To Clean Grates.—When stirring the coal or wood in an open grate fire, spread a newspaper in front of the grate, or clear across the hearth if it is a small one, and work while the paper burns. The flames will cause a rushing draught that will carry the dust up the chimney.
Or, to prevent the dust flying, if the fire is out, sprinkle a handful of wet tea leaves over the ashes.
To Clean a Hearth.—Cover grease spots on the hearth with hot ashes or live coals, or sprinkle fuller's earth on the spots. Cover with live coals and brush away after the grease has been absorbed.
To Black a Hearth.—Shave bar of yellow soap into 1 pint of boil ing water and stir in pound of black lead. Boil 10 or 15 minutes, stirring vigorously. Dilute with water if nec essary, and apply with a brush.
Or beat up black lead with white of eggs. Lay on with a brush and polish.
Care of Matches.—Keep a stock of matches on a high and dry shelf in a covered earthen jar or tin box with a tight lid where they will be out of the way of children and safe from rats and mice. These animals are fond of phosphorus, and will gnaw match heads if they can, and often set them on fire. Have a covered match safe in each room where they are in fre quent use. A match safe fastened to a piece of sandpaper will be found a great convenience. To hold burnt matches, a wineglass suspended with a bit of ribbon and hung on the gas jet or near the stove will be found useful.
To Clean a Gas Range.— Do not black a gas range, but wash the greasy parts in a strong solution of potash lye or sal soda, afterwards thoroughly clean and dry. Do not put blacking or anything else on the burners, as it is likely to clog them and interfere with the flame.
Care of a Gas Range.—Keep the gas stove clean both inside and out. It is not hot enough to burn off or absorb vegetable or animal matter. Hence it should never be blacked, as the blacking is likely to rub off on the clothing. As soon as it is dry and while still warm rub every portion, inside and out, thoroughly with an oily cloth. Use kerosene for this pur pose, or a very little lard or suet, but olive oil is probably the most desirable. Do not wash the stove or apply an oily cloth while it is cold or while the burners are in use. To do so will cause rust, cakes of fat, or disagree able odors when the stove is next lighted.
If the stove is to be detached and stored away, it should be thoroughly cleaned and given a coat of some rult proof varnish.
Care of Burners. — Never black the top of a perforated or any other burner. Clean it with a damp cloth, and while warm wipe it off with an oily cloth to make the red burned appearance less pronounced. If the burners are removable boil them from time to time in borax water. But some burners cannot be removed un less taken apart. When this is done take care to get the burners back in their right places. Especially the giant or large burner must be attached to its right key or gas outlet, other wise it will not get the proper flow of gas.
The burners should always be warm when washed, and after being dried should be replaced on their keys, lighted at once, and burned a few seconds or until the flame is clear. If particles that have been released in the pipe leading to the burner lodge in the pipe, tap the pipe leading from the key to the burner. This dislodges the particles and allows the gas to carry them on and out through the burner. When sweeping cover the range well, or else particles of dust may lodge on or in the burners, and be carried into the air mixture, whence they produce flames full of red specks.
Care of Air Mixers.—Just back of the keys in every gas range is a round device with from 3 to 5 slots or open ings. This regulates the air supply. These may be called the lungs of the gas stove, since through them the burn ers take in the air necessary to insure perfect combustion. Hence these parts must be kept free and clear of any accumulation of dirt, or the flame will have a white luminous tip, which will smut pans and lessen the amount of heat. Too much care cannot be taken to keep these air spaces clear and free. They must be frequently wiped out.
Care of the Oven.—Great care must be taken to keep the racks of the oven clean, especially if they are of sheet iron or heavy wire, since they may be utilized in Many ways. Remove them occasionally and scrub them with pot ash lye or strong solution of sal soda by means of a stiff fiber brush. Rinse with boiling water and dry thoroughly before returning to the oven. Never broil anything on the top of the stove, as the unconsumed food and grease will drop down and clog up the burn ers, and can only be removed by boil ing in strong lye.