New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-06-01
{ f&sE5SElE]zAL
ABOUT THE KITCHEN FLOOR AND ITS Cow

ABOUT THE KITCHEN FLOOR AND I'D COVs
ERING.
No one who has ever enjoyed the sense OF cleanls'
ness which comes with properly oiled Kitchen
floor which has fine polish will be likely 20 nave
any other kind of floor in this room. An oiiciotn
or Iinoleum, unless the latter Is glued down. ~
wavs conceals more or less dust. painted noor
is a continual vexation. because the paint Is eves
wearing off in spots where the footsteps are most
frequent.
the impression SO prevalent, that such an oiled
floor must not be scrubbed must be given up AS
a rule the less water used on ii TO keep II clean
the better but 1t cannot be brought to cond!tion
of hard polish with oil alone until 1t has been oieo
repeatedly, and rubbed. and the oil has had uihe
10 become oxidized The dirt will penetrate the
wood until a hard polished surface has oeen ac-
oured and every time oil is applied this dirt must
be cleaned out. The time will finally come wheh
the oiled surface Of the wood becomes hard enough
TO resist the dust.
The first years use OF oiled kitchen moor %
likely to fill the housekeeper with doubt, but ist
her persist and not in despair order 1t painted or
cover IL with linoleum. IL II Is repeatedly oiieo
and polished with weighted polishing brush ["
Will finally acquire that unfo m hard, CLASSY sur
face which resists the dirt and Is JOY Forever.
A GOOD FLOOR POLISH.
A superior floor polish is made of a pint OF the
best raw linseed OIL pint of alcohol half pint
oe turpentne and one ounce of spirits of ether.
Purchase these ingredients of a trustworthy drug
sist or you may have cheap peanut OIL iurhisheo
to YOU for nseed oil, and vile adulteration o.
spirits for alcohol and impure turpentine pol
lsh made of such materials will lie on the surface
of the wood and become sticky. In such case
the floor would require TO be scraped or scrubbed
with strong soap and hot water 10 remove the coli
lection of impure oil and dust which clogs its sur.
face
Birch makes an excellent kitchen floor, but one
some what liable TO shrink. All things considered,
probably white maple makes a better floor. X u
so hard that It is manufactured pierced by ma
chnery for mailing. 10 save the time Of the car
pcntcr 1t is quite difficult TO find nail that VIII
not turn In this wood, the grain is so close ana
firm.
A superior quality Of hard Georgia pine also
makes a coed kitchen floor. but 1t is not so hard
as either birch maple.
Where there Is uneven floor OF common spruce
or pine in the kitchen. thin floor OF hardwood
may be laid over it. This is an expensive alterna-
live however, as a floor of threeeighths OF an inch
thickness Of hardwood costs much as one OF
regular boards and IL not as certain to be close In
It's Joints the thicker floor. cheaper eNpedlent
is to cover the rough floor with lnoleum. Select
a linoloum of plain color. unless you can choose
ono in which the pattern Is stamped In color en-
tirely through both surfaces A pain Drown
ilnoleum makes an excellent covering for kitchen
floor. II Is made Of a coInbnat on OF pup or WOOD
and oxd.zed linseed oil. II may be treated IN any
way that "A hardwood floor may be treated. IL
should be glued down to the hoor-not nailed
cloth but IL is superior TO IL that IL has virtually
succeeded the better grades OF that floor covering.