Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-06-04
CARING FOR FURNITURE.

Some seasonable Suggestions to Those Co
ing Out Of Town.
From the Boston Advertiser.
In the early days of June the exodus to the
seashore is most noticeable and the ten
antless houses in the city greatly in
crease in number. The work of getting
away to the seashore is not IN easy one.
Aside from the mere task Of engaging an abid-
ing place for the summer outing, the labor Of
preparing for the summer often really over
taxes the strength Of many housekeepers, es-
pecially as it is too often begun some time after
the campaign Of spring cleaning. Others very
unwisely postpone the ''spring cleaning" to the
autumn months, when the family have returned
from their summer vacation. Perhaps the wiser
plan would be to adopt Miss Parloa's sensible
suggestions relative to making the spring the
time of house cleaning. Cleanliness is truly ''the
great safeguard against moths and other pests, I"
and if the house is thoroughly cleaned Just be-
fore it is left for the summer the work to be
done in the autumn may be rendered much
lighter and easier.
I When the summer clothes have all been pre-
pared, therefore, and the time is at hand for
the summer outing, the work of spring clean
ing may very properly be made the immediate
preliminary to the summer fight. The carpets
the woodwork can be secured SO that it may be
ready for the summer quiet. Such furniture as
is to be moved can then be sent away and the
packing of all articles away from moths can be
undertaken. 1t is advisable in many instances
to store all draperies in bundles until the close
of summer, while carpets may be treated bene-
ficially with naphtha II care is taken to prevent
any accidents from the use Of that volatile
liquid. The objects of greater value not to be
taken away for summer use can be stored in
safety vaults. The slight expense entailed by
such course is hardly to be considered in COM
parison with the risk entailed by leaving them
where the summer burglar may be able to get
at them. The tenantless city house has proved
rich field for that class Of criminals in the past
few years and there seems TO be no reason to
expect any cessation in TIE daring thefts of that
nature in the coming summer.
In connection with the subject Of leaving
household goods for the summer, the advis-
ability Of storing the piano during the summer
months may well be considered. One of the
features OF the largest storage building in this
city is o piano room, where the cost for storing
piano averages but . small sum Q month. II
the instrument is really good one 1t cannot be
kept too carefully. Fully 90 per cent of the
pianos kept in this climate, it has been esti-
mated, become cracked in their sounding
boards after the first year Of use. These cracks
are caused either by incompetent tuners or by
the improper temper.ture TO which they are
subjected The sound board IL the very Life Of
the piano, and the greatest caro- should be used
to see that il ID not injured. Considering the
heat Of city summer, and the fact that an
average temperature Of 30 degrees win serve to
ruin good piano in short space of time, Il
would be well for many housekeepsn TO con-
slider whether the piano cannot better be 6tored
homo during the summer months.