Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1912-04-30
HOMEMAKERS COLUMN.
Correspondence on topics Of interest % the adis.
u solicited. Address: Editor HonEAAxEn1
CoLUnN. Oxford Democrat, South Paris. He.
n. c.,. al IN. Rath.roo

The Care Of the Bathroom.
Even the ideal white tiled bathroom
can lose it, shining beauty. Let no
proud and trusting soul DO deceived By
in apparent promise of indestructible
cleanliness. That shining porcelain. far
from shedding dirt, a. the proverbial
ducks back sheds water, exhibits the
smallest grain Of dust 10 him who
runs" II the watohful eye OF the house
wife 10 thoughtlessly removed for .
minute or her busy scrubbing brush idle
for more than two, spots develop with
startling rapidity into stains, and the
beauty OF the erstwbile shining room
disappears under cloud.
The first step toward keeping It I'm
msculate must be taken by oil the mem
bers of the family individually. Haven't
you frequently recoilsd before the vision
Of the bathroom when POUR turn has
come for your morning batb, piles OF
wet towels alternating with pools OF
water on the floor, q basin spotted with
drying toothpowder, tub with its ring
still intact, and an atmosphere heavy
with steamp The least each person can
do Is to leave Il In perfect order for tho
next one; the wet towels placed In the
receptacles intended for their temporary
disposal, tho others neatly folded, the
basin and tub washed and wiped, and
the window opened. Any member OF
the family who leaves them otherwise,
either In the morning or during the day,
should be sent back to "mske good" or
made to pay heavy fine into the family
treasury.
It is the housewives duty to see that .
small bath-brusb, some cloths, and
strong soap are kept In small closet In
the bathroom for cleaning out the basin
and tub and wiping up the floor, 30 that
her best towels will not be used for that
purpose, and that there is temporary
receptacle for wet towels 80 that they
will not be put into the hamper wet.
The nickel holders serve that purpose
beautifully.
Opening the window ia . very essen.
tial duty, although many never think Of
that detail, especially In the winter.
One should no more think OF asking
another to battle in the air 10 which
bath has been taken than in the same
water. It Is heavily laden with impuri-
ties.
For the daily cleaning One needs the
inevitable scrubbing- brush, with one of
the sand soaps, for the floor IL It 10 tiled.
For the polished tiles of the wall and
porcelain of tub and basin the rough
sand soap must be replaced by q smooth
soap or cleaning powder. There are
mum berless soap powders on the market
that serve the purpose without scratch.
ing the surface. There 10 also special
cleaning powder manufactured. for the
purpose. Yellow stains may mean that
there is iron In the water. They may
come from rust In the iron pipes. If
they do, oxalic acid In the cleaning
water will remove them.
Whiting mixed with alcohol will keep
the nickel in perfect condition II 1t 10
used frequently.
A hard wood floor requires quite diff.
ferent treatment from the tiled floor.
Whether oiled or vanished, 1t may be
wiped up with a cloth slightly damp.
Soap and water may be used on linoleum,
but the water should not be hot nor the
soap strong, certainly not gritty.
The plumbing in the bathroom re-
quires very careful attention. Frequent
doses Of sal.soda and hot water should
be forced down all the waste.pipes and
overflows. To clean the overflow fill the
basin or tub 80 full Of hot water and SAL
soda that it will be forced TO escape
through the overflow.
For the closet 1t Is better to use
chloride of lime. When disinfection IL
necessary a solution OF carbolic, six
ounces Of pure crystals to gallon Of hot
water, is somewhat stronger. Not only
the bowl of the closet should be cleaned
each day, but the trap itself with small
mop on long, heavy wire handle.
The peppermint test ia safeguard
against unsupported lsakages of sewer
gas and may be used without the assist.
ance of a plumber. The joints in the
pipes are the danger spots. Temporary
home mending can be done with putty.
When closing the house for the winter
you should not only shut off the water,
but have all the traps emptied, stufing
the empty closet trap with paper. After
this has been done put all the shoppers
in basins and tubs and paste paper over
the overflow outlets to keep the sewer
GAS ont of the bouse,-Harper's Bazaar.