VOL. LIV.
INDIANAPOLIS, IND., JUNE 24, 1899.
NO. 25
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How Best Clean Rooms in   Daily Housework, Floors, Furniture, Brass.
Pictures and the Like.
let Premium.—There are various waya of
cleaning carpets. Some housekeepers save
tea-grounds and throw them on the carpet, at
leaet five minutes before commencing to
sweep. This is claimed to keep a carpet looking fresh and clean. Another good way is to
tear pieces of old newspaper fine, and after
wetting the pieces in cold water scatter them
over the floor before beginning to sweep.
Salt is also used by some housekeepers. Oar-
pets which seem dusty can be freshened by
wiping off once a month in ammonia water.
This usually removes any-grease spots. If ink
is accidentally spilt on a carpet take a teaspoon and dip up all that you can, afterward
washing thoroughly with water which has had
baking soda or lemon juice dissolved in it.
Be sure to rinse the spot with water well - afterward. Soiled wall paper can be cleaned
with stale bread. After wiping the paper
free from dust, break a small loaf of bread in
two and rub it down, throwing away the
bread as it becomes soiled. Freeh stains upon
wall paper where children or older persons
have rested their head against the wall can
be removed by making a paste of pipe clay
and water and covering the spots. Let it remain over night and then brush off with a
whisk broom. To remove scratches from polished furniture saturate a flannel rag in a
polish made of two-thirds linseed oil and one-
third turpentine. Rub it in well and polish
with a dry flannel until the scratches disappear. Another polish for furniture wblch is
highly recommended is made of four tablespoonfuls of turpentine, four tablespoons of
sweet oil, one teaspoon of lemon juice and 10
drops of ammonia. Shake well before using,
apply with an old flannel and rub very thoroughly, polishing afterward, Lemon juice
and salt are excellent for polishing braBS. After applying it rub well with soft dry flannel.
Vinegar and salt are also used for cleaning
brass. To remove fly speckB from oil paintings dip the fiDger in warm water and rub the
spots gently. Afterward wash the whole picture very carefully. Gilt or bronze picture
frames which have become  tarnished can be
mproved by going over them with gilding or
bronze. Silver ones can be treated in a
similar way. To clean white marble use Spanish whiting and common washing soda, with
sufficient water to make a paste. Let it stand
on the^marble sometime; then wash off with
aoap and water, rub dry and polish with a
soft cloth.   The leather seats of chairs or covering of couches can be freshened by rubbing
well with the white of one egg beaten stiff.
Cabbie May Ashton.
2d Premium.—The trouble with euch a subject as this ia that thoae who read theee columns are very apt to have quite as good methods of their own, while thoee who might be
benefited bya hint or two will very probably
never glance at them. Now that the annual
"Pring house-cleaning haa left our homes clean
and wholesome and in good order, there is
only needed occasional attention to keep them
ao through the warm summer months, which
" well, as theae montha bring ao many other
duties to the women ln our farm homes. Recent letters of this department strongly advised the putting away of all heavy draperies
for the summer months, replacing these with
simple washable material. It ia a plan that
greatly simplifies keeping the rooms fresh
looking in summer, all carpets are now dust-
'•388 from their recent thorough cleaning, and
Instead of sweeping I would advise going over
fte surface with a big soft cloth, wrung out of
warm ammonia water. This especially for bed
room carpets. Oountry homes set ln generous lawns, away from the dusty highways,tor-
tunately do not require the persisted dusting
necessary in city homes. Good, well-fitting
screens for every door and window will be a
great help towards preserving the immaculate
conditions left by the annual house-cleaning.
A piece of commendable extravagance ls the
purchase of unlimited cheese cloth for use ae
dusters, dish cloths, etc. It makes the work
much easier, and thoee are so easily washed
themselves. Here, as everywhere, preventing
is better—nay, is best! Let every little accident or disorder, a spilt vase, or an upeet
work box receive Immediate attention. The
damage ia less to both the animate and inanimate—the table or floor, and the temper. Aa
to the care of the furniture. During the summer months bring all the cane and rattan furniture into the foreground. Supply these with
plenty of fresh covered, hard pillows, and
clean towels for the head rests. Oane and rattan are best cleaned with a soft brush and with
a weak briney wash. As to pictures, rather
than cover these with mosquito-bar, leave
open for any inspiration they may furnish,
touching up the frames it such becomes needful with the easily applied gilding now to be
had everywhere. Picture frames now run to
white and gold, both of which any handy
woman or girl can repaint to look like new.
