Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1901-08-12
ART OF CLEANING CARPETS AND
RUGS,
SOME USEFUL SUGGESTIONS
Steam Device Used but on a
Grass Plat the Work My be
Done in An Entirely Satisfactory
Manner-Special Care Needed
with Rugs.

To take up a carpet properly, first
sweep and wipe it. then remove
every tack, and carefully fold one
half the carpet back upon the other.
Sweep the exposed underside with a
stiff broom, well dampened, fold again
in half. and sweep the under side
Repeat until the whole carpet is in a
handy pile, which can be lifted in
taking away 1t is vandalism of the
worst sort to drag out either rugs or
carpets. Take up the lining, one
breadth at time, beginning at one
end, shaking and brushing free of
dust, but very gently, and rolling up
the length as it is cleaned. Number
the rolls consecutively, so there will
be no uncertainty in reftting.
Steam carpet cleaning is no mys-
terious process, as many housewives
mistakably suppose The carpet
cleaner is unquestionably boon,
still all he does is to put dirty floor
covering into huge drum with
Slated sides and open bottom, which
steam revolves at high rate, while
arms inside the drum beat and whip
out the dust, which a blast Of air
carries away. Thus it is plain steam
cleaning is only a very perfect way
of carpet beating. In a city house or
apartment it is well to have recourse
to it. But if one has backyard, or
even floor space big enough to spread
a carpet out, it can be cleaned at
home even better than abroad
Having a grass plot, stretch the
carpet smoothly over it, right side
down, then with long, timber rattan
switches whip it steadily fer an hour.
After the whipping sweep the wrong
side twice with wet broom, and
finish by going all over it with a
cloth wrung out of ammonia water.
Fold one-half over upon the other
side after this wiping, then take a
very fine, stiff whisk broom and
brush all Of the right side visible.
Now tie a double handful of either
wheat bran or sawdust loosely in the
middle of double square of cheese
cloth, dip the swab thus formed IN
clean ammonia water, and rub the
carpet face hard with it until it is
dirty. Wash in plain water. then dip
again in the ammonia water, and keep
ON rubbing until all the surface is
washed. Fold the carpet again, and
wash the next quarter, then turn
over and clean the last quarter
Hang to dry and air, take pains to
hang is straight, The branswab is
an excellent thing to clean a carpet
upon the floor. If the colors are dim
and faded it may be worth while to
use prepared ox-gall, a tablespoonful
to the gallon in the water in place of
ammonia.
Brush rugs twice upon both sides,
then whip on both sides and brush
again. Hang them over a line or on
trestles, if there is no grass plot
handy nor a naked floor upon which
they may be spread. Do not clutch
them by a corner and shake like
mad That fetches out some dirt,
but not all of it, and is also apt to
fetch away part of the rug-fabric.
With grass andya sunny day, after
brushing and beating, spread the
rugs perfectly smooth then sprinkle
them lightly, one at time, with
tepid water through a very fine hose,
or atomizer, and wipe off with a soft,
clean cloth before the water has
time to soak in. If a rug is very
dirty, lay it in the sun, and shake
clean hardwood sawdust thick1y over
it, let it lie six hours. then sweep off
with a stiff. clean broom. and finish
by going over with a towel wrung out
Of hot water and pinned tight over
the broom
Rugs with white or very light
grounds may be cleaned by sprink-
ling with cornstarch mixed with one
sixth it's bulk Of prepared chalk.
Let the starch remain several hours
and brush it out with a fine whisk
brom then hang in the sun, and beat
we'll before putting down. This
method is recommended for fine,
silky rugs, as it Injuries neither tint
nor texture, and makes a beautiful
clean surface.