Mrs. Hale's Receipts for the Million: Containing Four Thousand Five Hundred and Forty-five Receipts, Facts, Directions, etc. in the Useful, Ornamental, and Domestic Arts — John Stuart Mill — John Shaqi
Mrs. Hale's Receipts for the Million: Containing Four Thousand Five Hundred and Forty-five Receipts, Facts, Directions, etc. in the Useful, Ornamental, and Domestic Arts
John Stuart Mill · en
91. _To restore the Lustre of Glasses tarnished by Age or
Accident._--Strew on them powdered fuller's-earth, carefully cleared
from sand, &c., and rub them carefully with a linen cloth. Oxide of
tin (putty) would perhaps be better.
92. _To clean China._--_China_ is best cleaned, when very dirty, with
finely-powdered fuller's-earth and warm water; afterwards rinsing it
well in clean water. A little clean soft soap may be added to the
water instead of fuller's-earth. The same plan is recommended for
cleaning glass.
93. _To clean Alabaster._--Remove any spots of grease with spirit of
turpentine: then dip the article in water for about ten minutes, rub
it with a painter's brush and let it dry; finish by rubbing it with a
soft brush dipped into dry and fine plaster of Paris.
94. _To bleach Ivory._--Ivory that has become discolored, may be
brought to a pure whiteness by exposing it to the sun under glasses;
having first brushed the ivory with pumice-stone, burnt and made into
a paste with water. To conceal the cracks in antique ivory, brush out
the dust with warm water and soap, and then place the ivory under
glass. It should be daily exposed to the sun, and turned from time
to time, that it may become equally bleached.
95. _Glazed Vessels._--The glazing of stone ware is sometimes very
imperfect: to test it, nearly fill the vessel with vinegar, into
which put some fat of beef, salted; boil for half an hour, and set
it by for a day, when, if the glazing be imperfect, small black
particles of lead will be seen at the bottom of the vessel.
96. _Use of Candle Snuffs for cleaning Glass._--Candle snuffs are
generally thrown away as useless; they are, however, of great utility
for cleaning mirrors and windows, especially the former. For this
purpose take a small quantity of the burnt snuffs and rub them with a
soft cloth upon the surface of the mirror. In a short time a splendid
polish will appear, superior to that obtained by other means. We
know those who clean the whole of the windows in a large house with
snuffs; and we are told that not only are the windows cleaned much
better but also much quicker than by the ordinary methods.
_A Razor Strop Paste_ is also made of candle-snuffs, and answers very
well. It consists in simply rubbing a small quantity of the snuffs
upon the strop; this imparts a keener edge to the razor than when no
such paste is employed. Mechi's celebrated Magic Razor Strop Paste is
certainly an excellent article, but we question whether it be much
superior to the ordinary and common-place substance now recommended.