A friend with a "knack" for fixing up things,
recently showed me the new frames she had
contrived for ancestral portraits. These had
been the old black ovals once so fashionable.
They had a good wide piece of gilding inside
the wood work, and thla was now the whole
frame. -The wooden part having been cut
away. Betouched with fresh gilt these make
very stylish and pretty frames. My way of
cleaning blass is to wet up some Spanieh whiting with vinegar, rub well, and afterwards
polish with dry whiting. Sapolio answers
very well too, and is handier usually.
0. R. P.
3d Premium.—Were I to say what I think to
be the best way to clean rooms in daily house
work it would be the one I practice, although
I am always anxious to learn new methods.
In cleaning a room I raiee the windows, and
if on the first floor, carry chairs and other
small pieces of furniture into the yard; cover
books and remaining furniture with dusters.
Then sweep vigorously, using a wlek broom
in the corners. A carpet sweeper will do just
as good work as a broom, and with lesB dust.
Allow me to emphasize the importance of
cleaning the corners and under furniture
nicely. Aa eoon as the dust settles I uncover
the furniture and remove the duet with a
slightly moistened cloth, followed by a cloth
dampened with lineeed oil and turpentine.
Then rub with a dry cloth, until all moisture
ie gone. Moet picture frames can be cleaned
in the same way without injury. It freshens
lace curtains and draperies of all kinds to
hang them on the line occasionally, when the
wind ia not too strong. As a finisher in cleaning a room, soft water andammoDia are excellent, especially for the windows and sideboards, and it purifies the room. It is best to
have system about the housework. As landlady, baking and many otherhousehold duties
usually consume the firet days of the week, it
is boat to clean rooms the latter part of tho
week. I prefer Friday for such work. I do
not mean to be rigid; euch work can alwaya
be laid aside for matters of more importance.
Floor oil cloth and linolieum can best be
cleaned with undiluted coal oil, followed of
couree, with a cloth dampened with water. In
fitting to the floor neither of them should be
tacked. If heavy paper is laid near the edges
they will tuck themselves to the floor and look
much nicer than if tacked. Olear Water is
beat for painted floors. Boiled lineeed oil and
turpentine will brighten them, if rubbed until
quite dry with a clean dry cloth.   A cleaner
for natural floors, zinc, dishes and many other
things I find in 2 ounces of dry ammonia; 1
ounce ealta tartar; 3 ounces of borax; 1 box
of potash, dissolved in 2 gallons of soft water.
I keep it in a two gallon glass jar, closely covered; using just a little at a time with soap
and water. It is helpful in washing white
clothes, and with very hot water and eoap it
ls almoet as good as washing Boda in cleaning
braes lamp burners. 0. B.
Connersville.
Windows may be kept immaculate and as
clear. a8 a meadow brook, by cleaning with
coal oil; a little rag dipped in tbo oil and
rubbed over the window, then wiped off and
a final polishing, will make anything of glass
shine like a mirror. It has the advantage of
being very quickly and very easily done, no
slopping of water and no heavy lifting as the
windows can be cleaned right where they are.
Coal oil will also remove all dirty spots from
woodwork, unless it may bespatters of cream,
milk or buttermilk, which require a wet
cloth, a little wiping twice a week with daily
dusting, or better still a little wiping off of
woodwork when soiled spots appear, will keep
it looking fresh and clean. In point of fact
do all work when lt is necessary for it to be
done. Olean water and hot rinsing, with soft
clean cloths will keep lamps immaculate, if
applied daily. They will really need no cleaning, just a good rinsing and wiping. Forthe
brass part of lamp, boiling occasionally will
keep the air holes open, and add much to the
brilliancy of the light. Pearline. borax or
something of the kind is excellent to put in
the water for all sorts of cleansing. Borax
will effectually clean silver, if it is boiled
once a week in water in which borax has been
dissolved. If very much discolored, whiting
and ammonia will polish it as bright as new,
Braes is not difficult to keep looking nice;
whiting will clean it and curtain poles and
such brass articles will not need polishing
more than twice a year; braes lamps Tubbed
off once a week will shine almost like gold.
