IT IS GOOD TO KNOW

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Feb 6, 1896

IT IS GOOD TO KNOW.

That one of the very best ways to treat a severe case of sunburn is to bathe the face constantly for fifteen or twenty minutes with soft water as hot as it can be borne. This treatment takes out the redness and removes the sting, and the skin returns to its normal state much sooner than if left alone. After bathing in this way apply a pure cold cream that contains nothing that will irritate the skin.

That refrigerators should be thoroughly cleaned once a week, everything removed, shelves and racks washed in warm soda water, wiped dry, and sunned if possible, doors left open until all is dry inside, hot soda water poured down the outlet pipe to take off any slime that may have gathered, the receiving pan washed out. Vinegar and water will take off stains. Never set any food in the refrigerator until entirely cold.

That wash-boilers when a little rusty may be cleansed with sweet milk.

That cotton may be distinguished from linen when one is buying handkerchiefs by moistening the tip of the finger and pressing it to the handkerchief. If it wets through at once, it is linen, while if any cotton enters into its manufacture it will take several seconds to wet through the threads. Also in linen the threads are more uneven than in cotton.

That to clean bottles take a number of pieces of toilet paper, roll them each lengthwise, and put them into the bottle with a good hot suds. Let stand till the paper is thoroughly moistened. Then shake well for a few minutes and the bottle will be thoroughly clean. In emptying the bottle care must be taken not to do so in a wash-basin or bottlers’ tray, as the paper would cause a stoppage, probably. A little house sand put into soapsuds and shaken in a bottle is also a good way to clean it.

That a porch divan may be easily constructed out of a spring cot with the legs sawed down and a mattress laid over it. This mattress may have a simple valance of the bed-ticking, or it may have an extra cover of blue denim. A dozen good pillows with washable covers, preferably of Japanese material, makes the couch complete. A tea table of willow ware and some porch rockers, the whole concealed by Japanese curtains hung between posts of the porch, help to convert the porch into an out-of-door room.

That umbrellas will last much longer if they are always placed, when wet, with the handle downward to dry. The moisture then falls from the edge of the frame, and the fabric dries uniformly. When it stands handle upward, which is commonly the case, the top of the umbrella holds the moisture, and not only takes a long time to dry, but it soon injures the silk or other fabrics used for the cover, and rusts the steels. This is the cause of this part of the umbrella wearing out before any other part. Umbrella cases are also responsible for the rapid wear of the silk. The constant friction causes the tiny holes that appear so provokingly early. When not in use, leave the umbrella loose.—Selected.