Toilet Recipes.
TO REMOVE FRECKLES.
Bruise and squeeze the juice out of common chick-weed, and to this juice
add three times its quantity of soft water. Bathe the skin with this for
five or ten minutes morning and evening, and wash afterwards with clean
water.
Elder flowers treated and applied exactly in the same manner as above.
When the flowers are not to be had, the distilled water from them, which
may be procured from any druggist, will answer the purpose.
A good freckle lotion is made of honey, one ounce, mixed with one pint
of lukewarm water. Apply when cold.
Carbonate of potassa, twenty grains; milk of almonds, three ounces; oil
of sassafras, three drops. Mix and apply two or three times a day.
One ounce of alcohol; half a dram salts tartar; one dram oil bitter
almonds. Let stand for one day and apply every second day.
FOR PIMPLES ON THE FACE.
Wash the face in a solution composed of one teaspoonful of carbolic acid
to a pint of water. This is an excellent purifying lotion, and may be
used on the most delicate skin. Be careful not to get any of it in the
eyes as it will weaken them.
One tablespoonful of borax to half a pint of water is an excellent
remedy for cutaneous eruptions, canker, ringworm, etc.
Pulverize a piece of alum the size of a walnut, dissolve it in one ounce
of lemon juice, and add one ounce of alcohol. Apply once or twice a day.
Mix two ounces of rose-water with one dram of sulphate of zinc. Wet the
face gently and let it dry. Then touch the affected part with cream.
WASH FOR THE COMPLEXION.
A teaspoonful of the flour of sulphur and a wine-glassful of lime-water,
well shaken and mixed; half a wine-glass of glycerine and a wine-glass
of rose water. Rub it on the face every night before going to bed. Shake
well before using.
Another prescription, used by hunters to keep away the black flies and
mosquitoes, is said to leave the skin very clear and fair, and is as
follows: Mix one spoonful of the best tar in a pint of pure olive oil or
almond oil, by heating the two together in a tin cup set in boiling
water. Stir till completely mixed and smooth, putting in more oil if the
compound is too thick to run easily. Rub this on the face when going to
bed, and lay patches of soft cloth on the cheeks and forehead to keep
the tar from rubbing off. The bed linen must be protected by cloth
folded and thrown over the pillows.
The whites of four eggs boiled in rose-water; half an ounce of alum;
half an ounce of sweet almonds; beat the whole together until it assumes
the consistency of paste. Spread upon a silk or muslin mask, to be worn
at night.
Take a small piece of the gum benzoin and boil it in spirits of wine
till it becomes a rich tincture. In using it pour fifteen drops into a
glass of water, wash the face and hands and allow it to dry.
BORACIC ACID FOR SKIN DISEASES.
Boracic acid has been used with great success as an external application
in the treatment of vegetable parasitic diseases of the skin. A solution
of a dram of the acid to an ounce of water, or as much of the acid as
the water will take up, is found to meet the requirements of the case
satisfactorily. The affected parts should be well bathed in the solution
twice a day and well rubbed.
TO SOFTEN THE SKIN.
Mix half an ounce of glycerine with half an ounce of alcohol, and add
four ounces of rose-water. Shake well together and it is ready for use.
This is a splendid remedy for chapped hands.
REMEDY FOR RINGWORM.
Apply a solution of the root of common narrow-leafed dock, which belongs
to the botanical genus of _Rumex_. Use vinegar for the solvent.
Dissolve a piece of sulphate of potash, the size of a walnut, in one
ounce of water. Apply night and morning for a couple of days, and it
will disappear.
TO REMOVE SUNBURN.
Take two drams of borax, one dram of alum, one dram of camphor, half an
ounce of sugar-candy, and a pound of ox-gall. Mix and stir well for ten
minutes, and stir it three or four times a fortnight. When clear and
transparent, strain through a blotting paper and bottle for use.
TO PREVENT HAIR FALLING OUT.
Ammonia one ounce, rosemary one ounce, cantharides four drams,
rose-water four ounces, glycerine one ounce. First wet the head with
cold water, then apply the mixture, rubbing briskly.
Vinegar of cantharides half an ounce, eau-de-cologne one ounce,
rose-water one ounce. The scalp should be brushed briskly until it
becomes red, and the lotion should then be applied to the roots of the
hair twice a day.
