A Housewife's Daily

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 80, 21 April 1937, Page 14

A Housewife's Daily

j Hints About Ihe Home 1 Mimosa. Tliis popular flower for spring vases sbould ' be put in hot water to retain its fluffmess. The ' water need not be changed. No otfler flowers should be put in the same vase. Lilac. . Crush the stems with a hammer for about four inches . before putting into' cold water; the same treatment is effective with almond blossom and "pussy" willow that . are ;to be used for vases. Change water every day, ICnife Cleaning. • • Sprinkle a little- biearbonate of soda on top of the polish when cleaning knives on a board. . ' . . i . Spring Tonic. Leave to soak for a night a handful .of gooh washed currants, squeeze and drain them, add* ing a little lemon. juice. Take every morning before breakfast. ' " Sandwich Papers. ... Grease-proof sandwich papers can be tised in place of parchment to cove'r'jam jars; damp •them in the same way. They are also useful for twisting over the top of basin being used • for a: steaTned pudding. , ] Rugs. . * ' Use a strip of proof backing for hearthrugs* or bedside rugs when they begih to wear. Presg on with ho,t iron; no stitching is required. Varnished! Paper. Dust, then wipe down with sponge wrhng out of cold water with a little ammonia added. Afterwards polish with a leather wrung out of cold water with a few drops of turpentine, Useful Brush, A peinter'is brush is nseful when .house cleaning. Corners of stairs, -skirting boards, window frames, mouldings, any awkward ins and outs of woodwork, may be easily cleaned with it, whereas a cloth or a brush of another. type would not be manageable. Methylated Spirit. , . . Methylated spirit may be u'sed • for many purposes. Mirrors and windows may be polished with it and clean, soft tissue paper, . Gaps in Comices." Jf a cornice has been knocked and- shows an ugly gap, dip a piece of strong white muslin in flour paste, .and fix it across the • break. When it has dried, whitewash it over, and the disfigurement will not be noticeable,. Stains on Leather.5. , " " 'After . cleaning stains off leather dining- . room c'hairs with benzine, the effect will be' much improved if a little whipped white of egg is brushed over the leather and left to dry. Finally; polish with a clean, soft cloth, and th« » chairs will look wonderfully fresh. • ' Polishing Brass. •' « Small brass fitments; such as handles that are easily removed and fixed on again, curtain rings, and other trifles that may look the Worse for wear, can be surprisingly improved if they are soaked in parafSn over night. or longer and then ubbed with polishing paste.