The complete servant: Being a practical guide to the peculiar duties and business of all descriptions of servants, from the housekeeper to the servant of all-work, and from the land steward to the foot-boy. With useful receipts and tablesAdams, Samuel, servant
History
The complete servant: Being a practical guide to the peculiar duties and business of all descriptions of servants, from the housekeeper to the servant of all-work, and from the land steward to the foot-boy. With useful receipts and tables
Adams, Samuel, servant
Home economics; Household employees
On the general cleaning days also, which are usually Tuesdays and
Saturdays, every branch of the household work must be thoroughly done,
in the best manner;—the rooms are then to be scoured instead of being
merely wiped or swept;—the carpets are to be well brushed or taken
up to be beaten or shaken;—the stoves and fire-places brightened and
cleaned with particular care;—the marble hearths and chimney-pieces
scoured;—the mahogany furniture and the brass or other ornaments in the
best rooms, and the mirrors and looking-glasses cleaned, with more than
ordinary attention;—the bed-furniture, window-curtains and hangings
well shaken, whisked and brushed: in short, the best practical methods
for thoroughly cleaning the whole house, must be resorted to on that
day.
If the house maid rise in good time, and employ herself busily, she
will get every thing done above stairs in time to clean and make
herself comfortable for dinner, about one o’clock; after which she will
attend to her needle work, under the direction of the housekeeper.
About four, in the winter, the fires in the dressing-rooms are to be
lighted—the slops emptied—clean water supplied, (hot and cold) and
the dressing-rooms again dusted and cleaned, preparatory to the lady
and gentleman dressing for dinner. While the family is at dinner, the
dressing-rooms must be again prepared; and in the evening the shutters
of the bed-rooms and dressing-rooms must be fastened—the curtains let
down—the beds turned down—the fires lighted, and the rooms put into
proper condition for the night. Wages from 12 to 16 guineas a year.
TO CLEAN CARPETS.
First well beat and brush the carpet,—then to a gallon of water add
eight potatoes grated, and with this liquid wash it slightly over
with a sponge, which will not only clean it but restore it to its
original beauty when dry. Or, after it has been well beaten and
brushed, put an ox gall into a pint of water, wash the carpet over on
the right side, and it will have the same effect.
TO SCOUR CARPETS, HEARTH-RUGS, &c.
Rub a piece of soap on every spot of grease or dirt; then take a
hard brush dipped in boiling water, and rub the spots well. If very
dirty, a solution of soap must be put into a tub, with hot water,
and the carpet well beat in it, rinsing it in several clean waters,
and putting in the last water a table-spoonful of oil of vitriol, to
brighten the colours.
TO DUST CARPETS AND FLOORS.
Carpets should not be swept with a whisk-brush more than once a week;
at other times sprinkle tea-leaves on them, and sweep carefully with
a hair-broom, after which they should be gently brushed on the knees
with a clothes’-brush.
TO CLEAN ALL SORTS OF METAL.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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