May, IgI1 
AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 
xVil 
Spring House Cleaning 
HE time for spring house cleaning 
is here. Don’t attempt to clean 
your carpets by taking them up, 
but rather use a vacuum cleaner. With 
one of these machines several rooms can 
be cleaned each day. Carpets that are so 
old and worn they couldn’t possibly stand 
being taken up and being beaten can be 
cleaned right on the floor without tearing 
them at all, and oh, the quantity of dirt 
that comes from them; it makes one 
ashamed to think that so much dirt had 
accumulated. For cleaning mattresses 
and tufted furniture there is nothing that 
comes up to it. There is an attachment 
which also comes for the cleaning of~ 
this . 
walls. No woman who has tried 
method of cleaning house will ever be 
satisfied to do her spring and fall clean- 
ing in any other way. It is necessary, of 
course, to have two persons to work the 
machine, one to pump, the other to use 
the tube. It is a wonderfully satisfactory 
way of cleaning house, and so quickly ac- 
complished, and very cheap at that. Car- 
pets can be just as beautifully cleaned 
on the floor as though they had been 
taken up and beaten in the good old-fash- 
ioned way, with all the effort to take out 
the tacks, brush oft the carpet paper and 
wash up the floors. The cleaning is done 
without a particle of dust flying about, 
which would be greatly appreciated by 
the one who must clean. 
When renovating and _ refurnishing 
your summer house look to the comforts 
and conveniences of the guest room. Any 
guest will greatly appreciate a set of cre- 
tonne or silk covered coat hangers. It 
is very annoying to find when one goes 
visiting that they have thoughtlessly left 
behind their coat hangers, or perhaps 
their trunk or suit case would not accom- 
modate them. If the guest room is well 
equipped with hangers, which are so nec- 
essary for the good appearance of the 
clothes, it will be a great satisfaction to 
your guest. Also a pair of trouser hang- 
ers will be a nice addition to the comforts 
of the guest room. A soiled clothes bag, 
paper, pen and ink also go to making 
your guest comfortable. These little 
things cost very little more than the 
thought of them, but will be greatly ap- 
preciated, no doubt, by the occupants of 
your guest rooms. As a last thought, be 
sure that in plain view is a well-filled 
work basket, with coarse and fine cotton, 
needles, silk, emery, tape measure, thim- 
ble, scissors, etc. 
The following way will be found excel- 
lent for the treatment of matting’ which 
has become faded—that is, to paint the 
matting with a varnish wood stain. Be- 
fore applying the stain, however, the mat- 
ting should be thoroughly cleaned, first 
brushing with a soft brush and washing 
up with clean cold water. When the mat- 
ting is quite dry apply the varnish wood 
stain, which, if painted, one light coat will 
be sufficient. A particularly good color 
is light willow green varnish stain. The 
floor can he treated as an ordinary paint- 
ed floor. 
HELPS FOR THE HOUSEWIFE 
BY MARGARET SEXTON 
‘paste with a woolen cloth. 
‘things. 
Though good care is taken of them, gilt 
frames often become tarnished, and just 
what to do with them to make them “look 
just like new” is a problem. They can 
be so easily and satisfactorily cleaned by 
using ordinary gin and a camel’s hair 
brush. The gin can be used without fear 
of injuring the gilt, and the soft brush 
will clean every crack and crevice. After 
the gin has been used the frame should 
be polished with a soft cloth. The result 
will be very satisfactory. 
Nothing will clean mirrors more beau- 
tifully than the following way—all dul- 
ness and specks quickly disappear under 
the process: Add to a teaspoon of whit- 
ing sufficient cold tea to make a paste. 
- Before applying the paste, wash the mir- 
ror off with a little warm tea. Dry well 
with a soft flannel cloth, then apply the 
When the 
entire surface of the mirror has been 
rubbed off with the paste, then polish off 
the mirror with a goodly quantity of tis- 
sue paper. This is soft and will not 
scratch the mirror and has the virtue of 
being an excellent polisher. 
