Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-03-18

LABOR-SAVING AIDS.
First Helps to the Spring House
cleaning.

cleaning.
Written for The Evening Star
True balm to the housekeeper's heart at
this season of the year is the valid excuse
for haunting that most fascinating of de-
partments, the housefurnishing counter of
the up-to-date shop. Housecleaning has its
terrors, but these are mitigated by the
pleasure Of selecting some of the new ap-
planes and utensils which are veritable
first aids to the energetic housewife. Time
was when woman rather gloried in max
ing the best Of inconvenience, but now do
nestle science teaches the art of saving
ones strength and incidentally conserving
the patience of the entire family.
1t Is in manifold sorts of brushes that
the counters abound especially brushes Tor
reaching into every imaginable crevfce and
corner, and attached usually to revolving
handles by which the brush can be given
rotary motion. A very small brush OF
this kind set on a revolving pivot is USED
for sweeping the knobs and tuftings of up
holStered furniture, doing away with that
long drawn-out task of removing the dust
with Whisk broom. Another brush With
a fiat curved handle has one layer of wide
strong bristles which can be worked into
the narroweSt of cracks. For sweeping
down walls and brushes, most useful
brush is made from a fiat wad of lamb S
wool with an iron thread socket, by which
it can be screwed to long or short handle.
A fleece felt bag for covering an ordinary
broom is another means of cleaning large
surfaces in preference to the old-fashioned
cotton flannel case. HousekeeperS Will well
come a device for removing threads and
hairs from all sorts of brushes. This Is
small steel rake with long tines.
Though 1t has been on the market sew
eral years, few women appreciate the value
of dust-pan with long, perpendicular
handle. This implement saves time as well
as cricks In the muscles of the BACK. An
other labor-saying contrivance which she
cannot afford to overlook is Wrlnger to
be adjusted to the cleaning pail. This Is
turned easily with a small crank, ana saves
the hands from strong washing poWders
and hot water by squeezing out mops ard
floor rags Of all kinds. a.
Window cleaning loses much OF Its terror
when the drying and polishing are accom-
plished with the aid Of chamols Light
and heavyweight channels in both red and
light or dark yellow are at the housewife
whole channels skin bays "a channels mitt.
This is a species of bTnsh made from short
strips of yellow chau1ois and Is held on
the hand by rubber traps: Another pol
ishing mitten Is built From layers or cotton
flannel which may be Ripped off as they be-
come soiled.
The limited possibilities of sand soap for
polishing metal surfaces have caused the
housewife to speciafizein her cleaning fluids
as well as in her brushes, and she VIII ma
long sought preparation In new polish
for nickel trappings Long experience has
proved a mixture of linseed Oil and turpen-
surfaces. and these ingredients in just the
right proportion can be purchased at any
housekeeping counter A new yarnsh FOR
furniture combines an enaInel finish DOS
sessing the quality az giving wood stain
of any color. For, repairing broken chair
seats there comes an upholstered seat OF
different sizes which can be easily lifted
into an old chair, as can the separate cane
seats.
To insure freedom from moths in closets
the spring housecleaner will use sulphur
candle for burning in the tightly closed COM
cleaned. Then it is aired and the winter
clothes can be thoroughly brushed and
hung away In perfect safety.