HINTS AND HELPS. 61S 



open all window^a and air thoronghlr, and in twenty-four hours there will be 

 no fleas, flies, or mosquitoes left; the rooms can then be swept and dusted. 

 This applies nearly as well to roaches and water-bugs. 



To Clean Corsets. — A lady correspondent writes: " Take out the steels 

 at front and sides, then scrub them thoroughly with tepid or cold lather of 

 white castile soap, usmg a very small scrubbing brush; do not lay them in 

 water. When quite clean, let cold water run on them freely, to rinse out 

 the soap thoroughly. Dry, without ironing (after pulling lengthwise until 

 they are straight and shapely), in a cool place. 



To Preserve Cut Flowers. — A bouquet of freshly cut flowers may be 

 preserved alive for a long time by placing them in a glass or vase with fresh 

 water in which a little charcoal has been steeped, or a small piece of cam- 

 phor dissolved. The vase should be set upon a plate or dish, and covered 

 with a bell glass, around the edges of which, when it comes in contact with 

 the plate, a little water should be poured to exclude the air. 



To Clean Looking Glasses. — Keep for this purpose a piece of spKinge, 

 a cloth, and a silk handkerchief, all entirely free from dirt, as the least grit 

 will scratch the fine surface of the glass. First sponge it with a little spirits 

 of wine, or gin and water, so as to clean off all spots; then dust over it pow- 

 der-blue, tied in muslin, rub it Ughtly and quickly off with the cloth, and 

 finish by rubbing it with the silk handJierchief. Be careful not to rub the 

 edges of the frame. 



To Clean Gilt Jewelry. — Take half a pint of boiling water, or a Uttle 

 less, and put it in a clean oil flask. To this add one ounce of cyanide of po- 

 tassium; shake the flask and the cyanide will dissolve. When the hquid is 

 cold, add half a fluid ounce of Uquor ammonia, and one fluid ounce of recti- 

 fied alcohol. Shake the mixture together, and it will be ready for use. All 

 kinds of discolored gilt articles may be rendered bright by brushing them 

 with the above-mentioned liquid. 



Paiite for Cleaning Knives. — Make a mixture one part emery and 

 three parts crocus martis, in very fine powder. Mix tliem to a thick paste 

 with a Uttle lard or sweet oil. Have your knife-board covered with a thick 

 btiff leather. Spread this paste on your leather to about the thickness of a 

 quarter of a dollar. Rub your knives in it, and it will make them much 

 sharper and brighter, and will wear them out less than the common method 

 of cleaning them with brickdust on a bare board, 



A Baming Clkimney. — A burning chimney, when the soot has been 

 Ughted by a fire in the fireplace, can be extinguished by shutting all the 

 doors in the room, so as to prevent any current of air up the cliimney; then, 

 by throwing a few handfuls of common fine salt upon the fire in the grate or 

 on the hearth, the fire in the chimney will be immediately extinguished. In 

 burning the salt, muriatic-acid gas ia evolved, which is a prompt extinguisher 

 of fire. 



To Ptujfy a Room. — Set a pitcher of water in the apartment, and in a 

 few hours it will have absorbed all the respired gaies in the room, the air of 

 which will have become purer, but the water utterly filthy. The colder the 

 water is, the greater the capacity to contain these gases. At ordinary tem- 

 perature a pail of water will absorb a pint of carbonic acid gas and several 