TO BEAUTIFY THE HAIR.
Take two ounces of olive oil, four ounces of good bay rum, and one dram
of the oil of almonds; mix and shake well. This will darken the hair.
HAIR OILS.
Mix two ounces of castor oil with three ounces of alcohol, and add two
ounces of olive oil. Perfume to liking.
TO MAKE POMADES FOR THE HAIR.
Take the marrow out of a beef shank bone, melt it in a vessel placed
over or in boiling water, then strain and scent to liking, with ottar of
roses or other perfume.
Unsalted lard five ounces, olive oil two and a half ounces, castor oil
one-quarter ounce, yellow wax and spermaceti one-quarter ounce. These
ingredients are to be liquified over a warm bath, and when cool, perfume
to liking.
Fresh beef marrow, boiled with a little almond oil or sweet oil, and
scented with ottar of roses or other mild perfume.
A transparent hair pomade is made as follows: Take half a pint of fine
castor oil and an ounce of white wax. Stir until it gets cool enough to
thicken, when perfume may be stirred in; geranium, bergamot or lemon oil
may be used.
GERMAN METHOD OF TREATING THE HAIR.
The women of Germany have remarkably fine and luxuriant hair. The
following is their method of managing it: About once in two or three
weeks, boil for half an hour or more a large handful of bran in a quart
of soft water; strain into a basin, and when tepid, rub into the water a
little white soap. With this wash the head thoroughly, using a soft
linen cloth or towel, thoroughly dividing the hair so as to reach the
roots. Then take the yolk of an egg, slightly beaten in a saucer, and
with the fingers rub it into the roots of the hair. Let it remain a few
minutes, and then wash it off entirely with a cloth dipped in pure
water. Rinse the head well till the yolk of the egg has disappeared from
it, then wipe and rub it dry with a towel, and comb the hair from the
head, parting it with the fingers, then apply some soft pomatum. In
winter it is best to do all this in a warm room.
TO KEEP THE HAIR FROM TURNING GREY.
Take the hulls of butternuts, about four ounces, and infuse in a quart
of water, and to this add half an ounce of copperas. Apply with a soft
brush every two or three days. This preparation is harmless, and is far
better than those dyes made of nitrate of silver.
Oxide of bismuth four drams, spermaceti four drams, pure hog's lard four
ounces. Melt the two last and add the first.
TO CLEANSE THE HAIR AND SCALP.
Beat up a fresh egg and rub it well into the hair, or if more
convenient, rub it into the hair without beating. Rub the egg in until a
lather is formed, occasionally wetting the hands in warm water softened
by borax. By the time a lather is formed, the scalp is clean, then rinse
the egg all out in a basin of warm water, containing a tablespoonful of
powdered borax: after that rinse in a basin of clean water.
HAIR WASH.
Bay rum six ounces, aromatic spirits of ammonia half an ounce, bergamot
oil six drops. Mix.
TO MAKE THE HAIR GROW.
If the head be perfectly bald, nothing will ever cause the hair to grow
again. If the scalp be glossy, and no small hairs are discernible, the
roots or follicles are dead, and can not be resuscitated. However if
small hairs are to be seen, there is hope. Brush well, and bathe the
bald spot three or four times a week with cold, soft water; carbonate of
ammonia one dram, tincture of cantharides four drams, bay rum four
ounces, castor oil two ounces. Mix well and use it every day.
SEA FOAM OR DRY SHAMPOO.
Take a pint of alcohol, half pint of bay rum, and half an ounce of
spirits of ammonia, and one dram of salts tartar. Shake well together
and it is ready for use. Pour a quantity on the head, rub well with the
palm of the hand. It will produce a thick foam, and will cleanse the
scalp. This is used generally by first-class barbers.
BARBER'S SHAMPOO.
To one pint of warm water add half an ounce of salts tartar. Cut up very
fine a piece of castile soap, the size of two crackers, and mix it,
shaking the mixture well, and it is ready for use.
CLEANING GOLD JEWELRY.
Gold ornaments may be kept bright and clean with soap and warm water,
scrubbing them well with a soft nail brush. They may be dried in sawdust
of box-wood. Imitation jewelry may be treated in the same way.
TO LOOSEN STOPPERS OF TOILET BOTTLES.
