The Somerset reporter., 1890-11-13
Farm, GARDEN AND
HOUSEHOLD.
ommon sense in housekeeping,

ommon sense In Housekeeping.
1t is strange how little thought is given
t ; every day affairs OF housekeeping. We
ften hear the exclamation, IL never
thought of that when some easier or bet
ter way of doing has been suggested. So
much time and strength are wasted for
want OF a hetle common sense. woman
will run fifty times to the roller towel, or
Of she be not neat will wipe her hands
On hlr apron, while preparing single
meal; will run around frantically exclaim
ing, Where did put that oven cloth,
and finally perhaps take dish towel,
which she scorches or blackens in lifting
| he pot OF the stove, or else she uses the
| wet dishCluth and her fingers are scalded
with the steam driven into them by the
hot handle, whereas, all this could be
saved by using a little common sense.
Mrs. Ruskin had three buttons sewed
| on her apron belts, one in front and one
on each side. To the front button she
suspended a holder by tape. with but
ton hole in the end; on one side she hung
the. oven cloth which had loop on one
| corner, ON the other she buttoned short
| handtowel.
| Common-sense helps along wonderful
ly in washing dishes, and the right way Is
always the easiest way; yet | have seen
| people who call themselves good house
Keepers, forget to I'LL the kettle until just
as they want to use it, forget to replenish
the fire until they are amazed to find 1t
dead. When at last the water is hot, the
dishes are piled up heller SHELTER into the
dish pan; glass, silver, plates, just as they
| ~ "a toll
| rinsed; the hot water poured over them
all alike, then cold water added to reduce
the temperature. A great bar of soap is
then allowed to float around, and If it adj
hears to the dishes 1t may be wiped Off
may be not The dishes are now washed
hap-hazzard, just as they come, and put
to drain on large waiter, or more than
| likely on the bare table, whence little
| riyulets run to the floor When all are
washed, the towel is used, and as the
dishes are cold by this time it takes long
| time to dry them, the towel gets satura
| ted and you can imagine how the dishes
| look. Half the time the wet towel is left
| lying in heap, dish cloth ditto, until
they are forgotten because they are going
to be washed by and by.
| How much less work would 1t be with
the dshpan half full of very hot water,
| slightly soapy and good mop, begin
| FIRST with the tumblers, wipe each one
right out of the hot suds, with soft
linen towel See how 1t shines, how clear
1t is! The silver next; it will need no
rinsing; indeed vigorous rubbing with
a soft toweD right out of the soapy water
VIII keep 1t 30 highly polished that neither
| prepared chalk nor electroslllicon will be
Ieeded for long, long time, Now wash
II. ,fN
the rinsing-pan; which must be half full
of boiling water, to stay while you wash
The pitchers; then drain the cups and
saucers, put the pitchers in the rinsng-
pan and pile OF plates In the soapy wa
ter, letting them remain while you wipe
The cups, which coming out of the hot
water have dried oil great deal. SO con-
Linue until all are done, cooking utensils
aud all. Now scrub the dishpan, soapcup,
drainer and sink. Take the rinsng water
add a few drops Of ammonia and with a
little soap wash the dish-towel, mop and
dishcloth, scald them, rinse well in cold
water and hang them out, wipe the dish
pans ard put away the dishes before you
sweep and dust the kitchen. This is the
comuIUn-sense way of washing dishes.
When washing knives and forks do not
put the handles in the water, wash and
wipe the IN Immediately. When you have
done with cooking utensil don't leave
1t dry; I'll 1t with water and set 1t on the
back p@it OF the range until you are ready
TO wash in, 1t will be SO much easier to
wash. III 1t Is greasy wipe 1t out first
with soft paper which will absorb the
grease, then when you I'LL 1t with water
add lump of washing soda, which ought
to be kept in closely covered tin box
~ Inrf IN ri Rnf oh
ing your dishes scrape and empty all
,hese utensils, which have been soaking
'. lille you were at dinner. Oftentimes a
1cod manager can get nearly all the pots
and pans washed while she is getting a
d nner. They should be washed In hot
suds, in which you have put few drops
of ammonia, rinsed in scalding water and
wiped dry with crash towel, not a wet
dishcloth. All cloths and towels used for
household purposes should be well wash
ed rinsed and hung to dry just as soon az
you have done using them and left until
q more convenient time. | have seen such
clothes foul smelling and unfit for any
thing but the fire.
Watch how entirely devoid of common
sense some people seem to be when
sweeping; they did the broom into the
carpet take long vigorous stroke, fllrt-
ing the dust up into the air until the en-
tire room Is filled to suifocation, and the
dust cannot but settle back onto the car
pet again, instead OF taking short strokes,
holding the broom so that 1t will take the
gathered dust along on the floor In front
of 1t. A room properly swept and busted
will keep clean a long time. In busting,
also there should be some method. Be-
gin at one side of the room and take
everything as you coric to it, from the
highest to the lowest, giving your buster
fr, quent shak!lgs out of a window; or
you may frst dust all the bric-a- brac,
then the pictures, then the tables, etc.
Cheese cloth Is one of the very incest
materials for duster; 1t Is very soft,
clnging and durable, and so cheap that
not have It's own buster.
The woman vino buys screen for her
kitchen door and none for the windows
show decided want of common-sense
and she has only wasted the price of the
door, unless she can teach the flies that
that IL the proper entrance to the house.
Now Is 1t common-sense for a woman
who has screens in every window and
door, to hold the screen door open while
she talks with someone outside, whom
she can both see and hear through the
screen. Flies never wait for an Invita-.
ton to come In. And the woman who
stands chatting with her neighbor while
the piece of ice, for which she has come
to the door, lies melting In the sun, where
is her com noE-sense2 II you see one
moth, roach or bedbug, don't console
yourself by thinking 1t only a stray one
ise the ounce of prevention at once-in.
sect life multiplles very rapidly, almost
as fast In our overheated houses during
the winter months, as In the heats Of
summer. Common-sense dictates the
mendlng Of a garment when the first
stitch gives away. If your gloves rip, or
a button comes off Of your shoe while
you are out, repair the damage as soon
as you get home. If you put the articles
away without doing this. you will be
notified some day. The old adge. "a
stitch In time saves nine," still holds
good and is full Of common sense. Darn
ing the first thin place In q table-cloth
will save 1t for long time, and a neat
darn looks better than patch. The lit
tie hole in the carpet which catches
your toe, will take but O few minutes to
mpud. tho lfttlo 1aok lint q. A.. .