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Classic
Cook Books
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page 347
bureaus, etc., with soap. Use clean warm water (if very much soiled add a little
ammonia) and a soft cloth, drying immediately with a soft towel. There is
nothing that will entirely remove grease spots from marble, hence the necessity
of avoiding them. To clean marble or marbleized slate mantels, use a soft sponge
or chamois-skin, dampened in clean warm water without soap, then polish with dry
chamois-skin. In dusting, use a feather-duster, and never a cloth, as it is
likely to scratch the polished surface. Slate hearths are preferable to marble,
as they are not so easily soiled. To wash them, use a clean cloth and warm
water. Many oil them thoroughly when new with linseed oil; thus prepared they
never show grease spots.--G. W. Herrick, Minneapolis, Minn.
LAYING CARPETS.--A carpet wears better if put down well, and it is better to
have it done by experienced persons when the expense can be afforded and such
help can be had. Lay down coarse paper or newspapers evenly on floor first;
begin at one corner, and nail down one of the sides at the cut ends of the
breadths, continuing round the selvage side, and stretching it evenly and firmly
without straining the fabric. When two sides are nailed, take next the other
selvage side. The last side will require the most stretching in order to get rid
of puckers.
INK STAINS --On mahogany, rosewood, or black walnut furniture may be removed by
touching the stain with a feather wet in a spoonful of water in which six or
eight drops of nitre have been mixed. As soon as the ink disappears rub the
place immediately with a cloth wet in cold water, or the nitre will leave a
white stain. If the ink stain then remains, make the solution of nitre stronger,
and repeat.
Ink stains on paper may be removed by a solution made as follows: Dissolve a
half pound chloride of lime in two quarts of soft water; let stand twenty-four
hours and strain through a clean cotton cloth; add to an ounce of the lime-water
a tea-spoon of acetic acid, apply to the blot, and the ink will disappear. Dry
with blotting paper. Bottle the remainder of the lime-water closely, and keep
for future use.
MOVING.--When about to move to another house, begin packing two weeks
beforehand. Carefully pack small and fragile articles in boxes and barrels. In
this way china, and glassware, and fragile ornaments may be stowed away with odd
articles of clothing, bedding, etc. Books should be packed in boxes, or wrapped
several in a package, in several thicknesses of newspaper, and tied with strong
twine. They can thus be transported with very little handling. Larger pictures
should be taken down and tied in couples, face to face, with rolls of soft paper
between the corners to prevent rubbing. Small pictures may be packed with
clothing in bureau-drawers and trunks. Take up carpets last. When about ready to
move select one room up-stairs into which remove every thing possible from the
other rooms, and another below for the same purpose. If the occupant of the
house into which you are to move will do the same, you can easily make some
rooms there ready for occupancy. Of course each room must be swept down and
scrubbed. As soon as the floors are dry, carpets may be put down in the more
important rooms, and the furniture moved in. On the day the transfer is made,
see that coal or fuel is provided, so that a fire may be started, and take along
a basket with matches, towels, napkins, knives and forks, sugar, tea, bread, and
other materials for lunching. With all the caution you can exercise, you will
find Franklin's old saying true, that "three removes are as bad as a fire."
ECONOMICAL MATS.--For use in front-doors, fire-places, bureaus, stands, etc.,
may be made of coffee-sacking, cut to any desired size, and worked in bright
worsted or Germantown wool. Any simple pattern may be used, or
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Classic
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