The Library of Work and Play: HousekeepingGilman, Elizabeth Hale
General
The Library of Work and Play: Housekeeping
Gilman, Elizabeth Hale
Home economics
_Washstands._--For this work one needs a pail for waste water and a
newspaper or some such thing for it to stand on; two cloths; a stiff
brush; and some sort of soap or powder which has been found good
for cleansing toilet china. Borax, ammonia and yellow soap are old
standbys for this purpose. Where there is not running water, one must
add to these a pail of water for rinsing. Many people think that the
water for this purpose must be hot, but I have found that hot water
tends to roughen and crack the glaze of toilet china, and to incline
the articles used for waste water to give off an odour. When water is
left in the pitchers it is well to use it for rinsing as this lessens
the amount of water to be carried, and insures that the water in the
pitchers is fresh each day.
Empty all the waste water into the pail brought for it. Pour a little
clean water into each thing emptied. Do not use all the clean water
for this first rinsing. With one of the cloths wipe the objects on
the washstand which have not been wet; rinse, and with this same
cloth dry the tooth mug, soap dish, pitchers and bowl. If one of the
pitchers contains water you need, attend to it after the other china
is finished. Wash the slop jar and chamber with the cleaning substance
or soap and the stiff brush. Rinse them with the remaining clean water
and dry them with the _other_ cloth. Never use for these articles the
cloth which in the next room will be needed for the cleaner china. To
have the two cloths of different materials helps the worker to remember
this. Fill the pitchers with fresh water, carry away soiled towels,
neatly spread or fold once used ones which are to be retained, and
leave everything in its place.
The daily care of a stationary basin consists merely in washing or
dusting the objects on the edge of the basin or on shelves over it,
washing and drying the basin and the frame which holds it, and wiping
dust from the pipes and fixtures underneath.
Whether the care of washstands is difficult or easy depends on the
water used, and on whether the work is done nicely every day. In
spite of daily care, very hard water will encrust the china. These
encrustations can usually be removed after they have been soaked with
vinegar for a few hours.
_Bed Making._--Making a bed is an art worth knowing, it gives such
comfort.
If the spring or other parts of the bedstead need dusting, that should
be done first, then the mattress replaced. This should be turned each
day, sometimes from end to end, sometimes from side to side, and given
as many thumps and punches as are needed to make it level and even with
the springs.
If a pad or cover of any kind is needed over the mattress, that is put
on first and spread very smoothly, or, if wide enough, it is drawn very
tightly and tucked under the mattress.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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