Here Your Answer

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 370, 2 June 1928, Page 20

Here Your Answer

I ET THE SUN ServTce Bureau assist you with your problems, whether they relate to dress, health and beauty culture, cookery, homecraft, travel, sport or any other of the many things on which we are all constantly needing information. Whatever your particular puzzle may be, we will be glad to give our advice whenever possible. All communications must be accompanied by the inquirer’s name and address (no 1 for publication), and sent to THE SUN “Service Bureau,” Women’s Page, THE SUN, Auckland. Answers will appear weekly in this column. REMOVING SHINE How can I remove the shine from a navy blue suit which is otherwise in quite good condition? Hub the shine gently with fine sandpaper, and afterwards sponge with blue water to which a little ammonia has been added. Press while still damp. A HELPING HAND Can you suggest any convenient way of collecting peelings, bones and left-overs which I generaly give to the poultry? An excellent “help” in the kitchen is the sink-strainer. In a cheap bucket or kerosene-tin make holes for drainage, and in it place all the peelings from vegetables and fruit, bones, etc. As you have poultry, this refuse can then be gathered and boiled without trouble FADED FROCKS I should be so glad if you could help me. I have several light coloured frocks which became rather faded. What can I do to freshen them up for this year? Is there any way of making them white? Now that your coloured dresses have become faded, make them white by boiling for 20 minutes in water to which cream of tartar has been added, one teaspoonful to a pail of water. STAINS My little girl often spills cocoa on her frocks and on the tea-cloth at meals. Can you tell me how to get it out? To remove cocoa stains from tablelinen or other fabrics, wash out in clear cold water (do not use any soap)' before the stains have dried. Every trace of the cocoa can be removed in this way. DUST IN THE DUSTBIN Could you tell me if there is any way of keeping my dustbin clean inside? It does get so stained. Line the inside of the dustbin with newspapers, and when the rubbish is emptied the paper can be burned. Your dustbin can be kept clean and free from impurities very easily in this way. AN OILCLOTH COVER Which is the best way of covering a kitchen table with oilcloth? You should cover the kitchen table with oilcloth by stretching the material smoothly over the edges, and fasten on the under side with gummed tape. The method is quick, the wood is not marred, and the cloth can be easily removed at any time. A NEW LOOK I have a carpet, quite a good

one, but rather dull-looking. if you could tell me how to brighten it myself I should be so grateful. Quite a good method of brightening your carpet is by soaking an old newspaper, tearing it up and making small balls. Throw these over the carpet and brush well with a stiff broom. COFFEE STAINS Would you mind telling me how I can remove coffee stains from a fragile evening frock without injuring the material? First rub the stain gently with a little glycerine; then rinse in tepid water and iron on the wrong side of the material until dry. The iron should be just warm. SCORCH MARKS Can you tell me Ihow to remove scorch marks from a woollen vest? a Nothing will take out a serious j scorch mark completely, I am afraid, but if it is only slight, the following method will probably succeed. Smear the mark with glycerine and borax; leave it for an hour and then wash in warm, soapy water. PAINTING THE HOME 1 I do a lot of house-decorating at home, and I do find it rather d ifr ficult to get the paint mixed evenly. Is there any way of avoiding this? Before using paint, stand it upside 2 down for a few days in the can be- - fore opening and it will mix more thoroughly. PAINT AND VARNISH My linoleum is worn and discoloured. Is it possible to stain it, and if so, what kind of stain do you suggest? Naturally it would be possible to stain your linoleum, or a good idea 5 would be to paint and varnish it. You r could then choose a colour agreeing > with your walls. If the room is one . which is used a lot and cannot be emptied, you could paint half, or a quarter, at a time. TAKING CARE I have just bought a polished table, and do so want to take care of it, as I hear that they mark so easily. Can you give me any advice? Of course, you must not let hot dishes stand on the table, unless they 1 have a mat underneath. Also, avoid water-marks made by flower-vases and bowls. If you cut pieces from old felt hats and glue them on to the bottom of any crockery you are likely to put on the table, that will help to protect it from marks and scratches. NO MORE STAINS 1 am rather worried about a light-coloured frock of mine, which has got grease stains on it. I wonder if there is any way of getting them out without spoiling the colour of the frock? Also, could you tell me how to clean paint stains from my hands? Eucalyptus will remove the grease from your delicately-coloured frock without taking out the dye. For the paint marks on your hands, you will find turpentine is an excellent thing to use. GREASE ON WALLS The children have made several

grease spots on the wall-paper in my dining-rcom. Is there any way of removing these stains? The best way to take grease spots off wall-paper is to use a folded blotter. Put French chalk in the fold, and lay it over the stain you wish to remove. Then apply a warm iron to the blotter, taking care not to scorch the paper. By changing the position of the blotter frequently, the grease spots will soon disappear.