The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1892-04-20

were in bed, the mother or oldest
daughter had to scrub and mop that
kitchen floor. After several years an
old lady visitor came to spend week.
We learned some good things from her,
and the best was how to oil the kitchen
floor. She told us to take time in
summer when there was no mud-scrub
the noor after dinner and keep as clean
as possible. Get all off to bed early;
remove all the furniture but the stove;
sweep well lengthway of the boards to
clean cracks. Clean all the corners,
and wipe the floor with damp cloth to
remove all dust. The floor must be
kept perfectly dry. During this clean
ing, six quarts of boiled linseed oil was
heating in an iron kettle on the stove.
The lady said it must be hot enough to
make the bristles of an old paint brush
sizzle and curl. There was no old brush,
so it was heated till smoke began to
show, when portion was poured on
the floor, and was quickly spread with
broom, first lengthways, then crossing
to fill the cracks well. Don't mind the
bubblesin the oil on the floor, for they are
caused by the oil entering the pores of
the wood and driving out the air. Spread
the oil on space the length of the
room, and two or three feet wide. See
that every part is covered with oil, then
rub well without taking the broom from
the floor or allowing it to smear the wall
Now oil another strip of floor, and so
continue till the floor is finished. The
oil kettle must be kept hot, but not
burned.
When done, if dry spots appear give
those places more oil. The floor can't
be hurt by walking on it with clean
shoes, but the soes will get oily and
will track carpet. Finish the work
where you can back out Of door and
leave the kitchen windows and doors
open all night. Next morning take old
cloths to the kitchen, and where the
floor appears glossy wipe off the extra
oil. The usual kitchen work can now
go on for the day. In the evening get
the family out of the way and wipe the
floor with mop well wrung out of
clean water, for the floor must not be
wet. Next wipe well with dry cloth
and then spread evenly thin coat of
shellac varnish. This time the fur
niture is not removed from the room
for shellac dries so fast that the furni-
ture can be set on it in five minutes
after spreading. Next morning the
kitchen is ready for your work. Such
floor will stand the wear of dozen
persons for eight years before it needs
renewing, and then only the worst
worn parts need heavy coat of oil. If
these worn parts Casually at the doors)
were renewed once year woman
would not oil floor very often.
The varnish is only to prevent dust
sticking to the fresh oil. When not
used, dozen good moppings will polish
the oil so no dust ever sticks to it. An
oiled floor must be cleaned only with
clear water. Hot water, soap or I've
will soon ruin the oil. No grease or
stain can enter the floor, but wipes off.
The floor does not wear so soon. The
wood should have all the oil it can take,
and what is left can be returned to Johns
oil can. An oiled floor dries quickly
when mopped, but it is colder for little
folks to sit on when at play. Foot
paths never appear as on painted floors.
Sometimes the druggist sells thick shell
lac varnish. This should be thinned
with alcohol till thin as skim milk.
The thick will not spread. A quart of
thin varnish will cover a floor 16x16
feet. Soft pine or old hard pine takes
four times the oil new floor can
absorb.