Natural wood should be freed from all loose dust before cleaning and then may be wiped off with a woollen cloth moistened with oil and turpentine or with wood alcohol. This treatment should be followed by a rubbing with a dry woollen cloth to bring out the polish. A woman who found several dents in the hardwood of her dining-room wainscoting restored it by laying over each dent a thick pad of wet brown paper, a wet cloth folded several times over that, and then applying a hot iron over all. When the pad was about dry it was removed, and if the place still showed a mar the treatment was repeated.
One housekeeper who is successful in keeping her furniture in polish washes the varnished-wood frames twice a year with potato water and then rubs them dry and bright with woollen cloths. The piano receives the same treatment. The potato water is prepared by soaking uncooked potatoes sliced thin in cold water for two or three hours and then straining the water.
An old housekeeper who has several choice Oriental rugs, some of light color, sees to the cleaning of them herself. They are first swept thoroughly on both sides on the grass of the back yard. Then, if they are light-colored, they are covered with cornstarch which has a small mixture of prepared chalk, and are left for several hours. At the end of that time they are brushed free from the powder, shaken well and beaten carefully. Dark ones are covered with hardwood sawdust and left over night. The next day they are swept with a stiff clean broom, and then wiped off with a towel wrung out of hot water.
The silver desk furnishings, vases, etc., will retain their gloss with little extra cleaning if they are polished with a piece of soft silk several times a week.
Silver should always be thoroughly washed after any cleansing powder or liquid is used on it.