HOUSEHOLD HINTS

Radio Record, 7 August 1936, Page 58

HOUSEHOLD HINTS

To give a professional touch to amateur knitted garments, soak two Turkish towels in cold water, wring them out tightly, and spread them on a table. Lay knitted garments on top, pulling them carefully into shape, then cover with two more damp towels, and allow them to remain overnight. Remove towels, place garments between the folds of a dry sheet, and press very gently with a warm iron without roughening the surface, Leave to dry. WHEN china is used a great deal and the dishes are constantly put away with one dish resting upon another, many little scratches will be made; and, in time, there will appear unsightly marks that soap and water will not remove. When this happens, dip a slightly damp cloth in dry powdered borax, then rub the discoloured surface thoroughly, and every bit of the discolouration will disappear, unless it has been burned into the china. Borax will also remove discolouration from light coloured enamel ware, F you have a-number of lemons which you wish to keep fresh for months, treat them in the following way: Choose perfectly sound fruit and wipe clean. Rub all over with petroleum jelly or good lard, seeing they have a good coating of ‘either, then wrap each in white paper and pack firmly in a box. Store in the coolest place possible. Oranges may be kept in the same way if not too ripe. (COLLECT and sterilise any bottles that can be crowned. Crown tops and the necessary instrument can be bought for very little. The tomatoes for preserving in this way raust be firm and not over ripe. Boil

without water until reduced to a pulp. that can be rubbed through a Sieve. Bring the puree up to the boil again and pour into the warm, dry bottles; cap immediately. A wet cloth round the bottle will prevent cracking. Place the bottles on their sides in a cool place, the contents will keep indefinitely, and can be used for soups, sauces, ete., during the winter. N too many houses the dish-cloth consists of any old remnant of duster or cloth that has escaped the ragbag. This isa great mistake, both from the hygienic point of view and also that of convenience. The dish-cloth should be properly made, and this is the best way of doing it: Take three or four thicknesses of any soft material cf a size to suit; cheese cloth is the best. Turn in the edges, then quilt them on the machine. Quilting several inches apart will be ample. This will make ‘a serviceable cloth which will last a long time. USEFUL contrivance for the kitchen to hold flour and sugar which can be wheeled about on casters may be made from the following: 1 petrol case, 2 petrol tins, about 9}in. ‘length of wood ijin. square for legs; 6 pieces 1vin. x 4in., the length of the case; 6 pieces 1din. x 4in., the width of the case for strengthening; 4 casters, 2 hinges and casters and enamel white length. Chisel out the depth of the ease to allow the corners of the ting to fit in. Nail the 1din. x in. slats on to case between the legs top and bottom. This allows the lid to fit on tightly. To make the lid, take the original case lid and nail slats on all round. Put on hinges and casters and enamel white or stain according to the colour desired. HERE is a cheap, useful oven-cloth which is easily made. All that is needed is a piece of sugar-bag and some bright cretonne. Cut two strips 27in. long (one of cretonne and one of sugarbag) and Tin. wide, also two short pieces of cretonne 6in. or Tin. ‘long. These are for the pockets into which the hands are slipped. Bind the top of pockets with bias, place the pieces together, round off ends. and machine bias binding right around the whole cloth. Place a loop across the centre to hang it up by. UTUMN leaves gathered now and preserved are useful for winter decorations when flowers are scarce. The leaves should be gathered when they have taken on their beautiful autumn tints, Use tall vases and put in equal quantities of cold water and glycerine, arranging the leaves so that all the stems are in the liquid to a depth of three inches. Every day for the following six weeks add a little more glycerine and water in equal parts until the vases are almost full. At the end of this time the leaves will be preserved and can be placed in vases without any liquid, and will last through the winter.