MARE OF LAMPS Lamps should be cleaned and then filled each morning and the wicks trimmed. The improved steadiness of the light will repay for the trouble. When buying a lamp, get two or three extra chimneys and burners, and a yard or two of wicking. This will save much delay and annoyance, espe cially when kerosene is the only light to be had, and it is not convenient to go to the store. It is very desirable, as far as possible, to have lamps and burners alike, so that the parts and supplies may be interchangeable.
Have a 5-gallon can for kerosene oil fitted with a pump. Place this on a homemade truck fitted with casters, so that it can be rolled under a shelf or into the pantry and drawn out again without lifting.
To Clean Lamps. — Collect all the lamps in the house after the chamber work has been done, and place them on a shelf near the oil can, which may be pushed under the kitchen sink. First remove the chimneys and place them near the sink to be washed. Trim the wicks by rubbing the crust from them with the fingers or a piece of stock, as a burnt match. Do not, as a rule, use the scissors, or, if they are necessary, cut off the corners so as to round the wick up to the center instead of cutting straight across. See that the wicks are long enough to reach the bottom of the lamp. Insert a new wick when necessary. Place the lamp on the top of the oil can and fill with a pump. Or, if a 1-gallon can is used, take care that the oil does not spatter the surrounding woodwork and perhaps cause a conflagration. Wipe the lamps clean with a cloth kept for this purpose. Do not leave cloths soaked with kerosene matter together in dark corners, as they may become ignited by spontaneous combustion. Wash the lamps in soap and water; wash and put on the chimneys, and place them on a shelf ready for use.
To Clean Lamp Chimneys. A sponge is the best thing with which to clean lamp chimneys. Select a sponge large enough to fill the biggest part of the chimney inside, thrust a stick into the center of the sponge, and fas ten it with a string, wire, or tacks, dip it into soapsuds, and swab the in side of the glass. Afterwards rinse
with hot water and polish.
To Polish Lamp Chimneys. — Use the small paper bags that contained groceries. Crumple and rub these to gether to soften them. Draw a bag on your hand like a glove, and polish with it. Hold your hand over one end of the chimney and breathe into it at the other end before polishing.
Or save tissue paper for this pur pose.
Or rinse chimneys thoroughly in hot water and stand them on a hot cover of the kitchen range. They will sput ter but will not break, and will dry clear and shining inside and out. If the suds are not rinsed off, however, they will leave stains.
If chimneys are smoked with soot, remove it with a dry cloth covered with salt.
Or soak them in hot water with washing soda, and wash in warm wa ter containing aqua ammonia.
To Clean Globes.—Rough or orna mented glass globes which become smoked or grimed with dust may be placed in a vessel of cold water con taining a tablespoonful of washing soda and brought to a boil. After wards scrub with soap and water, us ing a nailbrush, or with warm water containing ammonia. Rinse in warm or hot water, drain, dry, and polish.
Care of Lamp Chimneys. — Lamp chimneys frequently crack when the lamp is lighted, especially if they are in a cold room. You may know if the chimney is too cold from the fact that steam will gather upon it. When this is the case keep the flame low until the chimney becomes warm enough to dispel the steam, and turn the light up by degrees.
Another cause of broken chimneys is cutting the wicks square across, which leaves a corner to flare to one side. Rub off the crust, or clip the corner so as to round up the wick toward the center.
Care of Burners.—Have at hand a complete set of extra burners. Once a month or so change the burners and boil the soiled one in a solution of sal soda or baking soda until per fectly clean and bright. Afterwards polish with sand soap, bath brick, or pumice.