HOUSEWIVES’ NOTEBOOK

Wairarapa Times-Age, 1 March 1939, Page 8

HOUSEWIVES’ NOTEBOOK

On wet days, when the washing is done, as soon as the fire is drawn and the copper emptied, hang the few urgent woollies in the copper itself, suspended from the boiler-stick. If they have been well wrung they will dry quickly. An excellent jelly bag may be made from strong flannel. A good size is 12 inches deep and seven inches across the mouth, or in proportion to those sizes. Tie the mouth (with string at intervals) upon a hoop of the same size and suspend the bag between two chairs. Use three-ply wool for mending blankets, and then tease the wool up with a wire-brush or fine sandpaper. All credit to the English housewife who, needing a new cover for her iron-ing-board, used the leg of a discarded pair of pyjamas. Broad one end and narrow at the other, it was a perfect fit. How to economise with soap. —Buy it some time before it is wanted for use, the longer the better. Cut it up into suitable-sized pieces and store it in a dry place to harden and dry. It will do better work and go twice as far as new soap. To remove mildew from linen, dip it into a solution of chloride of lime or chlorine water. The spots will immediately disappear; then wash at once in warm water. Use eucalyptus oil to take away the stains on hat linings. To stop dripping from the spout of a teapot, smear the under-side of the spout with the least little bit of butter. There will be no drips on the tea-cloth and no need to use a rubber ring on the spout. If you feel disappointed with the result when you have used furniture polish, do not blame the polish. Slightly dampen a cloth with soapsuds, wipe over the furniture, completely dry it, and then use the polish with a warm, soft cloth. When pleaning windows sprinkle a pad made of newspaper with ammonia, rub the inside of your windows with it, and you will not be troubled with flies. Use borax instead of soda to soften hard water. It whitens the clothes and is good for the hands. Allow a tablespoonful to a medium-sized copper of water. The following is an excellent mixture for removing scratches from furniture: Mix equal parts of linseed oil and turpentine, dip a flannel into it, and rub well into the scratched parts. Polish with a soft duster and you will find the scratches will be almost invisible. lodine stains can be removed with spirits of wine.