Oil paintings may be wiped off with a damp
cloth, pianos and all aorta of poliehed furniture may be cleaned with a damp cloth followed by an immediate wiping with a dry
ono and a polishing with chamois skin. Polished dining tables ehould be wiped off after
each meal and rubbed with oil twice a week;
the polish will grow more luetroue and beautiful with each rubbing. Varnished furniture
may be easily renewed by a fresh coat of varnish. Painted floors wiped off with a damp
mop each day will almoet never need a thorough mopping, unless in muddy weather. It
is the keeping thinge clean more than in the
cleaning, the little daily attentions, that keep
the house immaculate. I do not, however
believe in a woman being forever with a wet
rag in her hand, or with a broom in search of
a stray bit of dirt. Usually the housework
can be done during the forenoon, and time
be left ln the afternoon for a nap and sewing.
A damp cloth is best for dusting. There ls
little gained by using a dry cloth to wipe the
dust off, and then scatter it about the room
to settle on something else. R. S. M.
ers and under furniture. I surely did not
understand Mrs. 0. B. to uee lineeed oil and
turpentine every day, on her furniture. After
reading Mrs. M's. letter I tried to take off fly
specks and dirt from a window pane with
coal oil and it wouldn't work. Mrs. M. truly
says, however, "it is easier to keep things
clean, than to let them get dirty and clean
them.
How do you like Mrs, B's. recipe?
The lesson today certainly tells ue how  to
clean  up  and  keep  clean, and avoid
"The narrow gloom of this cold room
Where nothing clean is ever seen."
KSVISW.
How many little thinge it is nic-3 to know
in house work! As Mrs. P. says those needing these bandy points won't see them. Yet
I know a lot of people who are helped by
practical teaching. A little school boy was
crying becauee eome one threw some snow in
his ear, when one of the other boys said
"don't cry Charley lt is the first time there
has been any water in your ear for a month."
So there are plenty of people who keep a
a dirty house. There is a difference between
a dirty house and one that shows the ordinary
elasticity of being used.
I might emphasize in these letters the use
of carpet-sweepers and cleaning out the corn-
No. 173, July 1.—The effect of the policy of
political expansion on American agricultural
interests.
No. 174, July 8.—Is clover sod the beet seed
bed for corn? Do you prefer to break it
for wheat firet and follow with corn? What
is the best rotation? When do you prefer to
lay corn by and how?
No. 175, July 15.—In threshing, eome neighborhoods take theirdinners with them. Some
hire a man to furnish machine, fuel, hands,
board and all. Which plan has proven most
satisfactory to you, and why?
No. 176, July 22.—How do you can fruit?
Why does so much canned fruit spoil? What
vegetables are best canned?
No. 177, July 29.—How can the busy houBe-
keeperfind time for the club? Name some
advantages and drawbacks to clubs.
No. 178, Aug. 5.—If you had ten thousand
dollars to invest ina farm for a home, in
what section of the United States would you
prefer to locate, and why?
No. 179, Aug 12.—(For children under ten.)
Name the books that you have of your own.
What papers come to you through the Post
Oflice this year? Of all the books and papers
you have ever read, name one or two books
and one or two papers that you like best.
No. 180, Aug. 19.—(For students of an Agricultural class at Purdue ) Name some of the
opportunities and advantages offered to both
boys and girls in the four year course, the
two year course and tho winter course in Agriculture at Purdue University.
No. 181, Aug. 2G.—Give experience with
irrigation, for crops, garden or fruit. How
do you manage it, and how does it pay?
Premiums of $1, 75 cents and 50 cents will
be given to Ut, 2d and 3d best articles each
week. Let copy be aa practicable as possible
and forwarded 10 days before publication to
Oarmel. -E. H. Collins.
POSTAL CARD CORRESPONDENCE.
Olay Co., June 17 —Moet wheat is a fair
crop. Wheat cutting has begun; making
clover hay ls progreseing finely; corn moetly
in good shape and plowed once; oats eitra
good; timothy meadows look well; early potatoes are excellent; berry crop in general, ia a
fair one; pasturea never better; progreaelve
townehipe are building gravel roads.
S. R.T.
LaPobtb Co., June IC—Wheat on our best
prairie soils in some fields escaped the fly and
looks woll, but in some townships the wheat
was bo badly winter killed and fly eaten that
none will be cut, and there will be no threshing to do. Apples look well; other fruit ia
mostly poor. Grass ia fine and pastures good.
Oata doing well. Mbs. B. A. Davis.
Jeffebsoh Co., June 13.—From observation
and information there will not be sufficient
wheat made and saved to feed the inhabitants
of this county. Fly, rust, rain and wind the
cause. Many farmers have no corn planted.
Stand of corn poor that haa been planted.
Ground too soft to put machine for wheat in
fields.   Olover rank. w. H. W.