How to Clean Mica. — Every woman who has been obliged to spend half a day several times during the winter clean- ing the mica in her coal stove, usually by taking them out and washing them in soap-suds, will rejoice to know that there is a much easier way to clean them, and that there is no need to take them out or let the fire burn very low in order to do it successfully. Take a little vinegar and water and wash the mica carefully with a soft cloth ; the acid removes all stains, and if a little pains is taken in cleaning the corners and in wiping them dry, the mica will 76 HOUSEHOLD HINTS. look as good as new. It is a great care to see that stoves are kept in proper order, and not many servants can be trusted to do it as it should be done. The task might be made somewhat easier by choosing stoves which are not too highly ornamented. Unless the trimmings are kept abso- lutely spotless and bright, which is a very difficult thing to accomplish, they can not lay the least claim to being orna- mental ; indeed, a stove which, by reason of its excessive decoration, is rendered the most prominent feature of the room, demanding attention the moment one enters, is cer- tainly in bad taste. A clean, well-polished stove, with graceful shape, which fulfills the end of its being by heating the house, is all that a stove should be. The fire may be, as it has been called, the soul of the room, but it ought not to ask too much attention to its body. New Kettles. — The best way to prepare a new iron ket- tle for use is to fill it with clean potatoe-peelings, boil them for an hour or more, then wash the kettle with hot water, wipe it dry, and rub it with a little lard ; repeat the rub- bing for half a dozen times after using. In this way you will prevent rust, and all the annoyances liable to occur in the use of a new kettle. How to Boil Custard, etc. — If you have not all the mod- ern conveniences for boiling — that is, one pail to set within another — use a common iron kettle, put a stick across it, and hang a tin pail on the stick. In this way you can boil a custard or blanc-mange without danger of its burning. This is better than the usual way of holding the pail and steaming your hand. Blacking Stoves.— -^Yery woman owes it to her family as well as to herself to simplify her work as much as possi- ble, and not to do things that are unnecessary ; for instance, it is a waste of time and strength and blacking to black and polish the top of the kitchen stove after each- meal is prepared ; and yet I have seen women who would be shocked MISCELLANEOUS HINTS. 77 to read this assertion. Other parts of the stove can be kept nice with very little trouble ; and, if the top is kept clean till her fire is out for the day, that ought to satisfy the most painstaking woman. A convenient arrangement for washing the top of a hot stove is to have a smooth, round stick, with a soft cloth tied securely to it. A cloth is better than a brush for cleaning corners.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

How to Clean Mica. — Every woman who has been obliged to spend half a day several times during the winter cleaning the mica in her coal stove, usually by taking them out and washing them in soap-suds, will rejoice to know that there is a much easier way to clean them, and that there is no need to take them out or let the fire burn very low in order to do it successfully. Take a little vinegar and water and wash the mica carefully with a soft cloth ; the acid removes all stains, and if a little pains is taken in cleaning the corners and in wiping them dry, the mica will look as good as new. It is a great care to see that stoves are kept in proper order, and not many servants can be trusted to do it as it should be done. The task might be made somewhat easier by choosing stoves which are not too highly ornamented. Unless the trimmings are kept absolutely spotless and bright, which is a very difficult thing to accomplish, they can not lay the least claim to being ornamental ; indeed, a stove which, by reason of its excessive decoration, is rendered the most prominent feature of the room, demanding attention the moment one enters, is certainly in bad taste. A clean, well-polished stove, with graceful shape, which fulfills the end of its being by heating the house, is all that a stove should be. The fire may be, as it has been called, the soul of the room, but it ought not to ask too much attention to its body. New Kettles. — The best way to prepare a new iron kettle for use is to fill it with clean potato-peelings, boil them for an hour or more, then wash the kettle with hot water, wipe it dry, and rub it with a little lard ; repeat the rubbing for half a dozen times after using. In this way you will prevent rust, and all the annoyances liable to occur in the use of a new kettle. How to Boil Custard, etc. — If you have not all the modern conveniences for boiling — that is, one pail to set within another — use a common iron kettle, put a stick across it, and hang a tin pail on the stick. In this way you can boil a custard or blanc-mange without danger of its burning. This is better than the usual way of holding the pail and steaming your hand. Blacking Stoves.— -^Yery woman owes it to her family as well as to herself to simplify her work as much as possible, and not to do things that are unnecessary ; for instance, it is a waste of time and strength and blacking to black and polish the top of the kitchen stove after each- meal is prepared ; and yet I have seen women who would be shocked to read this assertion. Other parts of the stove can be kept nice with very little trouble ; and, if the top is kept clean till her fire is out for the day, that ought to satisfy the most painstaking woman. A convenient arrangement for washing the top of a hot stove is to have a smooth, round stick, with a soft cloth tied securely to it. A cloth is better than a brush for cleaning corners.

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