The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-03-29
BY JANE K ENDRICK.

by JANE II
We never clean house here" an
nounced the host, as he passed the
cigars. 'House-cleaning is a relic Of
barbarism and the dark ages of house
wifery."
As his wife is a house-keeper of en-
viable repute, the women in the party
exchange glances. After the man had
retired to the den for their smoke, the
wife took the floor.
He is quite right. We do not clean
house, but l eo-while he is on one of
his periodical Western trips. You see.
have a special advantage in this re-
spect. Not every woman's husband
goes away for a fortnight or even a
week at this most convenient season
of the year, but 1 believe that. if the
average housewife would suggest that
the husband absent himself as much
as possible during the spring and fall
cleaning. he would not only heed the
suggestion but would send her new
Easter bonnet or a fur piece in appre-
cha ton of her thoughtfulness.
Home, to the man, should suggest
comfort and repose, and II there is
anything comforting about the semi
annual conflict with dirt in dark cor
ners, with moths and similar veXations
to the housewifcly spirit, l have never
found it.
so for the initial step in house,
cleaning, l would say, ask your hus-
band for no help whatsoever, except in
a financial way. Don't imagine that
you can clean house on your ordinary
household allowance. There are bound
TO be extra expenses in various direc-
lions.
Prepare for the work intelligently
and allow yourself plenty of time.
Don't stir the entire house up, as
with gigantic spoon and then try TO
straighten it out in twenty-four hours.
Either garnet or cellar is a good
place to begin, for that is where the
wedding out process is most important.
For six months you have been stuffing
things into one or the other of these
places, thinking that some day all
may be OF use. Decide now whether
you can use them, and throw out what
you cannot.
Prepare your boxes and trunks for
holding the discarded winter clothing,
and pack away nothing which you
think will be useless next fall. Don't
save an entire dress, because you know
you can use the trimming next fall. Rip
off the trimming, have it cleaned or
pressed and lay it away in tissue pa
per. Follow the same rule with hats.
If a frame is bad, and some lace, a
feather, or a bit of flower is worth
saving. take these off and start a mill
linery box, but don't cram band boxes
with dusty, valueless shapes, streaked
veIvets, and what not.
Next go over the furnishings. drap-
cries, etc, which you intend to have
cleaned, and send them away at once.
They will be at the cleaners during the
turmoil and come back in good condi-
ton to be laid away during the hot
weather. BY this. l mean your lace
curtains. tapestry hangings, blankets
and rugs which are not used in sum-
mer.
Il find the modern methods of dry
cleansing most satisfactory. II you
prefer to have such work done at home
set aside a special day and have your
laundress devote her time exclusively
TO the curtains and blankets not mix
ing the ordinary family wash in with
this work. You will secure better re-
suits.
This is the proper time, too to go
over your furniture and decide what
needs touching up. Do not imagine that
You will have to call in the upholsterer
for all this work. With the aid OF a
handy maid or a man whom you can
hire by the day, you can work Won
ders in renovating furniture.
Gather into one sunshiny room. or
garnet corner, the furniture that needs
overhauling, and take an inventory of
stock. If the woodwork is merely
scratched and dull, your task is easy.
Have it washed with warm. not hot.
water, in which there is a little house
hold ammonia. This will remove dis
colorations and, on light woods, the
black finger marks When dry, give a
coat of shellac and do not touch again
until thoroughly dry. With woods of
the cheaper grade, like oak, ash and
pine, this works like a charm
II YOU have soiled wicker work
scrub that diligently with warm ammo
MA water and polish with flannel rags.
l have seldom secured good results
from painting wicker that has become
dingy Even the best quality of enamel
is STICKY when laid on wicker by an
amateurs brush.
on the other hand. I get excellent
results from doing over old furniture
with the popular white enamel. The
most important work-sand papering
is done before the paint can is OMEN
ed. Remove every trace of the old
paint or polish by sand papering.
and IN case of a dark surface, rub un
I'll you get down to the natural color
wood. Give the article a coat of COM
mon white paint. Let this dry. and
then, if you have the best brand of
enamel a single coat will complete
the work
The two straight back chairs in
my guest room are relics of nv bridal
walnut dining-room set They had
peen knocking around in the garnet
because, through mere sentiment. 7
hated to throw them away. The cane
seats were knocked out, so / had
these trimmed away and 25-cent per-
forated seats nailed on The frame
work Of the chairs l treated as de-
scrioed above, and each perfor-
ated seat l hid first with two LAYERS
or cotton batting, quilted, and a
square of dainty cretonne fastened on
with upholsterer's braid and brass
tacks-
This sort of work is sinonla
enough, but l never advise women To
undertake any elaborate upholstery
IT is cheaper in the end to have that
done by a professional.
While this is under way. let vour
Kitchen maid go over her domain
sortlnE out its furnishings. The tin,
ware should be laid in the wash-boiIer
anc covered with water containing
MsshihB soda and vinegar. After a
sood boiling in this mixture, they will
Ienc themselves the reader to the
DDlighfup ~