The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1898-03-27
:
CARPETS AND HAN GINGS.
Their Annual summer Packing Re
quires Very Grcnt Care.

Their Annual Summer PneI<ing Re
quires Very Grcnt Care.
A good foundation is half of the success
in life. and surely nowhere is it needed
more than in our floors upon which car
pets rest for months and years without
the thorough cleaning that they so often
need Commence with the floor by pre-
pairing for the carpet before the latter is
down. The buffalo moth is the worst
enemy known for this part of our house
hold belongings, but keep him away by
scrubbng the bare floor with warm wat
er and turpentine, half a pint of the lat
ter in each pail of water
Another good cleansing mixture that is
warranted to brighten all kinds of in
/ sects away is one and one-half pints of
soft soap, the same of lime and two pintS
of sand, with plenty of warm water.
DO not sprinkle tea leaves over a car
, pet. but once a month use corn meal,
which revives the colors and efeCtualIy
lays the dust. In sweeping each week
dip the broom in water, shake it well
and then sweep, but the broom must be
| clean or muddy appearance is the re-
! suit,
velvet pile carpet should be sprink-
! led with damp bran and brushed with
! stin broom. If the carpet looks faded
| rub ii all over. doing a small piece al a
/ time. as ii must not be wet through,
! with strong salt and water, put on with
! a piece of flannel and then dry with
! second cloth at once. Ammonia and
| warm water Is applied in the same man
| ner and with the same result, If the
/ colors in the carpet are fast.
! Very dirty spots in a carpet should be
/ washed out with a scrubbing brush and
! warm water strong with OK GALL in fact
! the latter is nearly pure. Grease spots
! viii disappear under equal parts of mag
nesia and fuller's earth. mixed to a paste
with boiling water. This is put on warm
: and left for twenty-four hours. and when
( brushed off the grease is a thing of the
past. Raw starch and water IS another
remedy for greasy spots and various
/ stains, repeating the coat of paste several
! times if necessary.
/ If oil IS spilled on a carpet, at once ap-
I ply blotting paper or heavy brown wrap
! ping paper, and press II with a very
! warm iron. Fresh ink may be removed
/ by using the blOtting paper at once Take
I up as much of the ink as is possible with
a spoon. says an excellent housewife, and
then pour cold sweet milk on the spot and
dip il up with the spoon until the milk
is barely tinged with ink. Then wash in
cold water and wipe as dry as possible.
In place of sweeping an invalid ; room.
try rubbing slightly damp cloth over
1 the carpet to gather up the dust and
| brighten it. II you wish to patch an old
carpet, cut a piece to iii over the hole,
matching the figure, paste down with
-four paste and iron well with a hot fiat
iron.
When whitewash has injured your car
!. Of an
monia in warm water on the spots.
1t is said that heas can be kept out OF
| carpets by sprinkling OH of NORWOOD
around the edges The carpet moth
haunts the edges and housewives often
lay a cloth wrung out in hot water on
the carpet edge and iron until dry. thus
killing the moth and its eggs This an
swers for an ingram carpet but the
thicker varieties must be loosened and
the edge turned back, as the steaming
and ironing viii have to be done on the
inner side.
If a carpet has to be washed. after
beating it well on both sides and remov-
ing all grease and extra dirty spots as
I previously described, apply with a clean
brush mixture of half a pound Of SOAP
| boiled in a gallon OF water until dissOiY-
ed and then to it add two ounces Of salts
OF tartar. Use this hot covering not over
Z a
towel before using more of the liquid. A
carpet may be washed on the floor II
two persons work at it and care is taken
| to prevent its being wet too long.
great deal OF what is termed "elbow
grease" is necessary with all cleaning
but the results amply repay one when the
work is thoroughly done.
! All directions for cleansing and reno.
waiting carpets may also be applied tC
rugs, but above all do not shake the
latter and thus loosen the edges Hang
them on line and beat with a rattan
etc: then lay on fiat surface and sweeT
on both sides with a clean broom dipped
! lightly in water and ammonia. The high
est-DroOf kerosene is also used in thi.
manner TO brighten rugs, but salt ant
water o" ammonia and water are better
/ think. for the purpose.
/ straw iadttinGS take the place Of car
| pets and should be included in this ar
J ticie. especially as the increasing use o.
large rugs is also bringing more mat
tings into play for Summer use. layf8l
q rug over them for colder weather \
mating should be washed with salt ane
water, and wiped dry at once with :
coarse flannel cloth.
II the mating is a dirty white wash i
all over With a weak solution of sod
which will turn it a creamy shade. New
CT scrub a mating.
. SHpFDlnE
broom in warm SoaDsudS shake if VOL
and hang w in the air to dry. Thi,
cleaning and the fact that If is ken
hanging when not in use will mako i
last t"zicc as long as it would with care
less treatment.
When carpets are laid away for tn
Summer they should be beaten cIeansad
: paper wet with turpentine laid in tn
r folds, and after the carpet is rolled ~
Z .,-irh
in burlaps or heavy ticking.
The hangings or porticres of wooIe,
. tapestry should be either taken dow
when The sweeping is done or covera
; with old sheets. If a child runs agains
a curtain with a piece of bread and but
ter the grease spot thus made can be re
. moved with beRzine, which is very av
. pIosivc or a paste Of starch or magnesi
and water, keeping it on until dry an
. brushing Off with whisk
. Should q stain of oil get on a curtai
; Of wooden goods, Try grating a potat
. and rubbing it on the spot till it grad
, | ually DISAPPEARS.
: II silk curtains have any grease mark
: they must be removed with French chaII
4 sCTaping it on. and allowing it to renal
/ | for tweuty-four hours; then brush of
T ! and, if necessary repeat the process. Sill
4 haugHgs are put away for the Summe
+ after shaking them well and folding with
\ out wrinkle. then sew up in an oil
/ sheet. as dust is the enemy.
\ But when there is any wool in tn
\ hanging il needs shaking, cleaning if an
\ grease spots are apparent folding i
/ ana sewing in heavy ticking. or the tan
\ red paper coming for that purpose, a
Il moths are 10 be more dreaded than mer
\ dust. Wiping over wooden tapestries wit
Il salt and water brightens the colors.