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 putting down.
This method is recommended for fine, silky rugs, as it injures neither
tint nor texture and makes a beautifully clean surface.
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223. To Keep Candles in Warm Weather
Keep your candles in the ice box this warm weather. They will remain beautifully upright through a whole evening's use, if they are hardened first in this way. ... 224. Tea Towels
Keep the tea towels in sight, then have them fresh, clean, and whole, and hang them on a long metal curtain pole, in a convenient place, say back of the sink. This is better than placing the towels on a nail against the wall as is usually done, and it p... 225. A Spotless House
A house that is spotless at the price of the family's peace or of the housekeeper's best self, is the worst sort of an investment. You, the woman, are of vastly more importance than your surroundings. If you feel yourself becoming a mere drudge, if your... 226. To Keep Flooring in Place
Strips of moulding may be tacked around the edges of a room at the baseboard, so as to cover the edge of oilcloth or linoleum. This holds the floor covering in place and prevents dust from getting beneath it. ... 227. Light Colored Wall Paper
Light colored wall paper may be cleaned by a careful rubbing with a very clean rubber of the kind which artists use. If the spot cleaned seems lighter than the surrounding color it may be toned down by a gentle rubbing with a clean chamois skin. ... 228. To Keep Canary Seed Away from Mice
If there are any mice in the house, the best way to keep the canary from being robbed of its food is to empty the contents of a cardboard box of bird seed into a quart preserve jar and cover with a screw top. ... 229. Convenient Scrub Bucket
The most convenient scrub bucket is light, and is made of galvanized iron with a wide flaring top. The bucket is to be fitted with a wire soap tray on the outside, for often the soap is wasted while floating in the water if there is no convenient place ... 23. Whipping Cream
If cream does not whip well, add to it the white of an egg, and the result will be very satisfactory. ... 230. Fruit Stains on Table Linen
Fruit stains on table linen should be taken out before the cloth is put in the wash tub. Soap and water will set the stains. ... 231. Wicker Furniture
Do not scrub your unpainted wicker furniture with soap and water, as it will turn it yellow and ruin its looks. Instead, try scrubbing it with a strong solution of salt water. If you have pieces that are so shabby that they must either be painted or thr... 232. Removing Dirt from Carpet
Of all the ways to remove dirt from a carpet, the worst is by the use of the ordinary short brush which involves the housemaid's kneeling down in the dust. ... 233. How to Preserve the Household Broom
The ordinary household broom will last twice as long, if care is taken of it, as it will if it is just used anyhow. When it is new, before using it, put it in a pail of hot water and let it remain there until the water is quite cold. Then thoroughly dr... 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. ...