Removing Grease Stains from the Leaves of a Book
Happening to get a grease spot on a page of a valuable book, I found a way to remove it without injury to the paper, which has been tried out several times with success. Heat an iron and hold it as near as possible to the stain without discoloring the paper, and the grease will disappear. If any traces of the grease are left, apply powdered calcined magnesia. Bone, well calcined and powdered, and plaster of Paris are also excellent absorbents of grease.
A beautifully bound book, and quite new, had oil from a lamp spilled over it. There was no quicklime to be had, so some bones were quickly calcined, pulverized and applied. The next morning there was no trace of oil, but only an odor which soon vanished.
Contributed by Paul Keller, Indianapolis, Ind.
Tightening Cane in Furniture
Split cane, used as part of furniture, such as chair seats, often becomes loose and the threads of cane pull out. This can be prevented by sponging with hot water, or by applying steaming cloths to the cane. This process also tightens the shreds of cane and does not injure ordinary furniture. If the article is highly polished, care should be taken to prevent the hot water from coming in contact with anything but the cane.
Cleaner for a Stovepipe
