KEEP THEM OUT

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 113, 3 August 1927, Page 10

KEEP THEM OUT

THOSE HOUSEHOLD PESTS. FILL LT> TH£ CREVICES NOW. It is worth while remembering that cracks, crevices or holes anywhere in the interior of a house are a standing invitation to all kinds of summer pests. The housewife who continually watches throughout the year to see that all varnish, waxed or enameled surfaces are kept in good repafr will find that she is saved a great deal of trouble when early summer comes. However, if any cracks have in the house interior, they should he properly mended at once. This will go a long way towards keeping out pests of any kind. For instances, many times linoleum lias been poorly laid on a kitchen floor. Cracks break open, holes appear. A workman who knows his business can come and remedy these troubles before hot weather sets in.

A table top may have a deep crevice; close it up. Pantry shelves may be breaking away from their base. Mend them. A floor may have been in had shape for some time and so that it seems past the mending point. There are many new floors on the market; tile, composition, cork, or substantially laid wood. The cedar chest and the moth bag are two modern devices which no housekeeper in spring can afford to be without. Entire closets of cedar are now being installed in the newer homes This eliminates the need of folding clothes up for summer storage and pressing them out again in the fall. The modern vacuum cleaner has been a decided aid in keeping out pests, affording as tbev do a convenient way of cleaning the clothes before they are put away for the summer. It is important, too. that screens should flt closely and tightly, rustless screens if possible, and that the mesh is fine enough to exclude the small mosquito. Some seasons seem to bring a smaller sized mosquito than others, and a home which is insecurely or inadquately screened is a miserable place to live in for several months out of a year. This is, furthermore, the time to consider whether or not you wish awnings on your house. An awning made of material which will not fade in the sun nor tear in the wind should be chosen. The frames should also be strong enough to support the awning weight. No awning at all is better than a cheap, flimsy one. As for the decorative value of awnings, thev lend a real charm to any house if tastefully selected from artistic materials. Like the shutters and the chimney pots, the door entrance and the window placement, they contribute their own characterful touch.