Cleaning paint in days gone by

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Cleaning paint in days gone by

CLEANING PAINT.
In the spring and fall of the year, paint cleaning will almost surely come the way of the builder. Though not difficult, housewives have often a high, indeed, a well-nigh impossible, standw:d for this kind of work. Some paint washes well; some will not bear alkali. Painted surfaces are often marred, if not ruined, by using strong soda or sugar soap in conjunction with a stiff scrub brush. Flatting and flat wall finishes may suffer from these causes. The old stump distemper brush may not hurt glossy enamel, which will stand rough usage, but even here it is out of place.
One of the best paint cleaners is made by reducing good yellow soap, or, for white work, Castille soap, to a jelly, and adding a teaspoonful of liquid ammonia to each 2 lbs. of soap. For white flatted work a little powdered whiting is an advantage.
To wash a door without leaving unsightly marks or an uneven surface, damp it in with a soft sponge. Take up a little of the jellied soap on a piece of flannel or silk(old silk stockings will do) and rub over the whole door. Work into corners of mouldings with a well-worn No. 10 sash tool. When the whole surface has been carefully rubbed over, using the rubber flat, sponge off with cold water. Wash out corners with a sash tool, and leather the entire surface.
Care should be exercised where there are parquet floors, especially if soda is being used in a pail or paint kettle, or brown unsightly rings, almost impossible of removal, will be found. Some oilcloths will not bear alkali, especially those of a deep blue or green.
Cleaning Other Surfaces.
Wallpaper may be cleaned, sometimes by simple dusting, by rubbing with a dry cloth, or with a large lump of dough.
Water-painted surfaces should be washed from the floor upwards, using lukewarm water. Wet in a whole flank, and while wet, carefully work up spots and other marks, rinse with clean water, and leather dry.
Varnished surfaces will not stand strong ammonia solution. Use a weak soapy solution innocent of ammonia, rinse, and leather dry.
Often french-polished doors in rooms look dirty or are inclined to bloom. They may be washed with warm water and rubbed dry with a chamois leather.
Where the need of a reviver is indicated, equal parts by bulk of raw linseed oil, vinegar, and methylated spirit may be used, applied with a wad of cotton wool, and rubbed off again, being finally polished with a piece of flannel cloth.
Parquet floors which have become rather dirty may be washed with soapy water, rubbed over with fine steel wool, and treated with the polish reviver mentioned.