Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1885-10-15
DaiIu kfnnebfr juurnal.
How to Sweep a Room.

the title OF tnlS paper, Will Cdst IL oSIuci
thinking it superAuous, exclaiming. "Why
should /, or any person, be taught to
sweep room; 1t is not study. but the
simplest thing in the world to do.
Not so fast my friend, there is always
right and wrong way of doing things; the
purport of this paper is to show the prop
err way, which may take trifle more
time, but which will afford greater salts
sacion in the end. As the parlor is gener'
ally considered the most difficult to sweep,
let us repair there and "begin hostihties''
at once. The latter phrase would be most
appropriate if the sweeping was to be
left to the servant alone, from the war
like sounds that issue from quarters left
to their ministrations. All small, nova
BILE articles, ornaments, bric-a-brac, ETC.,
should be busted and removed from the
room; also the smaller pieces OF furni
ture, chars, small tables and easel, il
there is one, all should be thoroughly
busted to prevent carrying dust into the
hall or room where they are deposited
Then rugs should be taken into the yard
or on the back porch, we'll shaken and left
there until wanted after removing piano
cover, table scarf, mantel lambrequins
and other articles of like nature. shake
every particle of dust from them, fold
them away and proceed to cover the re.
naming furniture, the mirror and pictures
with clean dust cloths. Now if you are
properly arrayed for the occasion, what is
a necessary evil to many persons will
prove pleasure to you; by being
properly arrayed is meant dress
e ;a1 hot xryil1 a
mob cap that completely covers the head
and hands encased in old gloves. Some
persons have mistaken notion about
wearing gloves in sweeping, calling it an
affectaton AS it does not have an i'll effect
on the sweeping ami goes far towards
preserving the hands for other work which
requires smooth hands, the objection does
not seem plausible. But ''rerenons a nos
moutons," after raising windows high
fastening curtains and portieres out of the
way, commence at the corner furthes
from the door, sweeping continuously in
that direction. Do not sweep with one
side of the broom, but change from time
to time, or you will have most disagree
able weapon to handle afterwards, a lop
sided broom 1t is, of course. understood
that you are using good, strong corn
broom. not STeeper; the latter is very
good to use between sweep days, to re
move threads, crumbs or other foreign
substances from the middle of the room
but not much can be thought of house
keeper who uses the sweeper for regular
sweeping; in such cases the corners Of
the room, as well as the sides are never
cleaned. The chief trouble with a sweeper
is that it is apt to foster a habit OF laziness
as to regular sweeping, and the sweeping
when done in that way is never thorough
They should seldom be placed in the
hands of a servant, whose chief aim seems
to be to shirk legitimate duties. But moi
to dgress again, after having carefully
swept all the dirt towards the door in one
heap, gather it into the dust-pan and burn
it. DO not let the pan stand with the dus,
in it alter the sweeping is done; burn
it Immediately, as, il left to stand, il
will blow slowly, imperceptibly, but
surely into your clean room and cause
double trouble. When the dust has set
tied, remove dust cloths, shake, air anC
fold them away till next sweep day. Oh
tain bucket of warm water, therein
pour few drops of ammonia, wiring s
cloth out of this, almost dry. and
on Bonded knee,
As in olden time a devotee,
proceed to wipe the surface of your car
pet. BY doing this, your sweeping will
last twice as long. The cloth SHOULD
never be so wet that the water will drol
from it, rs this would cause dampness
which should, by all means, be avoided
But the carpet,-a moment before wipine
it you were thinking chow dull it looks 8
new one will have to be obtained ere
long" Now, what has caused this trans
formation? Each flower and figure stand:
out clear and bright and with the last rul
YOU will come to the conclusion that the
carpet will last a long time yet. Now le
windows and paints get their weekly at
tention then bring in the furniture, orna
ments. etc. as they were busted before
taken ont, they will require but little at
tention further than placing properly. 1
the size and shape of your room permits
place chairs and ornaments little differ
emily each time you sweep. AS it gives one
who is tied down to home duties. one who
gets but rarely away from home. a sense
of change that can be, situated as she is
obtained in no other way.
When every article is properly placed
what a sense of comfort steals over your
tired aching body as you glance around
fully repaying the labor spent in accom-
plishing all this. Now sink into that cozy
corner chair and glance carefully around
are pictures hanging exactly straight, dc
rugs lie smoothly and where they are
most needed ? All, the pretty little cray.
on which had tipped over slightly as if tc
get better acquainted with its neighbor
you now see and proceed to cut short its
well meant intentions by hanging il
straight, as it was intended to be. After
another deliberate survey you retire with
the consciousness of time well spent.
Apropos OF sweeping, let it be said tina
many costly ornament could be saved il
the mistress of house were to superntenc
the sweeping; if she cared to do nothing
else than dust and remove the lighter
more fragile ornaments. Through tn,
careless handling of servants there i.
scarcely sweeping that does not accom-
plish the destruction of some valued arti
Gle, oftentimes something which canno
be replaced.