The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1894-09-01
ON BEDS AND SEEDING.

ON BEDS AND BEDDING.
H-ousekespers Apt 70 Pay leo Iittls Attsn
tion to Nestiss sf R~saovating.
Among the many duties Of the house
wife there is one which is absolutely
neglected. Bedsteads and their furni
ture rarely receive AL the attention re
quired for insuring health and perfect
cleanliness. In some houses beds are
~instinctively left to be attended to q.
the traditional ''spring cleaning" OF
the mistaken notion that, as the mat
tresses r turned, the bed clothes re-
moved every day, etc, there is hardly
any possibility for the accumulation
Of such an amount Of dirt and dust as
might be uncomfortable or injurious.
The query has been made, Is this
spring cleaning inevitable? Is it neces.
sary to make a whole household
wretched and uncomfortable by con-
densing into one or two weeks the
cleanings and scrubbings which would
be far more satisfactory and efectual
II carried out in an imperceptible man
ner week by week, or month by month,
as occasion requires?
The iron bedstead has advantages
over the older wooden one; but both
car be kept in perfect order with a
minimum amount of attention, pro-
vided this be given regularly.
The former harbor dust mor than
n realizes, as can easily be seen by
lifting the laths where they cross one
another; these little nests, and every
corner should by busted with a brush
at intervals, and not unless this pre-
caution be taken can anyone boast of
cleanliness.
The main enemies + dust, damp,
and moth. Brushing must be extend
ed to the mattresses, which harbor
dirt all along the edges, and especially
wherever a button is fixed
A good plan is to tie a thick piece OF
cloth all over the laths, under the mat
.~tresses. This serves a double purpose;
it helps to keep the bedding clean and
saves much wear, as the sharp irons
cut into the mattresses and often cause
ironmold.
A loose holland cover over the mat
tress, made to button tidily at one end,
also goes a long way toward keeping it
clean. This can be washed and changed
as often as need be without much
trouble or expense.
Our grandmothers (who mostly used
feather beds) used to remake them at
very regular intervals, one room in the
house being devoted to the purpose,
the ladies of the family. with their
heads tied up, themselves directing the
operations of upholstress and maids.
The feather bed is almost a thing of
the past, and, alas. individual atten-
ton to such puerile matters is almost
beneath the consideration of many
housekeepers of the present day.
If the mattress. pillow or feather bed
only need freshening, and space is not
too limited, the operation can be per-
formed at home. Unpick the ticking,
remove the flock of feathers. pick them
all over thoroughly. and expose them
for twenty-four hours to the sun and
the air.
If this process should be necessary
during the cold weather. light a large
fire in a dry, airy room (which fire, BY
the way, must be carefully screened.
as the least draught might cause the
feathers to fly about. and accidents
happen only too quickly.
The contents of pillows can easily be
baked in a large oven. but where
feather beds are concerned it would be
an endless matter.
The neatest way to put up valance,
is to run them on to a narrow wooden
lath fixed or merely laid on the bed
stead itself under the p~aillasse.
The old-fashioned heavy counter
panes. which seemed essential to
every householder's happiness, are go
ing out of use, chiefly perhaps because
they are so difficult to keep clean,
troublesome to wash at home unless
there is a great deal of space. and very
soOu ruined by the average laundress
who does not forget to charge for get
ting them up"
make their appearance in wooden
frames. they are difficult to treat, on
account of the chinks in the wood;
nitric acid, however, soon disposes of
the most obstinate cases.
Benzine collas is a splendid cleansing
for iron; when, however, this
may be considered too expensive, pure
parafhne is a most efficient substitute,
though it requires a good deal of airing
to obviate its unpleasant smell, which
is the greatest objection to its general
Queen.