CARE OF THE HOUSE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 264, 31 July 1908, Page 5

CARE OF THE HOUSE.

It is natural for cvory woman to take a prido nv making her home as dainty, and attractive as sho possibly can, and usually no exertion- is spared on • her own part to keep it so.- ;There are some-women, however,• who carry'their, toil to great oxcesses, and every -little' pleasure, or overy little. luxury that might: well, be indulged in for their own; personal satisfaction, is sacrificod for tiio good of tho house; Others, again', mako their work a great - deal heavier through having no method in the'way tlioy go about it. " A writer- in ,;thd: "Sj;driey Morning Herald gives sonio useful hints. . . - Sweeping and dusting sound very olementary terms;'but, as. -in all conditions thero ,is,.she says; a right and a,wrong way of going about 1 them..,lmagirio that we'aro preparing our room for tho regular weekly cleaning. . All-spoilable articles, and those easily , jnoved, : must be taken o'utsido; sideboard and sofa covers taken- off, carefully . folded, and. placed 'wliero they will not get dusty, and chairs put up on-the table, leaving tho floor-space as clear as possible. A longhandled broom, with a duster tied over it, should: then be used to brush tho walls down, and : remove cobwbbs , (the barie of the Australian; housewife).; .pictures should be well dusted, and; wainscotting and polished floorboards brushed with a soft broom; fireplace tidied, and grate polished; and now wo are ready for tho carpet. There are various ways for sweeping a carpet. Tho usual way is to strew the! floor' with, damp, tea-leaves before beginning to- brush. Care must ' then be takeirto hold the broom 'firmly, and to sweep in.,straight lines.' with the pile " (this is es : pecially applicable to Wilton carpets), getting 'thorouglily.into corners, which, if neglected, soon become a ; happy : hunting-ground for moths.:. -- - : ■ ... - ,

An excellent plan is to have a pail of. salt and water (a large handful of salt to lialf a buckot of water), and brush the carpet well ■ with a' short-handled, millet broom, occasionally dipped in the; salt. and water. This is : not only an: effectual way. of 'cleaning, but! restores the colour and brightness, to, an. old r carpet. ..In these days carpets, are not -nearly as much used as, formerly, and -in the Australian: climate large mats, which can bo often .removed and shaken, placed over a. polished floor not"' only .look exceedingly well, but iii many ways are more Japanese matting, which,, being, of ,a closer, texture, is-,an -improvement on -the is. much -used; as; a.,floor covering, arid'.is clean, and cool-looking, besides having the: advantage' of being inexpensive. , Matting should be wiped.over with a cloth wrung out iii salt, and water;'soap should never bo used, as it makes the matting; yellow. Felt in.,:the -many.' art~-shados:,of torday looks very: well, and is cheaper than carpet, but where time is an object it .should.'-not be used in •-a living-room, as it shows every speck of dust and dirt, and .requires constant attention., For all; ordinary purposes, linoleum cream ~-will,' answer for polished floor-boards, ■ as-well as the more' laborious, 'old-fashioned beeswax and, turpentine, and will obviate the necessity- of preparing such a dangerous remedy as this has often proved. Where . trouble has to be considered, a strip of''self-colour linoleum, one yard wide, used, round a'.room,.instekd; of polished boards,' has,'a' very"gbod'i.effect,'.ana is. more' easily kept bright.. .. . / Some-people 'advocate :the uso of'.'a wet. or of an oily, duster.-' The former has, ad-, vantage's, ;bnt is not good for polished wood,' and; tho: latter, is not, agreeable to hold.''or use, so that an ordinary, duster, frequently sliaKen out' in the air, will be found sufficient .for most purposes. : Polished wood fur-, '• niture; "such' as , sideboards, pianos, '■ tables, chairs, etc., should bo rubbed up and bright-; ened at ; leasl once'a month. T"is helps not only.' to 'improve the . appearance, but will • also'make the furniture last longer, as the oil in; the polish; preserves and hardens the wood. •• • ' ' . -