CLEANING DRAPERIES, RUGS, CARPETS

The first step in the real cleaning is to take down draperies, shake well, hang out on the line, right side under, and beat out the dust with a dog- or riding-whip.  Follow with a hard brushing on the wrong side and wipe down quickly with a damp cloth, following the nap, if there is one.  Lace and muslin curtains are repaired, if necessary, and laundered, or sent to the cleaner.  If only slightly soiled, they can be freshened by folding, after shaking, and sprinkling all the folds thickly with magnesia.  Let this remain three or four days and then brush out thoroughly.  Next rugs and carpets come out and are well swept on both sides, then hung on the line and beaten with a flail—­one of two feet of rubber hose partially slipped over a round stick and split lengthwise into four parts, being the best—­until no vestige of dust remains.  Heavy carpets, Brussels, velvets, Wiltons, Axminsters, and Moquettes, need not be lifted oftener than every two or three years, unless the presence of moths about bindings, corners, or seams is detected, when they must come up at once.  The ravage of moths can be prevented by drawing the tacks occasionally, turning back the edge of the carpet half a yard or so, laying a cloth wrung out of hot water on the wrong side, and pressing with a very hot iron, holding the iron on until the cloth is dry and then moving on until all the edges are thoroughly steamed and dried.  This will not injure the carpet and kills the eggs and larvae.  Follow this up by washing the floor with hot borax water, dry thoroughly, sprinkle with black pepper, and retack the carpet.  Sometimes small pieces of cotton batting dipped in turpentine and slipped under the edges of the carpet will keep the moths away.  If there are cracks at the juncture of baseboard and floor, pour in benzine and fill with plaster of Paris.  Three-ply or ingrain carpets can be steamed and ironed without removing the tacks.

CLEANING MATTINGS AND WOODWORK

Mattings must be lifted, shaken, swept, wiped off with a cloth dampened in borax water, and left on the lawn to sun.  No soap should be used on linoleum, and but little water.  Clean by rubbing with a damp cloth till no soil comes off, and polish with a very little linseed oil.  All upholstered furniture should be taken out, covered with a cloth, and thoroughly beaten with a rattan, shaking the cloth as it becomes dusty.  Before rugs and carpets go down, walls, woodwork, and floors are cleaned.  Walls, if painted, are washed with hot water containing a little kerosene, a square yard at a time, which is dried before moving on to the next area.  Rubbing down with the inside of the crust of bread a day old will clean papered walls.  Painted woodwork is best cleaned with whiting mixed to a thick cream with cold water, rubbed on with a cloth wrung out of hot water, following