The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1881-06-17
House-cleaning- How to Best Wrestie
with the Carpets.

Carpet-cleaning is always more or less
Of q bugbear and conundrum to ordl-
nary, work-a-day people. Those VINO
can afford to hire professional carpet
litter need no suggestions on the suolect
and they have but little comprehension
of the outlay of strength and panence
required to obtain satisfactory results oy
their poorer but equally cody neighbors.
Outside of cities or towns, it Is often I'M
possible to find any one to do such WORK,
and the burden falls on weary shoulders
which can hardly bear the daily routine
of homework when the time of house
cleaning is yet afar off. Those old
fashioned housekeepers who delight IN
hard work, and who make it for the
pleasure of doing it, likewise need no
suggestions.
In the first place, don't be slave to
homework and tear up carpets because
it is s'house-cleaning time" In your VI
cinity, but wait. until convenient sea-
son''-until the weather, and health
aud work, are most favorable, such days
come sooner or later-and then begin
gently. Some people charge room as
If it were fort, and the noise and DUST
thereof remind one of the accounts OF
battles recorded in the Old Testament.
Ii one pair, OF hands must perform the
usual and extra work as well, 1t IS al
most always best to do the lamp-hlhng,
dish.washing. ETC., at the customary
time. rather than leave them to be done
when one is tired out. After removing
everything movable in the room, oegln
tack-lifting, which need not be long
Job if the tacks have been properly driv-
en-, viz, not quite as far as they will 60.
Then begin at one side and lay each
breadth over on the next one 70 IL, I'll!
the middle of the room is reached, and
then begin at the opposite side OF the
room and proceed in the same way until
both halves can be folded together.
Then begin at each end of the strip and
fold toward the middle until it is small
enough to carry out. When taken up
in this way less dust is raised to be
taken into the lungs and skin of the one
in the room, and the carpet is easier to
handle when out OF doors.
When once out of the house there are
various ways of disposing OF 1t. One
little neighborhood 1 knowAof used to
put all its carpets (rag) into the mill
race for day or two. And certain
hygienic lady who ordered her ingram
carpet to be taken up and cleaned caused
her servant to put it in washtub and
rub it out, much to the poor girls sor-
row and disgust. Thoroughly shaking
and summing carpet is usually enough,
and if it isn't the carpet should either De
steamed by machinery or sold to the
ragman.
Commonly carpets are hung upon a
line and beaten-sometimes with barre!
slaves or boards or poles, which should
never be allowed, as the stiff end, com
bined with the 'ssnap" of the fabric, is
sure to iniure it if it does not make
hole. A carriage whip is very good fol
beating carpets provided one does no
mind the wear on the whip. Peabust
is the best of anything to whip with, a
it can do no harm and covers larg'
surface at once. A much better wa.
than to hang the carpet upon the line
and one quite as easy in the country, j
to prepare good bed of peabush ant
spread the carpet upon it and whip it
The dust falls directly out instead Q
merely dropping few inches: Layln
it upon clean grass and sweeping it 20
both sides) is another very good way t
clean a carpet when one has not tn
strength to hang it up. When the Cal
pet is we'll beaten it should be folde
again and laid in the room so that
shall fit when opened breadth b
breadth.
There are different opinions as
what should be placed under a carp'
to prevent its wearing. Catherln
Beecher recommends straw mating b.
cause it is fiat and the dust Sits throug
it instead of wearing the wrong side
the carpet. She also cautions again
the use of hay, because it wears Il
carpet in spots Besides this it has
most people an unpleasant odor. e
pecially in damp weather. Many pc
ole use newspapers, partly because tn
do away with much hard scrubbing
the floor, and partly because they ma
the floor warmer in winter. This, no
ever, has the disadvantage OF keepil
the dust next to the carpet. Par1
worn m atting with newspapers benea
make an excellent protection for DO
floor and carpet. Paper for this pr
pose can be obtained where carpets
sold. The carpet padding which C
also be had is liable to gather dampn'
and is long in drying if anything
spilled on the carpet.
A good floor of contrasting woods
be put down in any room that has thr
quarter inch thresholds at about
same cost as good carpet, and W
warmish clear water and self-wringl
mop can easily be kept clean, and
plus energy can be worked off by
making, in which is displayed so MI
taste, not to say high art, nevada
In the good time coming when tacl
carpets are as much a thing of the p
as sanded floors are to us, perhaps
descendants will be able to strength
the weak backs and stOmachs bequea
ed to them from the over-taxed pow
of the present generation of hot
keepers. But just as long as the
tom prevails of heavy carpets fit
and nailed into place, so long will
love of cleanliness cause women to
ri6ce their strength-which signi
fealth-to their foors.- Spring.