HOUSEHOLD HINTS

Radio Record, Volume VII, Issue 46, 24 May 1935, Page 56

HOUSEHOLD HINTS

A DRY piece or two of charcoal dipped in kerosene will make. an ‘excellent fire kindler. . TF when boiling a pudding the cloth is lined with greased paper all the flavour will be kept in and the cloth will not be soiled. — ‘ RED OCHRE, when applied to steps, hearths, and window ledges, will stay clean much longer and be practically impervious to rain if mixed with thin starch instead of clear water, This treatment ‘will make the ochre adhere to floors and steps instead of being trodden into the house.

ILVER or plated mounts on glass. sometimes become detached. These. can be easily and firmly replaced with a little plaster of paris. Mix the plas-' ter to a thick paste with a little col@ water and apply to the article with a knife. then replace the mount and. Wipe away any superfluous matter. Leave until the plaster hardens, UBS used for washing clothes, if: made of wood, should not be left: to stand empty from week to week. When the washing is done, clean them inside and out with warm, soapy, water, rinse, and fill with cold water.: Leave this in, as to empty the tubs would make them liable to shrink and: so to leak. Metal ones, on the con-: trary, should be thoroughly dried af-' ter washing, and either hung up or furned upside down until required again, HEN a cork bath mat shows signs of warping or cracking, it shouid be reinforced at once with strips of Strong, thin wood ‘These strips, with small holes ready pierced in them, should be fitted like a frame on each side of the mat and secured by a lac. ing of string, passing through the holes in the wood and through correspond ing holes made’ in the cork mat with a red-hot skewer, RACKS in the iron casing of a stove or other ironware may be mended with a cement made by mixing iron filings with silicate of soda to a thick paste. This is forced into the crack with a putty knife, and the surface over and round it is covered with the same material. The heat hardens the cement, making it almost-like iron. Another good iron cement may be made by

mixing iron filings, flowers of sulphur. and water to a stiff paste, applying: At in the same manner, Fs KEROSENE rubbéd well into. ‘boots or shoes which hive been bardened by water will make them as pliable as new, ; T° clean a kerosene: ‘tin, erumple up . a newspaper and put in the tin. then set light to it; when the paper has burot it will be found that the odour has completely gone. and the tin. can be. used immediately, we F you bave a soup you wish to thicken (either meat’ or vege table), try mixing some coarse oatmeal With a little water and adding that to the liquid. You will find the Soup’ bas a.much nicer flavour. [SSTE TAD of throwing cigarette ash away each day, empty the ¢ontents of the ash try into a smal} box and use it for cleaning silverware Uxe the ash with a moist rag. finish with a soft duster, and a brilliant potish. results, ; O keep oak floors tight and in good condition, great care should he. taken not to use-an unsuitable preparation for cleaning purposes. Some -cleaning preparations .act ag a-trap . for: dust and dirt, and consequently .the surface of the oak becomes dark. ‘If the floor has become dark it should: be. washed thoroughly with soap. « and water to get rid of the dirt which has: become embedded in the polish.. and then polished regularly with‘a ‘good polish guaranteed. not to darken -thes oak, Not only will this treatment? keep the floor its original colour, but frequent polishing’ of the- parts sub-: jected to the most wear will prevent® the surface from showing signs‘of hard ~ wear. ;