Getting the Greatest Good out of Lamps.
In these days, when lamps are used so much, the care of them is quite an important matter. If the lamps be good and have proper attention, one cannot wish for a more satisfactory light; but if badly cared for, they will be a source of much discomfort. The great secret of having lamps in good working order is to keep them clean and to use good oil. Have a regular place and time for trimming the lamps. Put a folded newspaper on the table, so that any stray bits of burned wick and drops of oil may fall upon it. Wash and wipe the chimneys and shades. Now take off all loose parts of the burner, washing them in hot soap-suds and wiping them with a clean soft cloth. Trim the wicks and turn them quite low. With a soft, wet cloth, well soaped, wipe the burner thoroughly, working the cloth as much as possible inside the burner, to get off every particle of the charred wick. Now fill the lamps within about one inch of the top, and wipe with a damp towel and then a dry one. Adjust all the parts and return them to their proper places.
Whenever a new wick is required in a lamp, wash and scald the burner before putting in the wick. With a student lamp, the receptacle for waste oil, which is screwed on the bottom of the burner, should be taken off at least once a week and washed. Sometimes a wick will get very dark and dirty before it is half consumed. It is not economy to try to burn it; replace it with a fresh one. The trouble and expense are slight, and the increase in clearness and brilliancy will repay the extra care. When a lamp is lighted, it should not at once be turned up to the full height; wait until the chimney is heated. Beautiful shades are often cracked or broken by having the hot chimneys rest against them. Now, when lighting a lamp be careful that the chimney is set perfectly straight, and does not touch the shade at any point. The shade should be put in place as soon as the lamp is lighted, that it may heat gradually.
Take Good Care of the Plumbing.
The care of the plumbing is an important duty; yet, provided there be nothing wrong about the plumbing at the start, and the supply of water be constant and generous, this duty will not be found a hard one. The housekeeper should impress upon the younger members of her family the importance of thoroughly flushing the water-closets. She should at least once a day personally see to it that there is sufficient flushing. The best time for this is after the morning work is done.
The laundry tubs should be thoroughly rinsed after washing. Be free with the water, that no trace of suds shall be left in the pipes.
After the midday work is done, and again at night, the pipe in the kitchen sink should be thoroughly flushed with hot water, if possible. In case there be no hot water, be generous with the cold. Once a week put half a pint of washing soda in an old saucepan, and add six quarts of hot water. Place on the fire until the soda is all dissolved; then pour the water into the pipes, reserving two quarts of it for the kitchen sink.
Have an old funnel to use in the bath-tub and basins, that the hot soda shall not touch any of the metal save that in the pipes.
Particles of grease sometimes lodge in the sink-pipe and cause an unpleasant odor. The hot soda dissolves this grease and carries it away.
Copperas will remove odors from drain-pipes. Put one pound of the crystals in a quart bottle and fill up with cold water. Cork tightly and label, writing “Poison” on the label. Pour a little of this into the pipes whenever there is any odor.