Practical Suggestions

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jul 8, 1909

Practical Suggestions

GRASS stains are removed by rubbing the stain with molasses, then washing as usual. Blood stains should be saturated with coal-oil and left to stand a few minutes, then washed in cold water. Perspiration may be removed by rubbing soap on the stain, laying the garment in hot sunshine, and washing in a few hours. Colored garments should not be treated in this way, as it fades the color.

Silverware may be cleaned by lying in thick, sour buttermilk for half to three quarters of an hour. This is especially good for embossed ware, as no scrubbing is needed. The silver should be washed well, and polished with a chamois skin after the buttermilk bath, to remove the acid.

When washing bottles, cruets, and the like with small necks, put into them with the water a handful of crushed cow egg-shells, shake well, and the inside will be beautifully scoured. Dried beans, peas, or pop-corn may be used; but fine gravel is one of the best things if it can be had.

For the greasy sink pipes, dissolve a handful of potash in boiling water and pour down the pipes. Boiling water alone is good, but the potash forms a kind of emulsion with the grease, turning it into the nature of soap. The best way is to keep all greasy water out of the sink.

Do not make the mistake of getting up two or three hours earlier on the morning when hard work is to be done. It may save a little of the daylight, but it is an extravagance of health and strength, and will make the rest of the day harder to endure.

After a day of unusually hard work, do not attempt to do little jobs by lamplight. Be just to yourself, and do not overtax your powers. One hour of work when the system is overfatigued is harder than twice the amount when one is normally strong.

Try to do everything in its own regular time; if you do not, things will accumulate until nothing will set them aright but a regular overhauling and upheaval. Do not leave little things to be done later. There is no time like now.—The Commoner.