The American Frugal Housewife by Lydia Maria Francis Child
page 17 of 178 (09%)
page 17 of 178 (09%)
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A warming-pan full of coals, or a shovel of coals, held over varnished
furniture, will take out white spots. Care should be taken not to hold the coals near enough to scorch; and the place should be rubbed with flannel while warm. Spots in furniture may usually be cleansed by rubbing them quick and hard, with a flannel wet with the same thing which took out the color; if rum, wet the cloth with rum, &c. The very best restorative for defaced varnished furniture, is rotten-stone pulverized, and rubbed on with linseed oil. Sal-volatile, or hartshorn, will restore colors taken out by acid. It may be dropped upon any garment without doing harm. Spirits of turpentine is good to take grease-spots out of woollen clothes; to take spots of paint, &c., from mahogany furniture; and to cleanse white kid gloves. Cockroaches, and all vermin, have an aversion to spirits of turpentine. An ounce of quicksilver, beat up with the white of two eggs, and put on with a feather, is the cleanest and surest bed-bug poison. What is left should be thrown away: it is dangerous to have it about the house. If the vermin are in your walls, fill up the cracks with _verdigris_-green paint.[1] [Footnote 1: There are two kinds of green paint; one is of no use in destroying insects.] Lamps will have a less disagreeable smell if you dip your wick-yarn in strong hot vinegar, and dry it. |
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