f bullock's gall mixed with three quarts of soft, cold water,
and rub it off with a clean flannel or house-cloth. Any particular
dirty spot should be rubbed with pure gall.
HOW TO CLEAN CARPETS.--Before proceeding to sweep a carpet a few
handfuls of waste tea-leaves should be sprinkled over it. A stiff hair
broom or brush should be employed, unless the carpet is very dirty,
when a whisk or carpet-broom should be used, first followed by another
made of hair, to take off the loose dust. The frequent use of a stiff
carpet-broom soon wears off the beauty of the best carpet. An ordinary
clothes brush is best adapted for superior carpets. When carpets are
very dirty they should be cleaned by shaking and beating.
Beat it well with a stick in the usual manner until all the dust is
removed, then take out the stains, if any, with lemon or sorrel-juice.
When thoroughly dry rub it all over with the crumb of a hot wheaten
loaf, and if the weather is very fine, let hang out in the open air
for a night or two. This treatment will revive the colors, and make
the carpet appear equal to new.
TO REMOVE SPOTS ON CARPETS.--A few drops of carbonate of ammonia,
and a small quantity of warm rain water, will prove a safe and easy
antacid, etc., and will change, if carefully applied, discolored spots
upon carpets, and indeed, all spots, whether produced by acids or
alkalies. If one has the misfortune to have a carpet injured by
whitewash, this will immediately restore it.
HOW TO REMOVE INK SPOTS ON CARPETS.--As soon as the ink has been
spilled, take up as much as you can with a sponge, and then pour on
cold water repeatedly, still taking up the liquid; next rub the place
with a little wet oxalic acid or salt of sorrel, and wash it off
immediately with cold water, and then rub on some hartshorn.
CLEANING AND SCOURING OF CLOTH.--The common method of cleaning cloth
is by beating and brushing, unless when very dirty, when it undergoes
the operation of scouring. This is best done on the small scale, as
for articles of wearing apparel, etc., by dissolving a little curd
soap in water, and after mixing it with a little ox-gall, to touch
over all the spots of grease, dirt, etc., with it, and to rub them
well with a stiff brush, until they are removed, after which the
article may be well rubbed all over with a brush or sponge dipped
into some warm water, to which the previous mixture and a little more
ox-gall has been added. When this has been p
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