Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-03-28
A PROBLEM SOLVED
How One w oman Masters the
Housekeeping Art.
THEREOF OFEVILFOUND
HAS BANIsHED ANNUAL HOUSE
CLEANING TROUBLE.
Constantly Renovating and Renewing
Leaves No Chance for Dirt
to Gather.
THEREOF OF EVILFOUND
Written for The Evening Star.

the host. as he passed the cigars. House
cleaning is a relic of barbarism and the
dark ages of housewifery.
As his wife is a housekeeper of envable
repute the women in the party exchanged
glances. After the men had retired to the
den for their smoke the wife took the floor.
He is quite right We do not clean
house, but 1 do-while he is one of his
periodical western trips. You see, have
special advantage in this respect Not ev-
cry woman's husband goes away for fort
night or even a week at this most con-
venent season of the year. but l believe
that if-the average housewife would sug-
gest that the husband absent himself as
much possible during the spring and fall
cleaning, he would not only heed the sug-
geston but would send her new Easter
bonnet or a fur piece in appreciation of her
thoughtfuiness.
Home, to the man. should suggest COM
fort and repose, and if there is anything
comforting about the semi-annua1 conflict
with dirt in dark corners, with moths and
similar vexations to the housewifely spirit,
/ have never found it.
$50 for the initial step In house cleaning,
/ would say, ask your husband for no help
whatsoever, except in q financial way.
Don't imagine that you can clean house on
your ordinary household allowance. There
are bound to be extra expenses in various
directions.
Begin Right Away.
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 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 hold
ing the discarded winter clothing, and pack
away nothing which you think will be use
less next fall. Don't save an entire dress
because you know you can use the trimming
next fall Rip off the trimming, have 1t
cleaned or pressed and lay It away in tissue
paper. 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 millinery box, but don't
cram band boxes with dusty, valueless
shapes. streaked velvets and what not.
Next go over the furnishings, draperies,
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 condition to be laid away dur
ing the hot weather. By this, mean your
lace curtains, tapestry hangings, blankets
and rugs which are not used in summer.
1 find the modern methods Of dry cleans
Ing most satisfactory. If you prefer to
have such work done at home, set aside
a special day and have your laundress de-
vote her time exclusively to the curtains
and blankets. not mixing the ordinary fam
lily wash in with this work. You will secure
better results.
The Touching Up.
This is the proper time, too, to go over
your furniture and decide what needs
touching up. Do not ina CINE 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 wonders in renovating furniture.
Gather into one sunshiny room OF 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 1t washed with warm,
not hot, water. in which there Is a little
household ammonia This will remove dis
colorations and, on light woods. the. black
finger marks. When dry, give a coat of
shelac and do not touch again until thor
oughly dry. With woods of the cheaper
grade. like oak, ash and pine this works
like charm.
eff you have soiled wicker work, scrub
that diligently with warm ammonia water
and polish with flannel rags. have seldom
secured good results from painting wicker
lndL has UecOne ulUSy. Even the pest
quality of enamel is sticky when laid on
wicker by an amateur brush.
'On the other hand, I get excellent re-
suits from doing over old furniture with
the popular white enamel. The most i'm
portant work-sand. papering-iS done be-
fore the paint can is opened. Remove every
trace of the old paint or polish by sand
papering, and in case Of dark surface rub
until You get down to the natural color
wood Give the article coat of common
white paint. Let this dry. and then, If you
have the best brand Of enamel a single coat
will complete the work.
1.-The two straight back chairs in my
guest room are relics of my bridal walnut
dining room set. They had been knocking
around in the garnet, because, through mere
sentiment 1 hated to throw them away.
The cane seats were knocked out, SO l had
these trimmed away and 25-cent perforated
seats nailed on. The framework of the
chairs l treated as described above, and
each perforated seat 1 hid first with two
layers of cotton batting, quilted, and
square of dainty cretonne fastened on with
upholsterers' braid and brass tacks.
This sort of work is simple enough. but
I never advise women TO undertake any
elaborate upholstery. 1t Is cheaper in the
end to have that done by professional.
Other Weak Spots.
while this is under way let your kitchen
maid go over her domain, sorting out its
furnishings. The tinware should be laid
in the wash DOller ana covered WITH water
containing washing soda ard vinegar. After
a good boiling in this mixture they will lend
themselves the reader to the polishing
cloth.
Leaks will probably come to light, and
weak spots galore, but console yourself with
the thought that this is the season when
nearly all large stores conduct sales in
china and housefurnishings. Cooking sup
plies sell for a fourth a third off at these
sales. l should suggest, however, that you
go armed with a list of just what you need,
or you will purchase more heavily than
necessary. The attractions of these sales
can be appreciated only by the housewife
who revels in well furnished and shining
kitchen closet.
do not have small pieces, like tin cups
and graters, mended. Once they begin to
go 1t does not pay. And when renewing
these articles lay in a stock of cleaning
materials-soap bath brick dust, brass and
silver polish. When you are paying a man
or a woman by the day it is waste of
money, as well as of time to be forced to
send out after cleansing materials. A wall
brush, an old broom covered with wooden
bag. and new. stout scrubbing brush
should be on your list Of supplies, to say
nothing Of an abundance of cloths. Do not
exnect your work peODlo to secure results