247. Old Wood Work to Keep Clean
Old woodwork, that is so hard to keep
clean, can be made to look like new grained wood, by first painting it
with cream colored paint to give a body alike, and when dry go over it
with a dark oak varnish stain; with a little practice it can be made to
look like grained wood. The varnish dries quickly and leaves it darker in
some places. Any old furniture can be treated in the same way.
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234. A Good Furniture Polish
A good furniture polish may be made of paraffin oil and turpentine. Kerosene too is very good, while crude oil may be used to darken wood that has not been varnished. ... 235. Delicious Salad
Seeded raisins cut in pieces, broken nut meats, and a small part of celery in thin bits make up a delicious salad. ... 236. To Clean Light Rugs
Rugs with white or very light ground may be cleaned by sprinkling with cornstarch, mixed with one-sixth its bulk of prepared chalk. Let the starch remain several hours and brush it out with a fine whiskbroom, then hang in the sun and heat well before pu... 237. To Light a Closet of Any Kind
To light a closet of any kind, but especially a linen closet, the safest thing--next to electricity is a light clear glass lantern with wire guards outside the glass. Swing it by a light chain pulley, some little way in front of the shelves. Thus a tou... 238. To Remove White Marks on Furniture
A mixture composed of equal parts of turpentine and linseed oil will remove the white marks on furniture caused by water. Rub it on with a soft rag and wipe off with a perfectly clean duster. ... 239. If Your Paint Has Been Marred
If your paint has been marred by careless scratching of matches, try rubbing it with the finest sand paper. Use a half lemon for removing match marks from paint. ... 24. To Clean Lamp Burners
To remove the black gummy coating which sometimes comes on the brass parts of lamp burners, moisten the cloth with common household ammonia, rub it on sapolio, and apply it to the coated surface with the aid of a little elbow grease. A bright brassy sur... 240. To Remove Inkstains from Cotton
To remove ink-stains from cotton material, place the stain over the steam and apply salt and lemon juice which will soon remove the ink. ... 241. To Clean Plaster-of-Paris
To clean plaster-of-paris figures, cover with a thick coating of starch and water, let it dry on the surface and the dirt will brush off with the dry powder. ... 242. To Clean Piano Keys
A cloth moistened with alcohol will clean piano keys. ... 243. Washing Veils
When veils are washed at home they usually come out quite limber and flimsy. To give them the stiffness add a pinch of sugar to the rinse water. ... 244. To Take Candle Grease Out of Linen
To take candle grease out of linen, place the linen between two sheets of thick white blotting paper, and set a hot iron on it, leaving it there long enough for the iron to become perceptibly cooler. If necessary repeat this until the grease is removed... 245. Cleaning the Sweeping Brush
Try cleaning the sweeping brush with an old comb. It is a good plan, for it preserves the brush and keeps it clean, and at the same time saves your hands. ... 246. Bright Wood Berries May be Preserved
Almost any kind of bright wood berries may be preserved for decorative use in the winter, by dipping in melted paraffin and putting away in a cool place until needed. Treated in this way berries will remain firm and bright for a long time, and may be u... 247. Old Wood Work to Keep Clean
Old woodwork, that is so hard to keep clean, can be made to look like new grained wood, by first painting it with cream colored paint to give a body alike, and when dry go over it with a dark oak varnish stain; with a little practice it can be made to ... 248. To Prevent Chairs Marring the Floor
One should have all rockers covered with half rounds of rubber to prevent the scratching of the porch floor. These rocker tires are procurable at any furniture establishment and are easily adjusted. ... 249. Summer Homes
Some of the wealthiest women are furnishing their summer homes with rag rugs, instead of the handsome oriental floor coverings, that are a mark of luxury; and what seems odd to those who cannot afford to please each whim, the rooms are being repapered w... 25. To Preserve Hot Water Bottle
Fill with air, cork tightly, and hang in a cool dry place. This keeps the walls of the bottle from coming in contact with each other and prevents deterioration and decay. ... 250. To Destroy Flies
Flies will get into the house during the summer in spite of the greatest care. One method of catching and killing them, without having disagreeable looking fly paper lying around is to prepare a mixture of cream, sugar and pepper. Put this on a plate an... 251. Successful Fern Growing
A woman who has had her refrigerator placed on the porch has a long drain pipe to carry off the melted ice, and this is made to flow right into a large bed of ferns. The cold water in no way destroys the plants, in fact, they can endure the coldest wate... 252. Faded Crepe
Faded crepe can be dipped into a solution of water and indigo, the water made very dark with blueing for the purpose. Dissolve in one quart of water, a teaspoonful of sugar. Lift the crepe out, and shake it and pin it to the bed to dry. As it can not be... 253. Sweeping as a Beautifier
The average woman who does her own housework gets exercise enough, only it is not under the best conditions, for the air, as a rule, is not sufficiently fresh. If she wants to be benefited physically, while putting her house in order, let her make it l... 254. Putting Screens Away
If screens were carefully put away last fall there should be little difficulty in getting them in place on the first hot fly-breeding day. The wise housekeeper writes on the top of her screen, where it is hidden from view by the upper sash, the room and... 255. Attractive Living Room
The living room is sure to have a cheery atmosphere if provided with a wooden seat at either side. The wooden shelf is a good place for the clock, candlesticks, and a few simple flower vases. ... 256. Finger Bowl
A finger bowel should always have a few flowers or a leaf floating around on the surface. ... 257. Raw Oysters
Raw oysters are further improved by sections of lemon or sprigs of mint among the cracked ice. ... 258. Cheerfulness at Meals
Meals should be something more than the consumption of food. All work stops at those times and people meet together. Nothing that can be done should be omitted to make it an occasion of agreeable interchange of thought and conversation, and when this i... 259. To Keep a Rug from Curling
The edge of the heavy rug will not curl if treated to a coat of shellac on the under side. ...