The Library of Work and Play: HousekeepingGilman, Elizabeth Hale
General
The Library of Work and Play: Housekeeping
Gilman, Elizabeth Hale
Home economics
Dishes are usually washed in the order of greasiness, therefore the
cups and saucers come next after the glass and after these any plates
which are but slightly soiled. These cleaner dishes often need no
rubbing with cloth or brush, but can be lifted out of the water and
placed in a drainer or pan, the cups on their sides, the plates on
edge. Rubbing, however gentle, at last wears off decoration. Dishes
must never lie soaking in the dish-water because this also injures
their decorations. A few of the same kind should be put in the water at
a time, washed and immediately removed. This is the chief preventive of
chipping and breaking, and it also allows room enough in the water for
thorough washing.
The silver is the next thing to wash. If the water has cooled by this
time it should be changed, or if one has to be economical, it can be
partially changed and more soap added. Usually the flat silver can all
be put into the water at once, then washed a few pieces at a time and
laid carefully in a drainer or pan. Some housewives prefer to wipe
the silver, like the glasses, immediately from the dish-water, but as
it has to be washed with soap, there is a good reason for rinsing it.
Larger pieces of silver must be put in like the dishes, a piece or two
at a time, to prevent dents and scratches.
Next wash plates, never allowing small ones and large ones in the water
together, then platters, vegetable dishes, milk pitchers, salad bowl
and gravy boat, putting not more than one or two in the water at a time.
As often as dishwater becomes cool or greasy, change it. This is a
fixed rule for those who have an ample water supply. If however, it is
necessary to be extremely economical with water, it is better to stint
the dishwater than the rinsing water.
There are two extreme ways of rinsing dishes and a middle way. One of
the extremes is to immerse the dishes in a pan of hot water and wipe
them therefrom. This is indeed cleanly but it takes much water and many
towels. The other extreme is to arrange them in a drainer and either
pour scalding water over them or immerse them for a moment in scalding
water and then leave them to dry by their own heat which they do almost
instantly. A zealous housewife finds it hard to believe that this is
as good as wiping, but the smooth, shining dishes which result from it
convince her.
The middle way is to set the dishes in a drainer and pour scalding
water over them as in the other case, but this time to complete the
work by wiping each piece. They are so nearly dry that the wiping is
but a small act, often little more than a keen inspection and a rub for
good measure.
Delicate china must not be rinsed with extremely hot water as a sudden
change of temperature sometimes breaks it as it does glass.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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