewing. If a knot is tied at each end of cotton, instead' of knotting both euds together, twisting Avill be prevented. Cleaning Ivory. Ivory may be washed in lukewarm soap suds made from good, plain soap. If there is much carving, use a brush carefully, then rinse, dry and polish. Salt and vinegar may be tried, after washing, if there are stains to remove, and the articles must. be rinsed, dried and polished afterwards. Chamois leather ig tbe best polisher. After washing in soap-suds discoloured ivory is improved by being left in the sunshine for a little while. Dip again and repeat the process. Vacuum Cleaner. Should a vacuum cleaner be at present Ot, •*r.0f ^ reac^ the family purse, a useful uid for the time being is a bicyele foot pump. liuii the mouth of the tubing into crevices v heie dust lurks, and work the pump vigor0US13'. This is one way of removing dust that b as gathered round buttons 011 mattresses or lurmture, without pulling ihe buttons away.