Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1877-11-03
Autumnai House Cleaning.

!
Nnen the melancholy days, whIcI som
speak Of ss tnc saddest days of the year.
bring the semi annul mouse cleaning before
Tie mind as something inevitable, mat can
lot be longer pushed Out of Slgut or ignored,
We are happy 10 say that tnere are some
women who can meet 1t pate AMI do not
allow themselves 10 become lrr,labis or dis
agreeable while doing, or overseeing, lntS
lit ces>ary work.
No woman, we imagine, looks upon this
part OF domestic economy with any very
joyful emotions, but accepts IL AS q duty to
he performed without grumbling. But yOI
ar, Indeed, foolish OF very inexperienced
ii you xpecJ AUS band, son or brother to en-
dure this, although they are only lockers on
In silence. House cleaning seems every
where To be the Gefe NOR OF their lives. Tnis
one Important AMI ne ;1Ssary part of house
hold laoUr mdKes the sovereign ne al of the
house miserable. IL l. for him an evil which
he anticipates with dread, anu when IS co mes
eidures without the 1aintest sembIance OF
patience.
But considering the way that house clean
II z Is often managed, we are nOJ a. all sur
prlsed that in inaDy C tseS IL should be "A ter
iOr 10 gentlemen. The mOneut the work be-
gins. farewell TO all hope OF any home com
tort uLI1l the great un IertakIng is fully ac-
compl shed. The house, from cellar to attic
Is thoroughly dlsoTgauize d AMI thrown mo
conlUs. on. cOInIur, aole meal Is not 10 be
thought Of, nor a comfortable nights rest: or
II decent bed can b. at last secured the y Dor
man must Ind II under great diff "a Ties.
Stumbling over buc leJ, tripping over a
! mop Or stepping on q tack.
ShlveTlDg Oh The bare uJor while ne careful
ly cTvtps about TO find match Lh 81 he may
/ throw some light on Ms surroundings.
Now, under such adverse circumstances,
We think We II, uld have Ve-y uJtte Iv>p ecl
Tor a man who would sGbnlt patiently 20
have his house sucn scene OF dI-Orier ani
discomfort a. we have Known a house TO bs
made when ''the dIea .fuI house cleaning" )
in progress. We do know Juat IL is not Zee ~
sary SO 10 dlsOrganIZs a hone. Ii IS folly 20
bring IN a troop of women 10 aid or pretend
to aid In doing This Work, aud send them 10
4 swarm like Tie flies OF Egypt from Cell tr TO
attic, unsettling every room as the first step.
HOusekeepers can arrange his work sys EN-
atIcally as easily as any other part of the la
Dor that comes under their jurisdiction. and
should be able 10 understand that the least
laoOrious mode of accomplishing this item
OF their duties is that shicn Causes the least
disturbance in their families.
IL is Lot necessary that many should be
employed. With the aid that every mistress
should give her servants. if she has any, to
about the house, no strange help need be en-
plOyed. By taking only one or two rooms
at once Two women that understand the
house VIII work more expeditiously and ef.
feciiyely than half dozen strangers; and
after trying this easy, quiet way of work
once any one will be convinced that hOlse-
cleaning can be shOrn OF half its terrors. One
or two carpets can be well shaken and
cleansed by man or at a factory wliie the
girls are cleaning the room. If not able to
put them down the same day q few rugs or
there on the floor Can give the room An air OF
comfort II the work is thus done, one or
two rooms day quietly, without haste,
noise or want of method, there need be no
great discomfort 10 any one In having a
house thoroughly cleaned from top to bot
tom, and after one or two experiments of
this kind IL will be surprise to see how
quickly as Well a. quietly this great bug
bear has been disposed of.
To be sure there are many cases where
most, If Lot all, OF the family are absent Tor
vacation or business al the tins for house
cleaning. Then II Is quite desirable thai the
mistress should return, II possible, aud Sc
cure rs many good workers as can WORK To
advantage, take up ali the carpets al once,
and while they are being cleaned proceed
with the cleaning in q most vigorous mau-
ner. With mal TO clean Out the cellar
4 while the carpets are being lifted aud Def re
I any cleaning is attempted, three or four
women could clean "A large house in a very
/ short time, and thus the whole house reiuve-
| ated without disturbance or annoyance to
I any member of the family save the mistress
/ and If she has secured good assistance the
/ work of supervision which Will fall to her
| share need not be severe; and having none
/ of The family around To interrupt or disar
/ range she Will find 80 much TO satisfy as TO
| have little room for annoyance.
| This mode of cleaning house is the best OF
| all If IL can be effected without incOnyen-
I fence.