Household Hints

King Country Chronicle, Volume IV, Issue 282, 3 August 1910, Page 3

Household Hints

KEEP HAIR IN CURL. Take white of one egg, mix it with one teaspoon of water, and dampen the hair slightly before doing up, on any kind of curlers or wavers. An hour is sufficient, which gives it time to dry; or overnight is good if it is more convenient. The egg white does not leave a trace on the hair; and keeps it fluffy in hot weather. One white is enough for five or six times.

POLISHING STEEL. Half the work of polishing steel can be saved bv first rubbing the diamond surface with a fiarrnei dipped in vinegar. Another semi-scientific truth which is ignored by most parlourmaids is the fact that glass stoppers can be prevented from adhering to the necks of decanters if, when put away after lunch or dinner, they are a half turn. GENERALITIES. By letting clothes hang on the line until the dew falls th-iy are dampened more evenly and iron nicer than when sprinkled by hand. When boiling something which boils over easily; place a stick of wood across the top of the vessel, and it simply can't boil over; try it and seii. Exceptionally large vsesels, use two sticks.

When cooking onions set a tin cup of vinegar on the stove and let it boil and no disagreeable odour will be- noticed in the room.

Very bad grease spots can be removed" by soaking them in benzine and then placing them between double layers of blotting paper and pressing with a medium hot iron.

Olive oil is an excellent fattener. Some can take a tablespoonful after meals easily. It stimulates and makes active the digestive organs, clears the complexion, and makes the eyes bright and sparkling. A good way to clean brown boots when they have gone a dirty, almost black, colour, is to rub well with a piece of soft cloth dipped in benzine. This will have the effect of making them almost their original colour. To fix a hat firmly on the head and to prevent it wobbling, take an old veil, fold it into several thicknesses till it is about four inches in length, pin it across the top of the head with a hairpin at each end, and you will be surprised what a grip there is for the hatpins, and how firmly you can fix the hat.

A very pretty pink colouring for kitchen or pantry walls can be obtained by dissolving whiting (not lime) in water, then add enough permaganate of potash, diluted, to give it the desirable shada. Put it on with a common whitewash brush. It looks really well and has the advantage of being both cheap and healthful. Instead of tacking linoleum at edges and where widths are joined together, use prepared glue on wrong side. It not only looks better, but when taking it up it doesn't leave any holes, and no bugs can make a hiding place underneath edges. To hold up your skirt buy one yard of elastic one inch wide; fasten to each end a large hook and eye. Hook this belt around your hips and pull your dress up underneath the belt as high as it is necessary to keep it dry and clean. Then slip on your coat and you are ready for any kind of weather.

When washing silk, wash and rinse as is done with any other article, then instead of drying by hanging on line and dampening, cool tightly in piece of eoods such as Turkish towel. Set aside and in less than two hours the dress is ready to be ironed. To remove shine take spirits of turpentine on a small piece of cloth and rub on the "shining" spots —for instance, around the collar of a coat after a long wearing. Rub on and the shine will come off. Good for spot, too.

An effective portiere is of deft blue burlap, with a deep border across the hem of large-sailed boats cut out of grey linen and applied on with black floss.

Before using a new iron kettle, grease' inside and outside, and let stand 48 hours; then wash in hot water in wihch a large lump of cooking soda has been dissolved. Should that sink drain chance to get choked, pour into sink one-fourth pound copperas dissolved in two quarts of boiling water. If this is not efficacious repeat before sending for a plumber. To wash mirrors, rub over with chamois skin wrung out of warm water, then wipe with a piece of dry chamois skin. This method saves much strength.