Kankakee Valley Post, Volume 14, Number 18, DeMotte, Jasper County, 17 March 1944 — FIRST-AID to the AILING HOUSE [ARTICLE]

FIRST-AID to the AILING HOUSE

By ROGER B. WHITMAN

Roger B. Whitman—WNU Features. STORING FURNITURE Question: I intend to move to my sister’s apartment, leaving my furniture and other equipment in the apartment where I am now living. This is on the second floor. The radiators will be drained so that there will be no heat in the apartment./ Will my be safe from the cold during the winter? I am also leaving my living room outfit, rug, radio, gas range, refrigerator, chrome kitchen set and a wardrobe with my husband’s clothes. He is in the army. Answer: Unless the quality of the finish is poor, there is less likelihood of the woodwork of the furniture being damaged by cold than by dampness, which might be harmful. After sponging (without flooding) the woodwork with the thick suds of a mild soap, follow with clean damp cloths, and wipe dry. Polish with a paste wax, applied in very thin coats, each allowed to dry hard before rubbing. Then cover the pieces with heavy paper to keep out the dust. But if the pieces are upholstered in mohair or woolen fabric they should be thoroughly protected from moth damage. You should also moth-proof your rug and your husband’s clothing. Wash the refrigerator thoroughly and wipe all inside surfaces with a solution of bicarbonate of soda, about a tablespoonful in a quart of warm water. The door of the box should be left partly open. All exposed metal parts of the range, refrigerator and the metal furniture should be given a thin coat of vaseline to protect them against corrosion. It might be wise to cover the radio to protect it from dust. If it is a portable unit, place it in a carton. The radio should be kept in a dry place. • • • Cleaning Stone Fireplaces Question: I have an old fashioned granite fireplace, and two others made either of marble or marbleized plastic. Is there any way to clean them? Answer: If the granite is rough (not polished) you can scour it with a paste made of coarse, scouring powder moistened with water and a few drops of ammonia. Rinse thoroughly afterward with clear water. Polished marble or granite can be cleaned by washing with a mild soap and hot water, followed by rinsing with clear water. For cleaning imitation marble use a mild soap and warm w’ater (not hot). • * • Enclosed Porch Question: Can an enclosed porch be insulated adequately so that it will be practical for a bedroom? We should like to use part of it in this way. Our house is a frame building about 30 years old. Answer: Yes, that can be done. But if there is no cellar under the porch, the floor should be very well insulated. With storm sash on the windows, the room should be quite comfortable. The heating of such a room must be considered; • • • Leak in Heating Plant Question: My heating plant has opened a small seam in front about six or eight inches long. Can this be welded successfully without having to replace the entire front? Answer: A welder with a portable welding outfit should be able to repair the leak for you. • • • Crumbling Chimney Brick Question: The common brick at the bottom of our chimney in the basement keeps peeling and chipping off. Can anything be done about this? Answer: It will help to give the bricks a coat or two of cement base paint, which comes as a powder to be mixed with water. Most mason material dealers carry this paint. But it will not harden the bricks throughout; nothing will do that