Wash the woodwork, drawers, floor, and shelves of all closets
thoroughly with water containing a few drops of carbolic acid--not
enough to burn the hands--and wipe dry. Painted walls which can also
be washed are most desirable; if calcimined, the tinting must be
renewed each year. If furs are to be put away, brush and beat well,
and then comb to remove possible moths or eggs, sprinkle with camphor
gum, wrap in old cotton or linen cloth, then in newspaper, and tie
securely. Moths, not being literary in their tastes, will never enter
therein. All woolens should be put away in the same manner. The
closet is clean and sanitary now, and the main thing is to keep it so.
All garments ought to be thoroughly brushed and aired before hanging
away, particularly in the summer time, with a special application of
energy to the bottoms of street gowns, the microscopic examination of
one of which revealed millions of tubercular germs--not a pleasant
thought, but a salutary one, let us hope.
It seems such a pity that the sun, that great destroyer of bacteria,
cannot shine into our closets; but until the new architect comes to our
rescue with a window, all we can do to sweeten them is to remove the
clothing and air by leaving doors and adjacent windows open for a
couple of hours. An annual disinfecting with sulphur fumes will
destroy all germs of insect life. Use powdered sulphur--it is far more
effective than the sulphur candles which are sold for the same purpose.
Stand an old pie plate or other tin in a pan of water; on it build a
little fire of paper and fine kindling, pour on the powdered sulphur,
and leave to smudge and smoke for twenty-four hours. The closet must
be sealed up as tight as possible, every crack, crevice, and keyhole
being stuffed with newspaper to prevent the fumes from escaping, the
entering door, of course, being sealed after the fumes are started. If
one desires the sealing to be doubly sealed, newspaper strips two
inches wide and pasted together to make several thicknesses, can be
pasted over cracks in doors and windows with a gum-tragacanth solution,
prepared by soaking two tablespoons of the gum in one pint of cold
water for an hour, then placing the bowl in a pan of boiling water, and
stirring till dissolved. This is easily washed off and will not stain
or discolor the woodwork. Although there is an impression to the
contrary, clothing may be left in the closet with entire safety during
the smoking, provided it is well away from the fire. Indeed, clothing
needs purifying as much as closet, and an occasional disinfecting will
help on the good work of sanitation. After the closet is once rid of
moths, tar paper specially prepared for the purpose and tacked on the
walls, is effectual in keeping them away, for they seem to "smell the
battle afar off."
CHAPTER XII
HANGINGS, BRIC-A-BRAC, BOOKS, AND PICTURES
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