HOME HINTS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 510, 19 October 1912, Page 6

HOME HINTS.

To remove mud from clothes scrape with the edge of a penny. This will not destroy the nap of the cloth and will quickly remove the mud. Flat irons when heated by gas become rough. It has been found that if the surface and edges be rubbed with oil after use, and, when next required, heated and rubbed with a dry cloth, they will keep smooth. When putting away furs and woollen garments dip old rags in paraffin, placs them between layers of newspapers, and put the newspapers in the boxes or drawers in which the woollen things are stored. This will keep away the moth. It is an excellent plan to keep a supply of old newspapers for spreading un the kitchen table when cooking Old exercise books and catalogues also come in very handy for standing pots on. When cutting up jelly squares use a pair of perfectly clean scissors dipped in cold water. The jelly can then be cut into much smaller pieces than when a knife is used, and dissolves quicker. To free carpets from moth or insects, strew thickly with fine, dry salt, and roll up for a week. Unroll, sweep hard; if indoors burn the sweepings. Repeat the process, and in three days sweep twice, once against the nap and once with it, and, before relaying, sift salt and red pepper into the parts affected. When meat is very slightly tainted try throwing a few pieces of charcoal into the pot in which it is being cooked. This will make it quite sweet, and prevent any unpleasant odour from arising while it is boiling.

To ease a tight shoe wring out a cloth in very hot water and place it over the place where the shoe pinches. Repeat this as soon as the cloth becomes cold, and after two or three applications tbj leather will have be come stretched 10 the foot through the moist heat from the damp cloth. Cheap Filter. —Take a large garden pot and stop the hole in the bottom of it by placing a piece of sponge lightly in it. Cover with a few inches of powdered charcoal, fill with water, and let it stand over a pail or tub supported by two or three sticks laid across. The water filtering through the charcoal will be freed from all impurities, and will be fit for family use. Charcoal should be charged every three months and the spongo several times a year. Testing Wall Paper.—Many of the cheap wall papers contain arsenic, and this poison is most dangerous to human beings. The following is a test which is easily applied: Take a piece of the paper and dip it into a saucer containing strong spirits of ammonia. If arsenic is present the green paper will gradually turn blue in colour. If the colour only changes slightly a little crystal of nitrate added of silver added to the ammonia in the saucer will cause a fellow sediment, showing that arsenic is present.

To Keep Silver Bright.—To keep silver bright dissolve a small handful of borax and a tiny piece of white soap in 9 pan of hot water. Place the silver in this, and allow it to stand for a few hours. Then pour off the suds and rinse the silver in clear water. Dry with a soft cloth and polish with a chamois leather. Silver treated in this way will keep clean and bright for quite a long time if it is occasionally rubbed with a clean chamois.

Easy Porridge Making.—Procure a large jam jar or an enamelled milk can, of the "squat" shape, into which pour rolled oats and water to. twothirds water —taking care to allow room for the porridge to swell. Stand the jar or can in a saucepan, and bring the water to the boil. Stir the contents of the jar twice after the water has boiled. The longer porridge is steamed the better it is, and the result of cooking it this way is that the porridge is perfectly cooked and never burnt, and there is no dirty saucepan or cooker to wash. It will also be found more digestible if cooked in this way. Tomato Puree. —Mince finely a shallot and a small onion and fry with a slice of bacon or on or two strips of bacon rind. Add to this a two pound tin of presrved tomatoes or half a dozen fresh ones cut into slices. Then pass the tomato through a hair sieve. Boil about three pints of flavoured stock, and when boiling stir in two tablespoonsful of crushed tapioca, and keep stirring until the tapioca looks clear. Add the tomatoes, etc., and make all quite hot. Season with salt and pepper and sieve.