To Clean Tins, — Clean tins as you would clean covers
with soap and whiting mixed to a cream in boiling water. Lay
it on with a piece of leather; let it dry, and then rub it off
with dry whiting and a clean leather.
To Clean Copper and Brass. — Mix oil and brickdust, or
oil and finely powdered rotten-stone (sifted through muslin)
together; rub it on with a piece of leather; let it rest a little
while on, and then rub off with a dry soft leather.
Many people use oil of turpentine and rotten-stone, but the
copper very soon tarnishes after its use; others use oxalic acid,
but this is so dangerous a poison, and so painful if it chance to
get into the servant's eyes, that we strongly object to its use.
To Clean Lacquered Brass. — Wash with a stiff lather of
soap and water; let the brass lie in it for three days, taking it
HOUSEHOLD 217
out every day and brushing it with a hard brush; let it dry,
and then rub it with a leather.
To Clean Stair-rods. — Mix finely powdered rotten-stone
and sweet oil to a paste, then rub it on each rod with a piece
of flannel or woolen. Polish with the dry powder of the rotten-
stone and a nice leather.
The same mixture, carefully applied to inlaid brass or brass
handles of furniture, answers very well; but care must be
taken not to let it lodge in any network or hollows of the brass.
To Clean Candlesticks. — Melt all the wax or grease off
with boiling water; but on no account melt it by putting the
candlesticks before the fire, as it melts the solder. Tin candle-
sticks must be cleaned as other tins are. Plated candlesticks
should be cleaned with plate-powder.
To Clean the Insides of Pots, Pans and Kettles.— Boil
in the kettle or pot a little sal-ammoniac for the space of one
hour, to remove the fur. Be sure to wash out a dirty saucepan
with boiling water the moment you finish using it
To Clean Steel or Iron. — Make a paste of two ounces of
soft soap and four of emery-powder — that is, two ounces of
coarse emery -powder and two of fine. Put this paste on fire-
irons, fenders, etc., and afterwards rub off with dry wash
leather. Some people use crocus powder moistened with sweet
oil. This is best for polished steel.
To Take Rust out of Steel. — The steel must be covered
with sweet oil, and left for 48 hours, then rubbed with leather,
and this must be repeated till the rust is removed. Or, you
may rub it with the finest emery-paper
To Clean Cast Iron and Black Hearths. — Mix together
black lead and whites of eggs to a liquid consistency; paint
the stove, etc., all over with it, and rub bright with a hard
brush.
To Clean Looking-Glasses. — Wash them with spirits of
wine; dry them; powder slightly with whiting, and rub off with
a leather. Take care that the whiting does not get into the
edge of the frame.
Polish the mahogany frames with furniture paste. Beware
of spilling scents on polished looking-glass frames, as it removes
the polish.
To Clean Plate. — Plate should be treated with great care.
Never put it into a basket or tray with knives, nor mix
spoons with forks, for fear of making scratches which nothing
will remove. Wash it directly it comes from table with warm
218 HOUSEHOLD.
Page 150
Presented as published in 1883. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
To Clean Tins, — Clean tins as you would clean covers with soap and whiting mixed to a cream in boiling water. Lay it on with a piece of leather; let it dry, and then rub it off with dry whiting and a clean leather.
To Clean Copper and Brass. — Mix oil and brickdust, or oil and finely powdered rotten-stone (sifted through muslin) together; rub it on with a piece of leather; let it rest a little while on, and then rub off with a dry soft leather.
Many people use oil of turpentine and rotten-stone, but the copper very soon tarnishes after its use; others use oxalic acid, but this is so dangerous a poison, and so painful if it chance to get into the servant's eyes, that we strongly object to its use.
To Clean Lacquered Brass. — Wash with a stiff lather of soap and water; let the brass lie in it for three days, taking it
out every day and brushing it with a hard brush; let it dry, and then rub it with a leather.
To Clean Stair-rods. — Mix finely powdered rotten-stone and sweet oil to a paste, then rub it on each rod with a piece of flannel or woolen. Polish with the dry powder of the rottenstone and a nice leather.
The same mixture, carefully applied to inlaid brass or brass handles of furniture, answers very well; but care must be taken not to let it lodge in any network or hollows of the brass.
To Clean Candlesticks. — Melt all the wax or grease off with boiling water; but on no account melt it by putting the candlesticks before the fire, as it melts the solder. Tin candlesticks must be cleaned as other tins are. Plated candlesticks should be cleaned with plate-powder.
To Clean the Insides of Pots, Pans and Kettles.— Boil in the kettle or pot a little sal-ammoniac for the space of one hour, to remove the fur. Be sure to wash out a dirty saucepan with boiling water the moment you finish using it
To Clean Steel or Iron. — Make a paste of two ounces of soft soap and four of emery-powder — that is, two ounces of coarse emery -powder and two of fine. Put this paste on fireirons, fenders, etc., and afterwards rub off with dry wash leather. Some people use crocus powder moistened with sweet oil. This is best for polished steel.
To Take Rust out of Steel. — The steel must be covered with sweet oil, and left for 48 hours, then rubbed with leather, and this must be repeated till the rust is removed. Or, you may rub it with the finest emery-paper
To Clean Cast Iron and Black Hearths. — Mix together
black lead and whites of eggs to a liquid consistency; paint the stove, etc., all over with it, and rub bright with a hard brush.
To Clean Looking-Glasses. — Wash them with spirits of wine; dry them; powder slightly with whiting, and rub off with a leather. Take care that the whiting does not get into the edge of the frame.
Polish the mahogany frames with furniture paste. Beware of spilling scents on polished looking-glass frames, as it removes the polish.
To Clean Plate. — Plate should be treated with great care. Never put it into a basket or tray with knives, nor mix spoons with forks, for fear of making scratches which nothing will remove. Wash it directly it comes from table with warm