New Carpets for Old

New Zealand Listener, Volume 15, Issue 369, 19 July 1946, Page 27

New Carpets for Old

Dear Aunt Daisy, I wonder if any of your readers would be interested in the following hint. In these days when good carpets and runners are hard’ to get, and expensive, many people are putting up needlessly with faded carpets; or throwing out shabby carpets which still have a good foundation, but only the pile worn. I have kept my carpets restored and given them years extra wear, over a long number of years, by getting dyes and brushing up the colours as they fade, Later I found the small tins of bright enamel and lacquer paints gave more lasting results and brighter tones. I have taken carpets with very little pile left, and with only the barest hint of the original design, and completely brushed in the original background, but changed the colour scheme. The method is to choose your celours, and.use small brushes for the narrow lines, and old toothbrushes for the flowers and coloured designs. Use only a very little enamel or lacquer on the brush, then gradually work it into the pile of the carpet. Where the pile has worn off, care is needed in carefully painting in the design: ‘It requires a little patience and a steady hand, but the results are worth while, and give a new life to an old carpet. A tone-up this way lasts two years, and I have’ children. Then the job needs doing again if the pile has worn, and this time a new colour scheme can be introduced. Do not clog the pile, just have sufficient on the brush so you have to give a good rub.

"Aladdin,"

Lower

Hutt.

Thank you, Aladdin-it is like the "new lamps for old,’ and extremely economnical. .