Let a drop of pure oil flow round the stopper and let the bottle stand a
foot or two from the fire. After a time tap the stopper smartly, but not
too hard, with the handle of a hair brush. If this is not effectual, use
a fresh drop of oil and repeat the process. It is almost sure to
succeed.
TO MAKE BANDOLINE.
Half a pint of water, rectified spirits with an equal quantity of water
three ounces, gum tragacanth one and a half drams. Add perfume, let the
mixture stand for a day or two and then strain.
Simmer an ounce of quince seed in a quart of water for forty minutes,
strain, cool, add a few drops of scent, and bottle, corking tightly.
Iceland moss one-fourth of an ounce, boiled in a quart of water, and a
little rectified spirit added, so that it will keep.
TO MAKE LIP-SALVE.
Melt in a jar placed in a basin of boiling water a quarter of an ounce
each of white wax and spermaceti, flour of benzoin fifteen grains, and
half an ounce of the oil of almonds. Stir till the mixture is cool.
Color red with alkanet root.
TO CLEAN KID BOOTS.
Mix a little white of egg and ink in a bottle, so that the composition
may be well shaken up when required for use. Apply to the kid with a
piece of sponge and rub dry. The best thing to rub dry with is the palm
of the hand. When the kid shows symptoms of cracking, rub in a few drops
of sweet oil. The soles and heels should be polished with common
blacking.
TO CLEAN PATENT-LEATHER BOOTS.
In cleaning patent-leather boots, first remove all the dirt upon them
with a sponge or flannel; then the boot should be rubbed lightly over
with a paste consisting of two spoonfuls of cream and one of linseed
oil, both of which require to be warmed before being mixed. Polish with
a soft cloth.
TO REMOVE STAINS AND SPOTS FROM SILK.
Boil five ounces of soft water and six ounces of powdered alum for a
short time, and pour it into a vessel to cool. Warm it for use, and wash
the stained part with it and leave dry.
Wash the soiled part with ether, and the grease will disappear.
We often find that lemon-juice, vinegar, oil of vitriol and other sharp
corrosives, stain dyed garments. Sometimes, by adding a little pearlash
to a soap-lather and passing the silks through these, the faded color
will be restored. Pearlash and warm water will sometimes do alone, but
it is the most efficacious to use the soap-lather and pearlash together.
TOOTHACHE PREVENTIVE.
Use flower of sulphur as a tooth powder every night, rubbing the teeth
and gums with a rather hard toothbrush. If done after dinner, too, all
the better. It preserves the teeth and does not communicate any smell
whatever to the mouth.
HOW TO WHITEN LINEN.
Stains occasioned by fruit, iron rust and other similar causes may be
removed by applying to the parts injured a weak solution of the chloride
of lime, the cloth having been previously well washed. The parts
subjected to this operation should be subsequently rinsed in soft,
clear, warm water, without soap, and be immediately dried in the sun.
Oxalic acid diluted with water will accomplish the same end.
TO TAKE STAINS OUT OF SILK.
Mix together in a vial two ounces of essence of lemon and one ounce of
oil of turpentine. Grease and other spots in silk must be rubbed gently
with a linen rag dipped in the above composition. To remove acid stains
from silks, apply with a soft rag, spirits of ammonia.
TO REMOVE STAINS FROM WHITE COTTON GOODS.
For mildew, rub in salt and some buttermilk, and expose it to the
influence of a hot sun. Chalk and soap or lemon juice and salt are also
good. As fast as the spots become dry, more should be rubbed on, and the
garment should be kept in the sun until the spots disappear. Some one of
the preceding things will extract most kinds of stains, but a hot sun is
necessary to render any one of them effectual.
Scalding water will remove fruit stains. So also will hartshorn diluted
with warm water, but it will be necessary to apply it several times.
Common salt rubbed on fruit stains before they become dry will extract
them.
Colored cotton goods that have ink spilled on them, should be soaked in
lukewarm sour milk.
TO REMOVE SPOTS OF PITCH OR TAR.
Scrape off all the pitch or tar you can, then saturate the spots with
sweet oil or lard; rub it in well, and let it remain in a warm place for
an hour.
TO EXTRACT PAINT FROM GARMENTS.
