New Way to Fasten Lace Curtains—The best way to secure lace or net curtains in place over the poles is to fasten with the very fine wire hairpins, known as “invisible” hairpins. These are so sharp that they can be pushed through the curtains without injury to the fabric, and are so fine that they are more invisible than pins. They have the added advantage of never slipping out of place like small-headed pins, or becoming entangled in the lace like safety-pins. Put them perpendicularly (up and down) in the curtain with the rounded head at the top.
Filling for Sofa Cushions—Cut a roll of cotton in small squares and put it in a pan in the oven and heat it for half an hour. Do not let the cotton scorch. Every square will swell to twice its original size and will be as light and fluffy as feathers for stuffing sofa cushions.
To Brighten Carpets—Wipe them with warm water to which has been added a few drops of ammonia.
To Clean Picture Glass—Clean the glass over pictures with a cloth wrung from hot water and dipped in alcohol. Polish them immediately, until they are dry and glossy, with a chamois or tissue paper.
Polish for Leather Upholstered Furniture—Turpentine and beeswax mixed to the consistency of thin cream makes a fine polish for leather upholstered furniture.
To Fasten Small Pieces on Furniture—For fixing on small pieces of wood chipped off furniture, use the white of an egg.
Onion Water for Gilt Frames—Flies may be kept from damaging gilt frames by going over the frames with a soft brush dipped in a pint of water in which three or four onions have been boiled. This is also good for cleaning the frames.
To Remove Fly Specks from Gilding—Old ale is a good thing with which to wash any gilding, as it acts at once on the fly dirt. Apply with a soft rag.
To Clean Gilded Picture Frames, use a weak solution of ammonia and water. Go over the gilt gently with a moist cloth, and after a few moments, when the dirt has had time to soften, repeat the operation. Do not rub hard, and dry by dabbing gently with a soft cloth.
