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8 prevented by painting the walls with a single coat of oil-paint, which, by being light in colour, will give a neat and clean effeet.

WALLS OF ROOMS.

When walls of rooms or staircases are to be painted in oil,let the paint be of the best description. It is not unusual for inferior tradesmen to use whiting, instead of white lead, as a pigment; by this deception, the paint will afterwards scarcely endure washing. Supposing, however, that the paint has been of the best kind, considerable care will be required in cleaning it. The safest and most simple plan is to take a pail of hot water and put into it as much common yellow or soft soap as will raise a lather or froth. Now wash the walls well with a flannel cloth dipped in this water; then wash this soapy water off with clean flannel and clean warm water.Dry with a clean linen cloth. Do all this equally, so as not to leave smears or parts better washed or wiped than others.

PAPER HANGING.

Раper hanging should be first dusted and then cleaned by a stale loaf of bread, with the crumb surface cut smoothly, and gently rubbed, the dirty face of the bread being cut away from time to time. The imitative marble-paper, highly var-nished, may be washed with cold water and soap. PAPIER MACHE, now much used for mouldings and ornaments in rooms, may be cleaned with soap and water.

PICTURE FRAMES.

Picture frames of varnished or French-polished wood may be washed with soap and warm water, and sponge or flannel. Frames which are gilt in the ordinary manner, or "water-gilt," cannot endure washing or rubbing; but if "oil-gilt," they may be washed with cold water and a soft brush.

IVORY.

Ivory may be restored to its original whiteness by cleaning it with a paste of burnt pumice-stone and water, and then placing it under glasses in the sun's rays.

BRASS INITIAL WORK.

This is best cleaned as follows :-Mix tripoli and linseed oil, and dip into it a rubber of hat, with which polish the work. If the wood be ebony or rosewood, polish it with a little finely-powdered elder-ashes; or make a paste of rotten-stone, a little stareh, sweet oil, and oxalie acid, mixed with