Never use soap on white wicker furni- 
ture when you wish to clean it. The in- 
clination is to do this, as it does not seem 
possible to clean the furniture, or, in fact, 
anything that can be washed without 
using soap. - But-it is a possible-thing to 
clean wicker furniture beautifully with a 
strong solution of salt and water. Soap 
will surely turn wicker yellow if used on 
it. If you wish to “refresh” your wicker 
furniture entirely, if it is shabby looking. 
after washing it, paint it, being careful to 
have the paint well mixed, also thinned 
out to the proper consistency. A very 
effective way to treat wicker furniture is 
to paint it dull black and make cushions 
for your chair and couch of material 
khaki color. Khaki itself is quite well 
enough to use and makes a really very 
good looking room. 
The season for waging war against 
moths will soon be here. In another 
month the careful housekeeper will be 
putting winter flannels and winter clothes 
in general away where moths cannot get 
at them. Of course, there is*supposed to 
be nothing better than a cedar chest, but 
not every one can afford these efficient 
A good substitute for a cedar 
chest can be made by painting with a 
small paint brush an ordinary closet with 
cedar oil. Be careful to go into every 
crack and crevice. The result will be an 
excellent mothproof closet, with very 
small expense and very little trouble. 
The uses of turpentine are many, both 
for cleaning and medicinal purposes. It 
is cheap and does its work well. 
After scouring closets and shelves 
clean, use turpentine generously over these 
scrubbed places. It will drive away any 
possible vermin, such as roaches, ants 
and mice. The odor is not bad, being a 
clean smell. When doing the spring 
cleaning, take apart all the beds. After 
washing all the parts with cold water and 
soap, dip a paint brush into turpentine 
and go over all the beds wherever there is 
any chance of bugs. 
Artistic Light for 
the Home 
Merely 
light 
—the light must be 
dif- 
have 
enough 
to 
is not 
refined, evenly 
fused and artistic. 
A good electric 
light for reading or 
playing the piano 
must not be glaring 
—but it will be un- 
less it has the right 
Reg. U8. Pat. Off globe. 
That is why I make over 2,000 
styles of electric lighting glass. These 
globes and des not only control 
the light and make it effective as 
illumination, but they make it decora- 
tive as well. 
They mellow the brilliancy — they 
tone the harsh, bare light, making it 
blend agreeably with the room as a 
whole, and greatly enhancing its 
beauty. 
Write for my catalogue and learn 
about my 2,000 styles of electric light- 
ing glass, in all shapes and colors and 
in silk, satin and velvet finishes. 
This catalogue will help you select 
the right glass for every electric light, 
so that you can get just the effect you 
want. Send for it—then buy of your 
dealer. 
MAaAcBETH 
Macbeth-Evans Glass Company Pittsburgh 
CHICAGO: PHILADELPHIA: 
178 East Lake Street 42 South Eighth Street 
New York: 19 West 30th Street 
SEWAGE DISPOSAL 
Without Sewers 
FOR COUNTRY HOMES 
Illustrated Booklet Free 
Address 
Ashley House Sewage Disposal Co. 
115 Armida Ave., Morgan Park, Ill. 
mammmes Patented 
CHICAGO SUNCLOTHES DRYER 
FOR LAWN USE 
us 
Eliminates clothes posts; is DORON park 
65 
can be removed when not in use, he 
feet of line. Excels all others in strength, 
duravility and convenience in handling 
Each arm operates independently. W a8 
opened, arms lock in position and stret 
lines. When closed, arms lock auton atically. 
Best and most satisfactory lawn dryer made. 
Write for FREE folder No. 2. 
THE CHICAGO DRYER CO. 
383 Wabash Ave., Dept. 22, Chicago 
( SHADE 0 
ROLLERS 
Original and unequal led. 
Wood ortin rollers ‘Improved"" 
requires no ta cks. Inventor's 
signature on gm 
