CHAMBERS'S INFORMATION FOR THE PEOPLE. 



only with spirit of wine, or brushed with finely 

 powdered roche-alum and chalk. For gold chains, 

 dissolve three ounces of sal-ammoniac in six 

 ounces of water, in which boil the chain ; then 

 boil it in soft soap and water, wash it in cold water, 

 rub it dry with flannel, and shake it in a bag with 

 very dry bran. 



Flannel or Woollen Articles. Wash them 

 quickly in moderately warm water with soap; 

 wring and shake them well, and hang them up to 

 dry. Do not let them lie wet. The more quickly 

 they are dried, the less likely are they to shrink. 



Silks. No silks look well after washing, how- 

 ever carefully it be done, and washing should, 

 therefore, never be resorted to but from absolute 

 necessity. We have seen it recommended to 

 sponge faded silks with warm water and soap, 

 then to rub them with a dry cloth on a flat board, 

 and after that to iron them on the inside with 

 a smoothing-iron. Sponging with spirit of harts- 

 horn will also improve, revive, and remove 

 mildew from old black silks. The ironing may 

 be done on the right side, with thin paper or 

 muslin spread over them, to prevent glazing. 



The Colour of a Print-dress may be preserved 

 by separating the body and skirt, and washing in 

 cold rain or river water into which a handful of 

 salt or a cupful of vinegar has been thrown. In- 

 stead of spreading the dress to dry, it should be 

 rolled in a coarse cloth, and allowed to remain 

 till dry enough to be ironed. 



Bed-feathers. Put a manageable quantity into 

 a pillow-case or bag, which wash with warm water 

 and soap ; wring out the lather, and rinse them 

 in clean water. Wring them as dry as possible, 

 and hang them up to dry. Shake them frequently 

 while drying. When quite dry, beat them, to free 

 them from any dust. The feathers may be now 

 taken from the bag, and are ready for use. 



Lace. When lace has lost its colour, soap it 

 well, and put it in cold water, just enough to cover 

 it Rinse it out, and place it in a dish of water in 

 a warm oven for twelve hours. Then starch it a 

 little ; pick it out as evenly as possible ; roll it in 

 a towel, and when nearly dry, iron it. All lace- 

 veils may be treated in a similar manner. 



Scarlet Cloth. Pour boiling water upon bran, 

 strain it, and, while hot, wash the cloth in it, and 

 rinse with hot water. Soap should not be used. 

 Purple cloth may be washed in hot water and pure 

 lye. Saxony or dark-print dresses should be 

 washed in two lathers, and in the second should 

 be poured a little ox-gall, which will freshen 

 reds, blacks, and greens ; and a handful of salt 

 added to the last rinsing water will prevent the 

 colours running. 



Clear-starching is practised as follows : Wash 

 the articles in three waters, dry them, and dip 

 them in a thick starch previously strained 

 through muslin ; squeeze them, shake them 

 gently, and again hang them up to dry ; and 

 when dry, dip them twice or thrice in clear water, 

 squeeze them, spread them on a linen cloth, roll 

 them up in it, and let them lie an hour before 

 ironing them. A small piece of white wax added 

 to the starch prevents the iron from sticking, and 

 gives a glossy surface to the material. 



Stains. Stains of fruit or wine may be gener- 

 ally removed from linen or cotton cloth by placing 

 the articles over the top of a pail, and pouring 

 boiling water through them till the marks dis- 



790 



appear. A little salt of lemon (Sal acetosella) 

 sprinkled over the stain will assist the removal. 



Ink-marks or Iron-moulds may be removed by 

 placing a plate on the top of a basinful of boiling 

 water ; then spread the articles on the plate ; 

 wet the spot, and rub it with a small quantity of 

 the salt of lemon ; as the article dries, the stain 

 will disappear. If this fail, repeat the operation. 

 A small box of salt of lemon will be found very 

 useful in a household. Mildew may be removed 

 from linen by the following process : Rub the 

 cloth well with soap ; then scrape some fine chalk,, 

 and rub it also on the stained part. Lay the 

 linen on the grass, and, as it dries, wet it a little ;. 

 the mildew will be removed by one or two appli- 

 cations at most. 



Paint may be removed by turpentine, but it 

 should be applied while the stain is fresh, as it is 

 much more difficult after it has become dry. 



Grease-spots of all kinds are easily removed by 

 benzole, a liquid made from coal-tar, which will 

 not injure the most delicate silk. The article 

 should be spread on a table covered with a clean 

 cloth, and the benzole applied with a piece of 

 perfectly clean flannel. Begin at the outside, and 

 work from the circumference, all round, towards 

 the centre. The grease retreats before the ben- 

 zole, and collects in the centre, where blotting- 

 paper should be applied to absorb it. White 

 gloves may also be cleaned by benzole. 



DESTROYING VERMIN. 



The best plan for preventing the attacks of ver- 

 min in houses is to keep the house scrupulously 

 clean ; for where there is cleanliness and ordinary 

 precautions, no vermin will generate or exist. 



Rats and Mice. These might in most instances 

 be completely prevented from encroaching on, 

 dwellings by giving a solid foundation to the 

 house, cutting off the approach by grating the 

 drains, and especially by filling up all open spaces 

 beneath pavements and in walls and partitions. 

 Mice might be effectually kept out by merely fill- 

 ing up the spaces behind the skirting-boards in 

 rooms. These vacant spaces are invariably the 

 habitations of mice ; and the first thing any per- 

 son should do in entering into possession of a 

 domicile, is to cause all the spaces behind the 

 skirting-boards and wainscots to be filled with 

 plaster. Where mice and rats have gained a 

 footing in a house, they should be taken off by 

 a cat or trap ; and when one kind of trap fails,, 

 another may be tried. All schemes for poisoning 

 them with arsenic or other ingredients are dan- 

 gerous ; and even were they not so, the animals, 

 having partaken, may retire to their holes, and 

 dying there, cause an intolerable stench. 



Bugs. These pests exist only in dirty houses. 

 A careful housewife or servant will suon com- 

 pletely destroy them. The surest method of de- 

 struction is to catch them individually when 

 they attack the person in bed. When their 

 bite is felt, instantly rise and capture them. 

 This may be troublesome, but if there be not 

 a great number, a few nights will finish them. 

 When there is a large number, and they have 

 gained a lodgment in the timbers, take the bed to- 

 pieces, and fill in all the apertures and joints with 

 a mixture of soft soap and Scotch snuff. Fumiga- 

 tions are very dangerous, and rarely effectual,. 



