Drying Umbrellas.—Most people dry their umbrellas handle upwards. This concentrates the moisture at the tip where it is close, rusts the wire which secures the stretchers, and rots the cloth. After the umbrella is drained, it is better to invert it, and dry it in that position.
A Tight Ring.—To remove a tightly fitting ring from a finger, without pain, pass the end of a portion of rather fine twine underneath the ring, and evenly encircle the finger from below upward (as whipmakers bind lashes on) with the remainder, as far as the centre of the finger, then unwind the string from above downward by taking hold of the end passed under the ring, and it will be found the ring will gradually pass along the twine toward the tip of the finger.
Scrubbing White Paint.—As little soap as possible should be used with this, and that in the water and not on the cloth. It not only makes the paint yellow, but, after a little while, removes it altogether. A noted housekeeper would never allow either soap or hot water to be used on paint, except in case of grease. Cold water and a scrubbing-brush were her weapons of offence in waging warfare with dirt. This makes hard work, but it gives a very fresh look to paint, and saves soap and fire, if one is inclined to try it. For greasy spots use a very little soda (carbonate) in the first water, to be immediately rinsed off and wiped dry.
How to Wash Graining.—Take clear warm water, a clean, white cloth, and wash a small place and wipe dry with another clean white cloth. Do not wet any more space than you can dry immediately with your cloth, as it must not be left to dry in the atmosphere; it must be rubbed dry, hence the necessity for clean white cloths. If the paint has been neglected until very much soiled with greasy fingers, or specked with a summer’s growth of flies, a very little hard soap may be put in the first water, and then rinsed off with clear water; but avoid soap if you possibly can, as it dulls the varnish, however carefully used. On no account must it be rubbed on with a cloth.
Codfish should be purchased in small quantities, as they are disagreeable to have in the house. Even the desiccated codfish, that comes in boxes, cannot be kept so tightly covered as to secure us from the unpleasant smell. If kept in a dry place they grow hard, if in a damp place they will spoil. They must be changed from garret to cellar often to keep them in proper condition, and therefore it is better to get them only as needed.
Zante currants and stoneless or sultana raisins should be washed and dried when first bought, and then packed into jars for use. It is well to look them over occasionally, to see that they do not become wormy. If there should be any appearance of mold or worms, empty from the jars and spread on a cloth or paper to dry, in the warm sun or by the fire. When dry, repack.
Keep cheese in a dry place. A cheese-box with perforated wire sides is the best thing to put it in, as the air will circulate through it. When the cheese is cut wrap a cloth tightly about it to prevent its drying.
Smoked beef should be kept in a bag and hung up. Hams, also, when cut, should be tied into a cloth or bag and hung up in a cool dry place.
If strawberries, pineapples, and all delicate preserves are kept in a box and filled in with sand, they will keep better and longer. Sawdust or tan-bark is not good to fill in around them, as it gathers moisture and molds the preserves.
Keep the flour-barrel well covered with a close-fitting wooden cover. Hang the sifter on a nail over it, but never leave it in the barrel. Besides being untidy, the accumulation of flour, dough, or moisture from your hands will soon coat the sieve so that it cannot be used with ease, and in a short time make the flour musty or sour. It should be well washed and dried after the baking for each day is finished. No flour should be use unsifted, both from cleanliness and because the food will be lighter.