The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1894-08-11
on BEDS AND BEDDING.
Honsekeepers Apt to Pay Too Little Atten-
tion to Siceties of R~enoyating.

Hodsekeepers Apt to Pay Too Little Atten-
tion to Siceties of RenOvatinS.
Among the many duties of the house
wife there is one which is absolutely
neglected. .Bedsteads and their furni-
ture rarely receive all the attention re-
quired for insuring health and perfect
cleanliness. In some houses beds are
instinctively left to be attended to at
the traditional spring cleaning" or
the mistaken notion that, as the mat
tre>sc> are 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 he uncomfortable or injurious.
The query has been made. Is this
spring cleaning inevitable? Isitneces-
sary to make a whole household
wretched and uncomfortable by con-
densing into n or w weeks the
%cleanings and scrubbings which would
be far more satisfactory and effectual
if carried out in an imperceptible
ner week by week. or month by month.
as occasion requires?
The iron bedstead has advantages
over the older wooden one but both
can be kept in perfect order with a
minimum amount of attention, pro-
vided this be given regularly.
The former harbor dust more than
one realizes, as "a easily be seen by
lifting the laths where they cross n
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 are 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 zoe a long way toward keeping it
clean. This can he washed and changed
as often as need he without much
trouble or expense.
Our grandmOtherS lwho mostly used
feather beds used to rcmakc 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 upholstre>> and maids.
The feather bed is almost a thing of
the past. and. alas, individual atten-
ton to such pucrile matters is almost
beneath the consideration of many
housckeepcr> of the present day.
If the mattress. pillow or feather bed
only need fre>hening, and space Is not
too limited. the operation can be per
formed at home. Tnpick the ticking.
remove the flock of feathers. pick them
all over thoroughly. and expO>e them
for twentv-four hours to the sun and
the air.
If this process should be necessary
during the cold weather. light Il large
fire in a dry. airy room (which fire. by
the way, must he carefully screened.
as the least draught might cause the
feathers to fly about. and accidents
happen only too quickly.
The contents IF pillows can easily he
baked in a large oven. but where
feather beds are concerned it would I've
an endless matter.
The neateSt WAY to put up valanrc~
Is tn run them on tn Il narrow wo'dcn
lath fixed or merely laid on the bed
stead itself under the paillaSs".
The old-fa>hiOned heavy counter
n which seemed essential 10
every househnlder's happiness. are g"-
ing out of use. chiefly perhaps because
they are so difficult to keep clean.
there is Il great deai of space. and very
soon ruined by the average laundress
who does not forget to charge for get
ting them up.
If any unwelcome visitors should
make their appearance in wooden
frames. they are difficult to treat. on
account of the chinks in the wood;
the most obstinate cases.
Benzine collas is splendid cleansing
substance for iron; when. however. this
may be considered too expensive, pure
parafine 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
use.-The Queen.
aECAlISE THEY WE'RE MEN