THE SINK

The sink, unless it is porcelain-lined, should be kept well painted and enameled, white being preferable to any color.  Faucets can be kept bright by rubbing with whiting and alcohol, followed by a vigorous polishing with a bit of flannel.  It surely cannot be necessary to suggest the dangers arising from an untidy sink in which refuse of various kinds—­tea leaves, coffee grounds, vegetable parings, and the like—­is allowed to accumulate.  Unsanitary conditions about the sink not only are unsightly, but attract roaches and breed germs which are a menace to life and health.  The rinsing water from coffee and tea pots and cooking utensils should be poured into the sink strainer, which catches the odds and ends of refuse and keeps them from clogging the drain pipe.  Grease must never be poured into the sink, nor dish nor cleaning cloths used after they are worn enough to shed lint.  Boiling water and ammonia should be poured down the drain pipe once a day, which treatment must be supplemented once a week with a dose of disinfectant—­chloride of lime, copperas, or potash in boiling water.  An occasional inspection by a plumber makes assurance doubly sure that the condition of the drain pipe is as it should be.  All refuse ought to be burned at once or put into a covered garbage can and disposed of as soon as possible.  The can itself must be scalded every day with sal soda water, thoroughly dried, and lined with thick, clean paper.

THE PANTRY

The same treatment accorded the kitchen in decoration and care must be bestowed also upon the pantry, which should be dry and well ventilated.  After a thorough scrubbing with soap and water, with the aid of a dish mop rinse the shelves with boiling water, dry carefully, and cover with plain white paper, using the ornamental shelf paper for the edges.  White table oilcloth makes a good covering, and comes specially prepared with a fancy border for that purpose.  The convenient pantry is equipped with both shelves and drawers, the latter to contain the neatly folded piles of dish, glass, and hand towels, cheesecloth dusters, holders, and cleaning cloths.  There are usually four shelves, the top one being reserved for articles of infrequent use.  On the others are arranged the kitchen dishes, pans, and all utensils which do not hang, together with jars and cans containing food.  Leave nothing in paper bags or boxes to attract insects, soil the shelves, and give a disorderly appearance to an otherwise tidy pantry.  Glass fruit jars are desirable repositories for small dry groceries—­tea, coffee, rice, tapioca, raisins, currants, and the like—­though very dainty and serviceable covered porcelain jars in blue and white are made especially for this purpose, those of medium size costing 25 cents each, the smaller ones less, the larger more.  Jars or cans of japanned tin, designed for like use,