Household Hints.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 29 May 1914, Page 2

Household Hints.

FOR THE HANDY WOMAN

i When cleaning clamp boots add a few drops of paraffin to the blacking. This gives a good polish and prevents the leather from cracking. A Shoe-lace Hint.—When the tag of a shoe-lace comes off, twist the lace and smear it with black sealing-wax. This answers the purpose as well as the original tag. Chopping and Pastry Boards.— After being scrubbed in the usual way should be rubbed over v.ith a cut lemon and then rinsed in cold water. This makes them beautifullywhite. Economy in Gas Mantles.—When gas mantles split at the bottom, lift off and carefully trim away the frayed edges with a pair of scissors, and shorten the mantle support. This will increase the light to its former brilliancy, and can be repeated a second time. As mantle supports only cost three a penny, this will be found a great saving. Put half an ounce of powdered pumice stone to soak in half a pint of paraffin oil, and with a piece of soft flannel steeped in the j liquid clean the inside of the bath, ■ and then wash out with warm ! water and dry thoroughly. When you roll out puff pastry, instead of sprinkling a little flour over each layer of butter, dust a very little baking-powder on. When the butter melts in the oven the powder will effervesce and puff up the paste nicely. A new wick may be easily put in I a lamp if about an inch of one end \ is dipped in starch, either boi'ed or cold, and then ironed dry. The starch will make it stiff enough to go into the burner without trouble. Try the plan once and you will appreciate the advantage gained. After filling a rubber water bottle with hot water, it is a good plan ! to press the side of the bottle before putting in the stopper. This allows all the steam to escape, and j there is little danger of the seams: coming undone, no matter how hot ; the water may be. ! An oven in constant use should; not only have the shelves well scrubbed with hot soda-water occasionally, but in addition the sides i should be painted over with quick- \ lime two or three times a year. An j oven treated in this way never be- j comes caked with grease, a.nd. consequently, there will be no unplea- ! saut smell wkea cooking. I