The Library of Work and Play: HousekeepingGilman, Elizabeth Hale
General
The Library of Work and Play: Housekeeping
Gilman, Elizabeth Hale
Home economics
If there are rugs in the bathroom, they should be washed as soon as
they show need. No rug which cannot be washed should be allowed in an
ordinary bathroom.
Many people recommend flushing waste-pipes now and then with a strong
hot solution of washing soda. The overflow pipes should be included in
this performance. Good, new plumbing, however can probably be spared
treatment of this sort.
[Illustration: Photograph by Helen W. Cooke
Air, Sun, and Water]
Bedrooms are cleaned every week or every fortnight in the same way that
other rooms are. They are apt, however, to contain closets and these
require some special care.
_Closets._--When a room is being prepared for cleaning, the floor
and baseboards of the closet should be wiped with a dry mop or
cloth--anything which will not make a dust--and the door tightly
closed. Once in a while, before the cleaning of the room if there
is time, if not, on some other day, the clothing should be removed
from the closet, the walls wiped, and everything washed which can
be,--hooks, wire hangers, the rods on which these hang, shelves and
floor should be washed with water in which has been put a generous
quantity of ammonia, borax or boracic acid. These things are not liked
by the various small insects which annoy housewives. They also help to
prevent mustiness and "close" odours. After the washing, everything
should be carefully wiped dry, and as much light and air let into the
closet as possible. The contents should not be put in again until
this drying and airing is finished. Do not wash closets on a rainy or
humid day. If they have a musty or unpleasant odour, a few drops of
oil of lavender put on a shelf or on the floor will help to remove it.
A little chloride of lime, poured into a saucer and set on the floor
of the closet, will also remove odours. Little bags of lavender or
rose-geranium leaves laid on closet shelves add much to the daintiness
and freshness of the clothes kept there. The shelves should be covered
with white paper cut, not folded, to fit the shelf. Folds afford
harbourage for insects. Floors should be left without covering of any
sort. Ideally, they are of hard wood like the floor of the room.
Clothes get more air, and are less creased and rumpled if they are hung
on hangers suspended on a pole or wire, than when they are hung one
piece on top of another on hooks fastened into the wall. Even in a wall
closet, not more than ten inches deep, one gains space by stretching a
strong wire from opposite hooks, and putting hangers on this. Four or
five waists or dresses will hang without crushing on such a ten-inch
wire. A closet with a shelf in it offers better hanging-space if hooks
are put at intervals into the under side of the shelf. A hook like two
J's, back to back, is made especially for this purpose.
* * * * *
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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