Brush down the walls, carefully dust the
picture frames, and then begin your sweep-
ing. Use a whisk to rid the corners and
the edges of the carpet of dust, then gently,
but with a stead}^ stroke, sweep all the dirt
into the middle of the room, and take it up
in a dustpan. Repeat this operation to se-
cure any dust that may have blown back.
Should the carpet be very dusty, moist tea
leaves or Indian meal, scattered over the
floor before beginning to sweep, will gather
up most of the fine dust and prevent its
rising and settling on the walls, etc. It
freshens and cleans a carpet wonderfully to
wipe it thoroughly with a woolen cloth
wrung out of water mixed with household
ammonia.
Ink stains in the carpet may be removed
with salt. If they have dried, slightly
moisten the salt with water, scatter it over
the stains, and keep gently brushing it back
and forth until it is quite black, substitute
more salt, and so continue until all the ink
is drawn out of the carpet and absorbed by
the salt. If the ink is freshly spilled, you
need not dampen your salt.
Should your window panes need wash-
ing in freezingly cold weather, it is best to
do it with a soft cloth dipped in alcohol ;
at other times a little whiting dissolved in
the water adds to the brilliant transparency
of the glass. In all cases polish with old
newspapers. Having attended to your win-
dows, carefully dust again the walls, pic-
tures, gas-fixtures, and all cornices and
moldings ; draw down your shades, unpin
and drape your curtains ; fold up the dust
sheets so as to gather up all the dust that
has settled on them, and carry them from
the room, which is ready now to be put in
order.
If you burn lamps, keep them scrupu-
lously clean. Wicks soaked in strong vin-
egar and dried before being used, will not
smoke. Two or three times a year the part
of the lamp containing the wick should be
boiled in water in which washing soda has
been dissolved ; this will improve the quality
of the light and obviate the danger of an
explosion.
43^
Nickel-plated lamps must never be
washed with soap, as this spoils the polish
and makes them look like pewter. Wipe
them, instead, with a soft cloth dipped in
vinegar. Lamps are more satisfactory when
attended to every day.
Cleanliness About the House.
It is very important that beds are prop-
erly aired every day. The most effectual
way to do this is to throw the clothes over
a chair, and lift the mattress partly over the
footboard. If a feather bed is used, pull it
off upon a chair. Then open the windows
and door so that a current of air can pass
through the room, and let it remain so for
several hours. Beds thus aired are always
healthful, and will induce sound sleep in
their occupants. Each member of the
family should be taught to do this daily,
boys as well as girls. They will reap the
benefit of it through their lives, and be
sure to have their children trained in the
same way.
A bed that is aired only occasionally
will contract impurities from the body and
cannot be fresh and sweet. Some persons
hang the pillows out of the window, and
this is an excellent plan if the dust is first
brushed off the sill.
Page 83
Presented as published in 1901. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
Brush down the walls, carefully dust the picture frames, and then begin your sweeping. Use a whisk to rid the corners and the edges of the carpet of dust, then gently, but with a steady stroke, sweep all the dirt into the middle of the room, and take it up in a dustpan. Repeat this operation to secure any dust that may have blown back. Should the carpet be very dusty, moist tea leaves or Indian meal, scattered over the floor before beginning to sweep, will gather up most of the fine dust and prevent its rising and settling on the walls, etc. It freshens and cleans a carpet wonderfully to wipe it thoroughly with a woolen cloth wrung out of water mixed with household ammonia.
Ink stains in the carpet may be removed with salt. If they have dried, slightly moisten the salt with water, scatter it over the stains, and keep gently brushing it back and forth until it is quite black, substitute more salt, and so continue until all the ink is drawn out of the carpet and absorbed by the salt. If the ink is freshly spilled, you need not dampen your salt.
Should your window panes need washing in freezingly cold weather, it is best to do it with a soft cloth dipped in alcohol ; at other times a little whiting dissolved in the water adds to the brilliant transparency of the glass. In all cases polish with old newspapers. Having attended to your windows, carefully dust again the walls, pictures, gas-fixtures, and all cornices and moldings ; draw down your shades, unpin and drape your curtains ; fold up the dust sheets so as to gather up all the dust that has settled on them, and carry them from the room, which is ready now to be put in order.
If you burn lamps, keep them scrupulously clean. Wicks soaked in strong vinegar and dried before being used, will not smoke. Two or three times a year the part of the lamp containing the wick should be boiled in water in which washing soda has been dissolved ; this will improve the quality of the light and obviate the danger of an explosion.
43^
Nickel-plated lamps must never be washed with soap, as this spoils the polish and makes them look like pewter. Wipe them, instead, with a soft cloth dipped in vinegar. Lamps are more satisfactory when attended to every day.
Cleanliness About the House.
It is very important that beds are properly aired every day. The most effectual way to do this is to throw the clothes over a chair, and lift the mattress partly over the footboard. If a feather bed is used, pull it off upon a chair. Then open the windows and door so that a current of air can pass through the room, and let it remain so for several hours. Beds thus aired are always healthful, and will induce sound sleep in their occupants. Each member of the family should be taught to do this daily, boys as well as girls. They will reap the benefit of it through their lives, and be sure to have their children trained in the same way.
A bed that is aired only occasionally will contract impurities from the body and cannot be fresh and sweet. Some persons hang the pillows out of the window, and this is an excellent plan if the dust is first brushed off the sill.