Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-10-26
HOUSEWIVES DAILY
ECONOMY CALENDAR
BY Frances Marshall.
Things We Can't Neglect

Copyright, 1916. by tbs. Mcclure News
s&- paper Synditata)
You know the woman who prides her
self on busting a seven-room house every
day, don't you? She keeps no maid and.
though her family is small, she is so
busy every minute with the housework
that she has time for no outside inter-
ests. or course, she can't belong to the
Neighborhood Club. If she took time to
go to the meetings every two weeks the
bureau tops in all the bedrooms might
not be busted that day, the silver mightn't
be polished as brightly that week as
usual and every embroidered initial on
the best set" of table linen might not be
pressed out with such splendid effect.
II simply can't neglect my housework,"
says this Lady Martha. THE health and
happiness of my family depend on my do
ing every task as 1t should be done.
should feel very guilty if didn't do every
thing to the best of my ability, even If l
do wear myself out and deny myself
little.
The trouble with this kind Of woman
Is that she has. never stopped to think
what sort of duties can be neglected and
what cannot. For her to deviate from
her regular routine would mean that the
breadbox went unaired, that the refuse
cans were uncleaned, that the bedrooms
were not properly aired-and OF course.
that sort Of neglect of the housewifely
task is without excuse.
It's really worth a few minutes thought
this matter Of the things that may be
neglected with impunity and the things
that may not. And it is well worth while
to formulate mentally list Of those
tasks which ought never to be sighted
so that when the time comes-as 1t sure
~ will in every housewives calendar
when all the work must be done in an
hour or so. she will know Just what
things must be done.
In the first place food ought always to
be kept scrupulously under cover. In sum-
mer any kind of food deterioriates when
exposed to the warm air and In the win
ter when mice are seeking a shelter
within the four walls of a well-victualed
house, food ought to be kept covered and
secure in order to keep it from their raw
ages. So put down in capital letters In
your list of things that must be done:
Food must be kept securely under cover.
Then the ice box must be cleaned twice
a week or oftener winter and summer.
This means that everything must be TAX
en- out of the box which must be we'll
mopped out with a solution of strong
soapsuds and water. The doors must be
left open for long enough to allow dee
box to be thoroughly aired and the re-
movable shelves and pipes must be taken
out and dried in the sunshine if possible.
All drain tubes must be kept open by the
use of a long brush especially for that
purpose. Preferably this task should be
accomplished In the morning an hour be-
fore the arrival of the ice man. And this
must never be neglected.
Then the bathroom must never forego
its bi-weekly cleansing. All plumbing
should be scrupulously cleansed with
brushes kept especially for that purpose
and a good odorless-or nearly odorless-
disinfectant should be used weekly.
A strong eodorizer and disinfectant
should be used once a week on all gar
baee cans, and the cans themselves
should be scalded out every day or SO.
Rubbish in the shape of packing boxes
and scrap papers should never be allowed
to collect in the cellar or kitchen-this as
a precaution against fire. The cellar
should be inspected every few days to
ward against the collection of dampness,
leaks, etc.
Surface dust ought to be removed. II
possible, once q day, from the principal
living rooms by means OF a cloth runs