Saturate the spot with spirits of turpentine, let it remain a number of
hours, then rub it between the hands; it will crumble away without
injury either to the texture or color of any kind of woolen, cotton or
silk goods.
TO CLEAN SILKS AND RIBBONS.
Take equal quantities of soft lye-soap, alcohol or gin, and molasses.
Put the silk on a clean table without creasing; rub on the mixture with
a flannel cloth. Rinse the silk well in cold, clear water, and hang it
up to dry without wringing. Iron it before it gets dry, on the wrong
side. Silks and ribbons treated in this way will look very nicely.
Camphene will extract grease and clean ribbons without changing the
color of most things. They should be dried in the open air and ironed
when pretty dry.
The water in which pared potatoes have been boiled is very good to wash
black silks in; it stiffens and makes them glossy and black.
Soap-suds answer very well. They should be washed in two suds and not
rinsed in clean water.
REMEDY FOR BURNT KID OR LEATHER SHOES.
If a lady has had the misfortune to put her shoes or slippers too near
the stove, and thus had them burned, she can make them nearly as good as
ever by spreading soft-soap upon them while they are still hot, and
then, when they are cold, washing it off. It softens the leather and
prevents it drawing up.
REMEDY FOR CORNS.
Soak the feet for half an hour two or three nights successively in a
pretty strong solution of common soda. The alkali dissolves the
indurated cuticle and the corn comes away, leaving a little cavity
which, however, soon fills up.
Corns between the toes are generally more painful than others, and are
frequently so situated as to be almost inaccessible to the usual
remedies. They may be cured by wetting them several times a day with
spirits of ammonia.
INFLAMED EYELIDS.
Take a slice of stale bread, cut as thin as possible, toast both sides
well, but do not burn it; when cold soak it in cold water, then put it
between a piece of old linen and apply, changing when it gets warm.
TO MAKE COLD CREAM.
Melt in a jar two ounces of white wax, half an ounce of spermaceti, and
mix with a pint of sweet oil. Add perfume to suit.
Melt together an ounce of white wax, half an ounce of spermaceti, and
mix with a pint of oil of sweet almonds and half a pint of rose-water.
Beat to a paste.
TO MAKE ROSE-WATER.
Take half an ounce of powdered white sugar and two drams of magnesia.
With these mix twelve drops of ottar of roses. Add a quart of water, two
ounces of alcohol, mix in a gradual manner, and filter through blotting
paper.
HOW TO WASH LACES.
Take a quart bottle and cover it over with the leg of a soft, firm
stocking, sew it tightly above and below. Then wind the collar or lace
smoothly around the covered bottle; take a fine needle and thread and
sew very carefully around the outer edge of the collar or lace, catching
every loop fast to the stocking. Then shake the bottle up and down in a
pailful of warm soap-suds, occasionally rubbing the soiled places with a
soft sponge. It must be rinsed well after the same manner in clean
water. When the lace is clean, apply a very weak solution of gum arabic
and stand the bottle in the sunshine to dry. Take off the lace very
carefully when perfectly dry. Instead of ironing, lay it between the
white leaves of a heavy book; or, if you are in a hurry, iron on flannel
between a few thicknesses of fine muslin. Done up in this way, lace
collars will wear longer, stay clean longer, and have a rich, new, lacy
look that they will not have otherwise.
HOW TO DARKEN FADED FALSE HAIR.
The switches, curls and frizzes which fashion demands should be worn,
will fade in course of time; and though they matched the natural hair
perfectly at first, they will finally present a lighter tint. If the
hair is brown this can be remedied. Obtain a yard of dark brown calico.
Boil it until the color has well come out into the water. Then into this
water dip the hair, and take it out and dry it. Repeat the operation
until it shall be of the required depth of shade.
PUTTING AWAY FURS FOR THE SUMMER.
When you are ready to put away furs and woolens, and want to guard
against the depredations of moths, pack them securely in paper flour
sacks and tie them up well. This is better than camphor or tobacco or
snuff scattered among them in chests and drawers. Before putting your
muffs away for the summer, twirl them by the cord at the ends, so that
every hair will straighten. Put them in their boxes and paste a strip of
paper where the lid fits on.
TO KEEP THE HAIR IN CURL.
