Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-03-26
SP RING CLEANING
Preparing the House for An
nual Event.
60 ABOUT IT SENSIBLY
ADOPT A SYSTEM AND ABIDE
BY 1T.
Takes Time and Gives Trouble, But
Results Will Pay

to make every room in the house as uncom-
Portable as possible, to cause the loss of
many treasured possessions, to produce I'M
appetizing picnic meals and to continue
this sort of thing until patience and en-
durance alike are strained to the utmost.
Women know better.
The feminine idea of spring cleaning is
to make every corner of the house as fresh,
as clean, orderly, as comfortable and
as artistic as possible. l am obliged to adj
nit that, while this is the idea aimed at,
the methods employed for it's realzatio
are often so misguided as to give the en-
envy an excuse for saying evil things.
Every good housekeeper knows that after
the smoke and dust of winter there comes
a time when the returning sunshine tells
with vivid truthfulness tale of Woe. She
finds curtains dusty. carpets and rugs dirty,
dizziness where polish should be, and even
cobWebS to be found in high places in
the best regulated households, since no
house is so exalted as to scare the ubiqui-
tous spider from making his home in some
Out-of-the- corner.
Now there Is spring cleaning as it should
be and as it should not be. In the last es-
tate method is not given a moments
thought. The unmethodical housekeeper
wakes up on a fine, bright, sunshiny spring
morning and, after an inspection of the cur
talns and hangings, announces to the be-
wildered servants and members of the
household that she really must begin clean
ing. Tomorrow sees the beginning of the
campaign; no preparation beforehand, no
plan, no gathering together of necessary
implements for the extra work, no arrang-
ing of meals, no determination that if. as
Will happen in even Well-ordered house,
holds a great rush must be made to get
through a certain amount of work in a
given time there may be an oasis in the
desert of brooms and pals to which the re-
turning breadwinner may retire sure of
rest and undlSturDeG
Have Some Method
There may be method in the madness of
the spring household upheaval by which
many of the attendant horrors are avoided.
An orderly preparation is certainly the first
and foremost move. L am not writing for
those happy householders who can sum-
mon an army of cleaning people to do the
work and in "a day or two have good-sized
house Immediately clean or the fortunate
few who go away and leave the work of
renovation to experienced servants and
come back to find the domestic wilderness
blossoming the rose. Rather am l Of
fering a few suggestions about preparing
the house for the spring cleaning time to
the mistress of the modest establishment
who, with the aid of a maid. will see that
everything is orderliness itself.
Before beginning this disagreeable task
it is well to plan a few simple menus for
several days ahead so that cooking may be
reduced to a minimum. ham or tongue
deliciOusly cooked is good to rely upon as
the piece de resistance. Then too, an extra
large bread or cake baking will admit of
baking day being skipped for once, and
no one will be the wiser. Stock carefully
provided will help for soup making, and
jelly or two can be depended upon to sup
ply the sweet course. In some cases it may
be found easier to have timed things ready
for emergencies an to buy bread
Room for Energy.
Now the strenuous days may begin in
earnest, and the housewife is fancy free to
expend her energy on the overhauling of
closets, pantries and odd corners. The
linen closet should claim first attention,
and should be carefully gone over and stock
taken of the supplies. Silver should be
counted and the best plate, which is only
used on state occasions taken from its hid
ing place and cleaned OF course, the plate
in actual service in a well-run household
has been kept in good condition by weekly
rubbing, but twice year it is excellent
idea to give it an extra bath by putting the
articles in boiling water, to which has been
added a heaping han-lul of hartshorn pow
der. This treatment is especially adVisa BILE
for silver or plated dish covers, entree
dishes and the like, 1t frees them from
lots of unbrushed plate powder which in
the ordinary cleaning it is difficult to dis
lodge The grease given off by the steam
from the food is best removed by this boil
ing method for even the most careful SER
want i'm washing up is apt to take little
heed of this accur- ulation.
The china closets are next n cleaning
routine and, like the plate, glass and china
should be overlooked, replenished when
necessary and put away, to be brought
out in shining splendor when the closet it
self has been attended to. The kitchen is
likewise gone over and a careful note taken
of what is wanted" All this work may
be done in quiet manner, without making
a domestic earthquake, before the spring
cleaning comes round.
Wedding Out.
Now the general wedding out of the lum-
be. room, cupboards and bureau drawers
is next on the program and may be &C
compished quietly, with the advantage of
space gained for storage, and pleasure may
be bestowed at the same time upon the
poor at the gate" from castaway garments.
And just word about these castaways.
1t would be well if every housekeeper made
1t a rule each spring to see what wearing
apparel can be utilized, carefully cleaning,
labelling and putting away what she can
use, giving away or destroying what is no
longer worthy of keeping. Remember that
things which to you, with a comfortable
income, seem shabby and useless may to
poor people make just the difference be-
tween privation and comfort An old
Scotch saying tells US that ''scrapings of
the muckle pot make the wee pot FULL
When you have decided what to give away
and have followed the laudable method of
saving bits of various articles of clothing,
sort them out, pinning the appropriate
pieces to the little outgrown dresses and
shabby suits your girls and boys can no
longer wear. Put card or two of mend
ing wool with the flannel garments, see
that some kind of buttons are on each gar
ment before it is sent away, and you will
find no lack of grateful recipients.
Shake All Clean.
All the wooden garments to be stored
should be thoroughly brushed and beaten
in the open air, well aired and looked over
and then folded into convenient sized par
cells. Dust them freely with any insecti-
eide you please and sew them up carefully
in old pieces of linen or cotton sheets as
tightly possible. Lastly, wrap them in
sheets of new brown paper, folding the
edges closely together and fastening them
down securely with strong glue so that
there will be chance of moths creep
ing in. Treated in this way you will find
your belongings in perfect condition for
next winters wear.
Blankets and all washable fiannels not
required for use should be cleaned at the
home laundry or sent to cleaners and
then put away in the same manner, but re-
member that when storing goods in this
way the whole secret of success lies in the
care with which the packing is DONE Furs