The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1901-05-09
HOUSE CLEANING IN DETAIL.
Rules for the Guidance of the In
initiated in This Important
Work of the Home

The washing of windows is one Of
the most important details of house
cleaning, and there are many WAYS of
doing it. First of all, see that the
window sash is perfectly clean. Dust
first, then wash, using warm water
sOftened by a little ammonia. If
there is dirt in tne corners. dig it out
with a wooden Slewer. If two can
work on the windows at once the
work is better done, as well as easier,
for it can readily be seen whether
Good Housekeeping. Before cleaning
the windows take off the shutters
and scrub with soap and water, finish
ing with a dOuche from the hose.
Half the dirt that spatters a window
with the first shower after house
cleaning would not have happened if
the winter dirt had been washed
from the shutters. Use tepid water
with ammonia and squeeze the wash
ing cloth almost dry before begin
ming. The window on which a guam
tity of water Is stopped can hardly
be got dry and is very hard to polish.
When the dirt has been removed, wipe
with dry rag until it grows damp.
The best window polisher known to
the writer is a handful of scraps of
fine. clean chamois tied together or a
string. Three or four of these can be
used for years if cleansed and dried as
soon as the job is finished. And the
"must-have' for window cleaning is
rags of the right sort, that do not shed
lint perfectly clean and plentiful
enough to be rejected as soon as they
grow damp. Mirrors need the same
treatment as windows.
Do not touch polished furniture
with water unless the furniture be alb
solutely dirty; then sponge it quickly
and polish afterward with a mixture
of oil and turpentine. Leather furni-
ture requires wiping with a rag wrung
from hot milk. Here is recipe for a
homemade furniture polish which
may be used on leather or polished
furniture: Set a pound of wax in a
bowl in the mouth of a tea kettle and
after it has melted beat in one pint
of turpentine. Divide the polish into
two parts. TO one part add half a cup
of alcohol. Bottle it and mark "furni-
ture polish" To the rest add half a
cup of paraffine oil, and that bottle
label floor polish
How a certain mistress taught her
servant to clean woodwork: She did
not lay down hard and fast rules such
as go in at one ear and out at the
other. She took a strip of board
painted white on one side and var
nished on the other. Each side she
touched with a rag wrung from hot
water in which salSoda had been dis
solved. Immediately the surface was
left duh and rough. A pail filled with
hot water left an unsightly circle on
the vanished side. Immediately the
mistress dropped on each spot a few
drops of olive oil and rubbed it
briSkY into the wood. After a few
minutes hard rubbing the smooth
surface was restored. 1t was a most
et1ectual lesson on how carefully one
has to use strong alkalis, such as
ammonia, potash. soaps and sal
soda. 1t also taught how. by quick ac-
ton. spoiled spot on the woodwork
might be quickly restored to color and
polish. Always begin at the top and
work downward i'm washing paint.
Have the wash cloth as dry rs posi-
BILE and never wet more than yard
square at once.
When the cleaning of the kitchen
has been finished look to the sink
pipes. Flush well with boiling water,
then pour into them a strong solution
of salsoda. Treat every pipe in bath
room, kitchen and cellar to dose of
this solution.
Give to the cellar the most thor
ough cleaning of any part of the
house. for a healthy foundation means
the health of the home. See that there
is not morsel of decaying vegetable
or fruit left anywhere, and be liberal
with whitewash. Leave the furnace
coal and wood bins clean. Stop I'D
mouse holes after filling them with
chloride of lime. Modern cellars are
built with a drain pipe in the cement
floor, which allows of the whole in
terror walls and floor being flushed
with a hose after a thorough sweep
ing and busting. This is an excellent
plan, only remember always to follow
it with all the fresh air possible-per-
haps even a wood fire in the furnace
else the cellar will grow damp and I'M
healthy.
Look well to the condition of the re-
frigerator before it begins its sum-
mer work. Use plenty of boiling wa
ter. salsoda and wooden skewer to
pick out any particle of dirt. Let it
have a few hours of fresh air before
closing it up. BrOnzes must be care
fully cleaned. Dust with a soft brush,
then rub with a cloth moistened
slightly with sweet oil. Rub dry with
soft rag and polish with channels.
How TO Treat Your Guest.
Remember, there is such thing as
OVERRIDING the attention paid a guest
10 OF Ao1