To keep the hair in curl take a few quince-seed, boil them in water, and
add perfumery if you like; wet the hair with this and it will keep in
curl longer than from the use of any other preparation. It is also good
to keep the hair in place on the forehead on going out in the wind.
PROTECTION AGAINST MOTHS.
Dissolve two ounces of camphor in half a pint each of alcohol and
spirits of turpentine; keep in a stone bottle and shake before using.
Dip blotting paper in the liquid, and place in the box with the articles
to be preserved.
TO TAKE MILDEW OUT OF LINEN.
Wet the linen in soft water, rub it well with white soap, then scrape
some fine chalk to powder, and rub it well into the linen; lay it out
on the grass in the sunshine, watching to keep it damp with soft water.
Repeat the process the next day, and in a few hours the mildew will
entirely disappear.
CURE FOR IN-GROWING NAILS ON TOES.
Take a little tallow and put it into a spoon, and heat it over a lamp
until it becomes very hot; then pour it on the sore or granulation. The
effect will be almost magical. The pain and tenderness will at once be
relieved. The operation causes very little pain if the tallow is
perfectly heated. Perhaps a repetition may be necessary in some cases.
TO REMOVE GREASE-SPOTS FROM WOOLEN CLOTH.
Take one quart of spirits of wine or alcohol, twelve drops of winter
green, one gill of beef-gall and six cents' worth of lavendar. A little
alkanet to color if you wish. Mix.
TO CLEAN WOOLEN CLOTH.
Take equal parts of spirits hartshorn and ether. Ox-gall mixed with it
makes it better.
TO TAKE INK-SPOTS FROM LINEN.
Take a piece of mould candle of the finest kind, melt it, and dip the
spotted part of the linen in the melted tallow: Then throw the linen
into the wash.
TO REMOVE FRUIT-STAINS.
Moisten the parts stained with cold water; then hold it over the smoke
of burning brimstone, and the stain will disappear. This will remove
iron mould also.
CLEANING SILVER.
For cleaning silver, either articles of personal wear or those
pertaining to the toilet-table or dressing-case, there is nothing better
than a spoonful of common whiting, carefully pounded so as to be without
lumps, reduced to a paste with gin.
TO REMOVE GREASE SPOTS.
French chalk is useful for removing grease-spots from clothing. Spots on
silk will sometimes yield if a piece of blotting-paper is placed over
them and the blade of a knife is heated (not too much) and passed over
the paper.
TO REMOVE A TIGHT RING.
When a ring happens to get so tight on a finger that it cannot be
removed, a piece of string, well soaped, may be wound tightly round the
finger, commencing at the end of the finger and continued until the ring
is reached. Then force the end of the twine between the ring and finger,
and as the string is unwound, the ring will be gradually forced off.
MOSQUITOES WARDED OFF.
To ward off mosquitoes, apply to the skin a solution made of fifty drops
of carbolic acid to an ounce of glycerine. Mosquito bites may be
instantly cured by touching them with the solution. Add two or three
drops of the ottar of roses to disguise the smell. The pure, crystalized
form of the acid has a less powerful odor than the common preparation.
LINIMENT FOR THE FACE AFTER SHAVING.
One ounce of lime water, one ounce of sweet oil, one drop oil of roses,
is a good liniment for the face after shaving. Shake well before using.
Apply with the forefinger.
TO REMOVE SUNBURN.
Wash thoroughly with milk of almonds, which can be obtained at the drug
store.
TO WHITEN THE FINGER NAILS.
Take two drams of dilute sulphuric acid, one dram of the tincture of
myrrh, four ounces of spring water, and mix in a bottle. After washing
the hands, dip the fingers in a little of the mixture. Rings with stones
or pearls in them should be removed before using this mixture.
TO REMOVE TAN.
Tan can be removed from the face by dissolving magnesia in soft water.
Beat it to a thick mass, spread it on the face, and let it remain a
minute or two. Then wash off with castile soapsuds and rinse with soft
water.
TO CURE WARTS.
Take a piece of raw beef steeped in vinegar for twenty-four hours, tie
it on the part affected. Apply each night for two weeks.
REMEDY FOR IN-GROWING TOE-NAILS.
