The dust will settle while the brasses are being cleaned, and then the
carpet or rug should be brushed over a second time, lightly, and may be
brightened once a month or so by rubbing, a small space at a time, with
a stiff scrubbing brush dipped in ammonia water--two tablespoons of
ammonia to a gallon of water--and then quickly wiping over with a dry
cloth. The chandeliers and gas fixtures should be wiped with a cloth
wrung from weak suds, the globes dusted or washed as required, and a
doubled coarse thread drawn back and forth through the gas tips, if gas
is in use. Registers should be wiped out and dusted every sweeping day
to prevent the accumulation of dust. All woodwork, if painted, is
dusted and then wiped down with a damp cloth; if hardwood, use the
crude oil and turpentine, going into grooves and corners with a skewer,
and rub hard with a second clean flannel. Hardwood floors receive the
same treatment after being swept, and it is a good plan to go over all
the furniture in the same way to preserve the life and fine finish of
the wood, but it is imperative that the wood be rubbed _absolutely dry_.
When the windows have been washed, furniture replaced, and everything
is in apple-pie order in the drawing-room, each of the remaining rooms
is cleaned in like manner, ending with the hall, where each stair is
brushed with a whisk broom into the dust pan, and carpet, walls,
ceiling, and woodwork attended to as in the other rooms. The dusting
cloths and broom bags should go regularly into the weekly wash. It is
far better to do one room complete at a time than to have a whole floor
torn up at once. Just because it is sweeping day is no reason for
turning the family into a whole flock of Noah's doves, with no place
for the soles of their feet. It is very easy to transform black Friday
into good Friday by a little judicious manipulation of the household
helm. The cleaning, in addition to the routine work, is about all
Friday can hold, without crowding. A few anxious thoughts for the
morrow's baking will provide all things necessary to it, so there will
be no delay about commencing it; for--
SATURDAY
Saturday Mrs. Grundy devotes to providing for the wants of the inner
man. The heaviest part of the day's work is the preparation of food
for two or three days. Then the refrigerator must have its second
cleaning, and the pantry, too, probably requires renovating by this
time. Entries must be cleaned, a second tour of inspection of the
cellar made, and the house put in trim for the "day that comes betwixt
a Saturday and Monday."
HOUSE CLEANING
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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