Evening star., 1901-06-08
CARPET AND RUG CLEANING.
How to Do 1t With Successful Re-
suits.

suits.
| Written for The Evening Star.
| To take up 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 under
| side with 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 carpets Take
up the lining, one breadth at a ,ime be-
| ginning at one end, shaking and brushing
| free of dust. but very gently, and rolling
up the length as 1t is cleaned. Number
| the rolls consecutively, so there will be no
| uncertainty in refitting.
| Steam carpet cleaning is no mysterious
| process, as many housewives mistakenly
! suppose. The carpet cleaner is unqueStiOn-
ably boon, still all he does is to put dirty
floor coverings into huge drum with slat-
! ted sides and open bottom, which steam
| wolves at a high rate, while inside
| the drum beat and whip out the DUST,
which a blast of air carries away. Thus it
| is plain steam cleaning is only very per-
| feet way of carpet beating. In city house
| or apartment it is well to have recourse
| to it. But if one has a back yard or even
| floor space big enough to spread carpet
| out it can be cleaned at home even better
I than abroad.
| Having a grass plot. stretch the carpet
| smoothly over it, right side down, then,
| with long timber rattan switches, whip 1t
| steadily for an hour. After the whipping
| sweep the wrong side twice with a wet
| broom and finish by going all over it with
| cloth wrung out of ammonia and water
| Fold one-half over upon the other after
| this wipng, then take a very fine, stiff
| whisk broom and brush all Of the right
| side visible.
| Now tie double handful of either wheat
bran saw dust 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 1t 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, taking pains to hang
! 1t straight. The bran swab is excellent
| thing to clean carpet upon the floor. If
| the colors are dim and faded it may be
worth while to use prepared OK 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 line or on trestles, II there is
| no grass plot handy nor a naked floor upon
| which they may be spread Do not clutch
| them by corner and shake like mad. That
| fetcheS out some dirt, but not all Of 1t, and
is also apt to fetch away part Of the rug
| fabric. With grass and a sunny day, after
| brushing and beating, spread the rugs per-
fectly 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
| saw dust thickly over 1t, let it lie six hours
| then sweep off with a stiff, clean broom,
and finish by going over with towel
wrung out Of hot water and pinned tight
] over the broom.
Rugs with white or very light grounds
| may be cleaned by sprinkling with corn
starch mixed with one-sixth its bulk Of pre-
pared chalk. Let the starch remain several
hours. and brush it out with q fine whisk
| broom, then hang in the sun, and beat well
| before putting down. This method is rec
| commended for fine, silky rugs as 1t Injuries
neither tint nor texture. and makes beau
| tifully clean surface.