The best remedy for in-growing toe-nails is to cut a notch about the
shape of a V in the end of the nail, about one-quarter the width of the
nail from the in-growing side. Cut down as nearly to the quick as
possible, and one-third the length of the nail. The pressure of the boot
or shoe will tend to close the opening you have made in the nail, and
this soon affords relief. Allow the in-growing portion of the nail to
grow without cutting it, until it gets beyond the flesh.
TO REMOVE WRINKLES.
Melt one ounce of white wax, add two ounces of juice of lily-bulbs, two
ounces of honey, two drams of rose-water, and a drop or two of ottar of
roses. Use it twice a day.
Put powder of best myrrh upon an iron plate sufficiently hot to melt the
gum gently, and when it liquefies, cover over your head with a napkin,
and hold your face over the fumes at a distance that will cause you no
inconvenience. If it produces headache, discontinue its use.
In washing, use warm instead of cold water.
REMEDY FOR CHAPPED HANDS.
After washing with soap, rinse the hands in fresh water and dry them
thoroughly, by applying Indian meal or rice flour.
Lemon-juice three ounces, white wine vinegar three ounces, and white
brandy half a pint.
Add ten drops of carbolic acid to one ounce of glycerine, and apply
freely at night.
TO CURE CHILBLAINS.
Two tablespoonfuls of lime water mixed with enough sweet oil to make it
as thick as lard. Rub the chilblains with the mixture and dry it in,
then wrap up in linen.
Bathe the chilblains in strong alum water, as hot as it can be borne.
When indications of the chilblains first present themselves, take
vinegar three ounces and camphorated spirits of wine one ounce; mix and
rub on the parts affected.
Bathe the feet in warm water, in which two or three handsful of common
salt have been dissolved.
Rub with a raw onion dipped in salt.
HAIR RESTORATIVE.
The oil of mace one-half ounce, mixed with a pint of deodorized alcohol,
is a powerful stimulant for the hair. To apply it, pour a spoonful or
two into a saucer, dip a stiff brush into it and brush the hair and head
smartly.
On bald heads, if hair will start at all, it may be stimulated by
friction with a piece of flannel till the skin becomes red. Repeat this
process three times a day, until the hair begins to grow, when the
tincture may be applied but once a day, till the growth is well
established. The head should be bathed in cold water every morning, and
briskly brushed to bring the blood to the surface.
WASH FOR THE TEETH.
Dissolve two ounces of borax in three pints of warm water. Before the
water is quite cold, add one teaspoonful of spirits of camphor. Bottle
the mixture for use. One wine-glass of the mixture, added to half a pint
of tepid water, is sufficient for each application. This solution used
daily, beautifies and preserves the teeth.
FOE WHITENING THE HANDS.
A wine-glass of cologne and one of lemon-juice strained clear. Scrape
two cakes of brown Windsor soap to a powder and mix well in a mould.
When hard, it is fit for use, and will be found excellent for whitening
the hands.
Wear during the night, large cloth mittens filled with wet bran or
oatmeal, and tied closely at the wrist. Persons who have a great deal of
house-work to do, may keep their hands soft and white by wearing bran or
oatmeal mittens.
TO REDUCE THE FLESH.
A strong decoction of sassafras, drank frequently, will reduce the flesh
as rapidly as any remedy known. A strong infusion is made at the rate of
an ounce of sassafras to a quart of water. Boil it half an hour very
slowly, and let it stand till cold, heating again if desired. Keep it
from the air.
SMOOTH AND SOFT HANDS.
A few drops of glycerine thoroughly rubbed over the hands, after washing
them, will keep them smooth and soft.
TO MAKE TINCTURE OF ROSES.
Take the leaves of the common rose and place, without pressing them, in
a glass bottle, then pour some spirits of wine on them, close the bottle
and let it stand till required for use. Its perfume is nearly equal to
that of ottar of roses.
SOFT CORNS.
A weak solution of carbolic acid will heal soft corns between the toes.
BURNED EYEBROWS.
Five grains sulphate of quinine dissolved in an ounce of alcohol, will,
if applied, cause eyebrows to grow when burned off by the fire.
TO RESTORE GRAY HAIR.
A recipe for restoring gray hair to its natural color, said to be very
effective when the hair is changing color, is as follows: One pint of
water, one ounce tincture of acetate of iron, half an ounce of
glycerine, and five grains sulphuret potassium. Mix and let the bottle
stand open until the smell of the potassium has disappeared, then add a
few drops of ottar of roses. Rub a little into the hair daily, and it
will restore its color and benefit the health.
