LITTLE HOUSEHOLD TIPS

Let's complete today the thousand and one improvements undertaken in our old building. We started by embellishing, neglecting small repairs of little importance to the at first glance and which now will seem necessary to us alongside the result already obtained. So let's do a little inspection tour.

So, the last time, we transformed the ugly panes into pretty stained glass; can we now leaving poorly sealed windows when it's so easy to do it yourself and weatherstripping? If you have a thick, felted fabric, cut flat strips that you will double or triple if necessary by nailing. As much as possible choose a color not apparent; however, if you want to use a fabric that is light in color but does not match the paints, soak it. Previously in a bath of walnut husk or dye ~̶ the dye for wood, or the velvet used in works of art, will give less harm than fabric dye, it can be used cold like walnut stain ̶ Brown is the best color, unless the fabric is light enough to obtain a
color similar to that of the woodwork. If you don't have anything thick enough to make flat rolls, make them round with sateen, percaline or any kind of cotton. Dye if necessary, cut strips and transform them into a sheath by sewing them around a cord of straw, horsehair, stuffing, lint or old bits of wool, it doesn't matter, Finally put them down.

Nail in hardwood. —

It may be very difficult to get the nails into the too hard wood of the frames and yet there is a risk of breaking the windows by hitting too hard. Here's a way to drive nails into hardwood. They must first be pricked in yellow wax or rubbed with this wax, then they will sink in very easily.

Nail in the plaster. —

On the contrary, if one is obliged to put a nail in plaster, it does not hold; it goes too well at first, but it is not solid. Here is another way to hold a nail in the plaster, Wet it before driving it, the rust that will occur will cause it to adhere. The same applies to fixing the iron firmly in the wood.

If you want to hold a large nail or a small piece of iron in wood, drill first the hole intended to receive the part and pour a few drops of ammonia into this hole, then place the piece of iron. A layer of rust forms in the recessed part, but rusty iron holds very firmly, everyone knows it,

Against rust. —

On iron and steel. If rust sometimes helps, more often it presents disadvantages and, in an old damp house, we know all its misdeeds, so it is useful to know that one of its best solvents is tin chloride. Put the parts to be cleaned in an almost saturated solution and leave them for a longer or shorter time due to the thickness of the oxide layer, generally half a day or a day at most is enough. When leaving the bath, the objects are rinsed. first with water, then with ammonia and thoroughly dried. If they are rather large and completely rusty objects, we start by washing them. in boiling water, then dip them in hot water and leave to cool. They are then put in strong alcohol for about twelve hours, they are washed again with water and finally they are plunged into the following bath: 100 grams of tin chloride for one liter of water, 2 grams . 5 of tartaric acid for a liter of water, A few drops of indigo solution.

Dissolve 100 grams of tin chloride in a liter of water and, on the other hand, 2 5 grams of tartaric acid in a liter-of water. Pour the first solution into the second, then color with indigo.

Here is another slightly more economical recipe: For a liter of water: 3 grams of tartaric acid, | 10 grams of tin chloride, 2 grams of bichloride of mercury, 0 gr. 5 of indigo solution.

If the pieces .attacked. by rust cannot be moved or if they are small objects, first rub them with a dry cloth, then moisten the stains with a brush with the well-shaken solution, leave to act, then remove rust softened after a few seconds with a damp cloth, then rub with a very dry cloth. There remains
more then than to restore the shine with white Troyes or any powder; the polish not being attacked by the solution. These processes are applicable to iron and steel.

On polished steel — However, rust stains can be removed. with olive oil which is deposited and left to act for a few days, then rubbed with a mixture of emery powder or tripoli with a piece of hard wood. We wipe and rub again with emery and vinegar. We finish by polishing with blood and a piece of skin.

On nickel. — Rust from nickel-plated objects can be removed fairly easily. The stains are coated with grease or oil; after a few days, rub with a cloth soaked in ammonia. If stains persist, dab them with spirit of salt and immediately after rubbing them with a cloth. Finally wash the object, dry it and polish it with tripoli. It is useless to tell you that all these products can be found at color and chemical merchants or at druggists. All housewives know where to find things needed for cleaning.

To preserve rust. — Remedying the evil is very good, preventing it is even better. Also to preserve a piece of metal from rust, different means are used, one of which consists in heating it over a coal fire in a closed vessel; the simplest is
yet to apply a coat of varnish.

To prevent the screws from rusting. 'That's what interests you particularly, I think, because all our little jobs often put the screws in our hands. In general, one is satisfied to lubricate the screws with oil, that is not enough; a mixture of oil and plumbago gives a better result, protects against rust for years and moreover, perfect lubricant, facilitates tightening.

To unscrew a rusty screw — If the indicated precautions have not been taken, how can a rusted screw be removed? Simply heat the head of this screw. A rod or a flat iron bar at its extremity is reddened in the fire, it is applied for two or three minutes to the head of the rusty screw; once heated, the screw will be easily removed with a screwdriver.

This question of rust has trained us, I still have many little recipes to communicate to you and which could be very useful to you, we will resume our tour in the ‘old house next time.

MARIE ROSE