The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-10-08
REPAlRrxG THEHoUsEP ron WINTER
General Advice ~ TO Carpets, Mating
and 10 the Health Of The ITouse.

General Advice NJ 10 Carpets, MattInh
and to the Health Of the House..
Just now, in the first half Of October
the careful housekeepercommences opera
tons for the coming winter. 1t is abou
time to replace the carpets on the floors
Thequestion OF the removal OF the mattins
seems to have been decided in favor O
leaving the mating in place and spread
ing the winter covering on top OF It
Some preparations have been offered by
upholsterers, which, when applied to mat
ting, are guaranteed TO restore It's color
Such solutions, generally containing Iii.
tie soda or bleaching salts, should be used
with great caution. Generally, results ial
from satisfactory have been obtained BY
such compounds. The vegetable charac.
ter OF the straw or grass seems TO yary
and while some Of the strands az
improved In color, other portions
OF the mating take decided yellow
stain. That moisture will rot the
threads which hold the mating together 4
very positive. The best thing 10 do, then,
is to have the mating carefully brushed
and all dust and grit removed. A .little
moistened bran or Indian meal strewu
over mating, and then brushed of, helpg
exceedingly the renovating process. In
spreading the carpet over the mating,
care should be taken to find out any de.
pressions in the mating which invariably
arise where heavy piece oil furniture i a.
been pressing in the yielding surface. n
carpet be placed directly over these
places, in process Of time the carpet will
show worn spots. It is not for this rea.
son; but to preserve both the carpet and
the mating, that paper should be inyari.
ably placed between the two extra pieces.
being but where such depressions as mem.
toned above are found. Newspapers
answer very well, but thick brown paper
is better, though there is apeculiar felted
paper, sold for this purpose, which has
great advantages. Though carpets NAV
have been well beaten in the
spring before they have been pnt
away, they should be examined
with care. They are certain Kinds Of
moths, not the common ones, which ara
exceedingly difficult TO get I'D Of. their
eggs being so small as to escape detection.
A good brushing before the carpets are
laid down ts an excellent preventive
against possible inroads Of the moth. The
question Is frequently asked OF carpet.
dealers as to the action Of furnace heat on
the carpet, having reference, of course. TO
that exact portion Of the floor.coyering in
proximity with the register. It ia very
certain that in time the constant flow Of
heated air takes out certain colors and de.
stroys the texture, for il becomes pliable
and losses Its life. A bit Of carpet near a
register, alter q few years' service. becomes
limp and rotten. The modern fashion Of
not having the carpet extend to the yeFy
wainseot Is an excellent one, as the chance
OF spelling portions Of the carpet from reg.
listers Is no longer possible.
The excess Of Summer clothing now
being no longer wanted, should be rough.
dried, not starched, and having been
slightly blued, ii OF white material, put
away for next season. Care should be
exercised as to the closets or trunks where
such clothing is TO be placed. A peculiar
ity OF mice is, that they are more preda.
cious In Winter than in Summer, and
from the fact that their food Is harder to
procure in Winter, II they have chance
to nibble in any material which contains
an excess OF starch, they will be found to
have made terrible havoc with such gar.
ments as have had little judgment taken
with them as TO their storage. lis an ex-
ceedingly nice habit English people have
OF putting lavender sprigs or some sweet
smelling herbs with linens and cottons
when not in use.
There is no season Of the year, not even
In the heat OF summer, when greater pre-.
cautions are necessary than during this
month, in regard to the hygiene OF the
house. It is not that the direct rays oil
the sun carry more heat with them. but
that they exercise peculiar chemical &C.
ton. Just now, too, there is in this lati.
tude an excess OF moisture, and this and
heat are the great elements necessary fol-
decomposition. Perhaps, II properly con.
sidered, in the very hottest weather, when
the poison OF malarious character is com.
menced, It is rapidly carried through its
whole course, and then resolving itself in.
to its peculiar gaseous elements Is in a
measure dissipated. In September, and
especially in October during the last warm
days, these mephitic taints about house
are slower in coming to head, and are
then all the more constant, as they are
latent. Such advice as was given in the
spring as to the careful policing Of the
house should just now be more carefully
attended to than ever. A plentiful use 81
sulphate OF iron in solution "a pound in a
gallon OF water) il poured into each sink
in the house, would be found to be most
beneficial, for by this very simple method
all the albuminoids, which in decompos.
ing give forth the bad odors and poison.
Gus gases, are, as 1t were, coagulated and
rendered innocuous. So many OF those
dreadful typhoidal diseases and intermit,
tent levers might be prevented by using
some slight precautions, that 1t Is botf
reckless and needless to omit them. Com.
pulsory sanitary enactments undertaken
by city are as nothing when compared
with that intelligent private supervisor
which should be exercised in caring FOL
the condition Of the houses we live in.
Bible Riddle, or the wonderfuI Prophet
Edition. IntelliEenear
He is not Noah, nor Noah's son, nor
Levite, nor John the Baptist, nor yet tn,