Bathing the head in a strong solution of rock salt, is said to restore
gray hair in some cases. Make the solution two heaping tablespoonfuls of
salt to a quart of boiling water, and let it stand until cold before
using.
A solution made of a tablespoonful of carbonate of ammonia to a quart of
water is also recommended, wash the head thoroughly with the solution
and brush the hair while wet.
TO TAKE STAINS OUT OF SILKS.
Make a solution of two ounces of essence of lemon, and one ounce oil of
turpentine. Rub the silk gently with linen cloth, dipped in the
solution.
To remove acid stains from silk, apply spirits of ammonia with a soft
rag.
TO TAKE INK-SPOTS FROM LINEN.
Dip the spotted part of the linen in clean, pure melted tallow, before
being washed.
TO REMOVE DISCOLORATION BY BRUISING.
Apply to the bruise a cloth wrung out of very hot water, and renew
frequently until the pain ceases.
TO CLEAN KID GLOVES.
Make a solution of one quart of distilled benzine with one-fourth of an
ounce of carbonate of ammonia, one-fourth of an ounce of fluid
chloroform, one-fourth of an ounce of sulphuric ether. Pour a small
quantity into a saucer, put on the gloves, and wash, as if washing the
hands, changing the solution until the gloves are clean. Rub them clean
and as dry as possible with a clean dry cloth, and take them off and
hang them where there is a good current of air to dry. This solution is
also excellent for cleaning ribbons, silks, etc., and is perfectly
harmless to the most delicate tints. Do not get near the fire when
using, as the benzine is very inflammable.
Washing the gloves in turpentine, the same as above, is also a good
means of cleaning them.
PERSPIRATION.
To remove the unpleasant odor produced by perspiration, put two
tablespoonfuls of the compound spirit of ammonia in a basin of water,
and use it for bathing. It leaves the skin clear, sweet and fresh as one
could wish. It is perfectly harmless, very cheap, and is recommended on
the authority of an experienced physician.
TO REMOVE FLESH WORMS.
Flesh worms, or little black specks, which appear on the nose, may be
removed by washing in warm water, drying with a towel, and applying a
wash of cologne and liquor of potash, made of three ounces of the
former to one ounce of the latter.
CHAPPED LIPS.
Oil of roses four ounces, white wax one ounce, spermaceti half an ounce;
melt in a glass vessel, stirring with a wooden spoon, and pour into a
china or glass cup.
RECIPES FOR THE CARE OF THE TEETH.
A remedy for unsound gums, is a gargle made of one ounce of coarsely
powdered Peruvian bark steeped in half a pint of brandy for two weeks.
Put a teaspoonful of this into a tablespoonful of water, and gargle the
mouth twice a day.
The ashes of stale bread, thoroughly burned, is said to make a good
dentifrice.
The teeth should be carefully brushed after every meal, as a means of
preserving a sweet breath. In addition, a small piece of licorice may be
dissolved in the mouth, which corrects the effects of indigestion.
Licorice has no smell, but simply corrects ill-flavored odor.
A good way to clean teeth is to dip the brush in water, rub it over
white castile soap, then dip it in prepared chalk, and brush the teeth
briskly.
To beautify the teeth, dissolve two ounces of borax in three pints of
boiling water, and before it is cold, add one teaspoonful of spirits of
camphor; bottle for use. Use a teaspoonful of this with an equal
quantity of warm water.
TO MAKE COLD CREAM.
Five ounces oil of sweet almonds, three ounces spermaceti, half an ounce
of white wax, and three to five drops ottar of roses. Melt together in a
shallow dish over hot water. Strain through a piece of muslin when
melted, and as it begins to cool, beat it with a silver spoon until cold
and snowy white. For the hair use seven ounces of oil of almonds instead
of five.
REMEDY FOR BLACK TEETH.
Take equal parts of cream of tartar and salt, pulverize it and mix it
well. Wash the teeth in the morning and rub them well with the powder.
TO CLEANSE THE TEETH AND GUMS.
Take an ounce of myrrh in fine powder, two tablespoonfuls of honey, and
a little green sage in very fine powder; mix them well together, and wet
the teeth and gums with a little, twice a day.
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