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AMMONIA — To Clean, to Remove Grease, etc. — There are very many articles with which every house-keeper is familiar that can be made helpful in many ways, and some that can lighten labour wonderfully, if their modest excellencies were only better understood ; and none can be used for so many purposes, with great success and entire safety, as ammonia. Most of our housekeepers think of it as only to be used in "smelling-bottles,’’ as our grandmothers used to call them, for faintness and headache. But let us enumerate some of the ways in which, if properly applied, it can make many kinds of labour easy, over which now we groan and are troubled. A quart of “ concentrated spirits of ammonia” can be purchased at the wholesale druggists at a cheap rate. This is the strongest form — so very powerful that one should take care in removing the stopple, which should be of glass, not to inhale the fiery vapour, as it would be dangerous. To prepare this for common use, or like that found generally at the drugstores, mix one quart of alcohol with one quart of soft water ; shake well together and then add the quart of concentrated ammonia, and, for a trifle, you have three quarts of one of the most useful compounds to be found. To remove Grease-spots, put half a teaspoonful of this ammonia to half a tablespoonful of alcohol ; wet a bit oi woolen cloth or soft sponge in it, and rub and soak the spot with it, and the grease, if freshly dropped, will disappear. If the spot is of long standing, it may require several applications. In woollen or cotton the spot may be rubbed when the liquid is applied, and also in black silk, though not hard. But with light or coloured silk, wet the spot with the cloth or sponge with which the ammonia is put on, patting it lightly. Rubbing silk, particularly coloured silk, is apt to leave a whitish spot almost as disagreeable as the grease-spot. For Pants, coat-collars, and woollens, nothing cleanses so quickly or so thoroughly. For grease-spots on carpets it is unequalled. It will not injure the most delicate colours. It is well to rinse off with a little clear alcohol. For Ink-spots on marble, wood, or paper, apply the ammonia, clear, just wetting the spot repeatedly till the ink disappears. For Cleansing the Hair, a few drops in the water with which the hair is to be washed leaves it bright and clean. Rinse with clear water after, as ammonia has a tendency to dry the hair. A few drops of ammonia put into a little water will clean a Hair-brush better than anything else, and does the brush no harm. If very dirty, rub a little soap on the brush. After cleansing, rinse in clear water and hang the brush up by the window to dry. Do not let the bristles rest on any hard substance while wet. It is better to tie a string round the handle and hang up. Ink-spots on the fingers may be instantly removed by a little ammonia. Rinse the hands after washing in clear water. A little ammonia in a few spoonfuls of alcohol is excellent to sponge silk dresses that have grown “shiny" or rusty, as well as to take out spots. A silk — particularly a black — becomes almost like new when so sponged. For cleaning Jewelry there is nothing better than ammonia and water. If very dull or dirty, rub a little soap on I a soft brush and brush them in this B AJV1M AN1>