Marble of any kind may be repolished by rubbing it with a linen
cloth, dressed with oxide of tin (sold under the name of putty-pow-
der). For this purpose a couple or more folds of linen should be fas-
tened tight over a piece of wood, flat or otherwise, according to the
form of the stone. To repolish first a mantelpiece, it should be per-
fectly cleaned. This is best done by making a paste of lime, soda and
water, wetting well the marble, and applying the paste. Then let it
remain for a day or so, keeping it moist during the interval. When
this paste has been removed, the polishing^ may begin. Chips in the
marble should be rubbed out first with emery and water. At every
stage of polishing, the linen and putty- powder must be kept constantly
wet.
It is a common household experience to find the caps of glass cans
of fruit so firmly screwed on that they cannot be removed by the hand.
A cloth dipped in hot water and applied to the outside of the cap will
cause it to expand, when it will come off without effort.
When boots and shoes not in use are deposited in a damp place
they become covered ordinarily with mould, which attacks the leather ;
when deposited in a dry place they become hard and wrinkled — a fact
well known to all, although the remedy may not be. This double
disadvantage may be avoided if the articles are first rubbed with a
rag on which a few drops of oil of turpentine have been sprinkled.
The oil of turpentine acts favorably as a preservative to the leather,
and is a deterrent to rats and mice, whose depredations are often as
injurious as those of temperature.
Fly spots can be removed with a camel's-hair brush dipped into
spirits of wine, and thus applied to the spots.
In cleaning furniture, rub the surface with a wet cloth to wipe off
the grease, with a small piece of washing-soda in the water ; dry
it; then rub it with raw linseed oil; then rub with gum-shellac
(which is sold at the paint-shops); then rub with an old silk kerchief.
MISCELLANEOUS HOUSEHOLD RECIPES. 559
Dusting articles of steel, after they have been thoroughly cleaned,
with unslaked lime will preserve them from rust. The coils of piano-
wire thus sprinkled will keep from rust many years.
To whiten walls, scrape off all the old whitewash, and v/ash the
walls with a solution of two ounces of white vitriol to four gallons of
water. Soak a quarter of a pound of white glue in water for twelve
hours ; strain and place in a tin pail ; cover with fresh water, and set
the pail in a kettle of boiling water. When melted stir in the glue
eight pounds of whiting, and water enough to make it as thick as
common whitewash. Apply evenly with a good brush. If the walls
are very yellow, blue the water slightly by squeezing in it a flannel
blue-bag.
Whiting wet with aqua ammonia will cleanse brass from stains,
and is excellent for polishing taps and door knobs of brass or silver.
Soot falling on the carpet from open chimneys or carelessly han-
dled stove-papers, if covered thickly with salt, can be brushed up
without injury to the carpet.
Page 362
Presented as published in 1883. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
Marble of any kind may be repolished by rubbing it with a linen cloth, dressed with oxide of tin (sold under the name of putty-powder). For this purpose a couple or more folds of linen should be fastened tight over a piece of wood, flat or otherwise, according to the form of the stone. To repolish first a mantelpiece, it should be perfectly cleaned. This is best done by making a paste of lime, soda and water, wetting well the marble, and applying the paste. Then let it remain for a day or so, keeping it moist during the interval. When this paste has been removed, the polishing may begin. Chips in the marble should be rubbed out first with emery and water. At every stage of polishing, the linen and putty- powder must be kept constantly wet.
It is a common household experience to find the caps of glass cans of fruit so firmly screwed on that they cannot be removed by the hand. A cloth dipped in hot water and applied to the outside of the cap will cause it to expand, when it will come off without effort.
When boots and shoes not in use are deposited in a damp place they become covered ordinarily with mould, which attacks the leather ; when deposited in a dry place they become hard and wrinkled — a fact well known to all, although the remedy may not be. This double disadvantage may be avoided if the articles are first rubbed with a rag on which a few drops of oil of turpentine have been sprinkled. The oil of turpentine acts favorably as a preservative to the leather, and is a deterrent to rats and mice, whose depredations are often as injurious as those of temperature.
Fly spots can be removed with a camel's-hair brush dipped into spirits of wine, and thus applied to the spots.
In cleaning furniture, rub the surface with a wet cloth to wipe off the grease, with a small piece of washing-soda in the water ; dry it; then rub it with raw linseed oil; then rub with gum-shellac (which is sold at the paint-shops); then rub with an old silk kerchief.
Dusting articles of steel, after they have been thoroughly cleaned, with unslaked lime will preserve them from rust. The coils of pianowire thus sprinkled will keep from rust many years.
To whiten walls, scrape off all the old whitewash, and wash the walls with a solution of two ounces of white vitriol to four gallons of water. Soak a quarter of a pound of white glue in water for twelve hours ; strain and place in a tin pail ; cover with fresh water, and set the pail in a kettle of boiling water. When melted stir in the glue eight pounds of whiting, and water enough to make it as thick as common whitewash. Apply evenly with a good brush. If the walls are very yellow, blue the water slightly by squeezing in it a flannel blue-bag.
Whiting wet with aqua ammonia will cleanse brass from stains, and is excellent for polishing taps and door knobs of brass or silver.
Soot falling on the carpet from open chimneys or carelessly handled stove-papers, if covered thickly with salt, can be brushed up without injury to the carpet.