225.  A Spotless House.—­A house that is spotless at the price of the family’s peace or of the housekeeper’s best self, is the worst sort of an investment.  You, the woman, are of vastly more importance than your surroundings.  If you feel yourself becoming a mere drudge, if your family is growing away from you mentally, if your nerves are weakening under a fetish of cleanliness, get time to read.

226.  To Keep Flooring in Place.—­Strips of moulding may be tacked around the edges of a room at the baseboard, so as to cover the edge of oilcloth or linoleum.  This holds the floor covering in place and prevents dust from getting beneath it.

227.  Light Colored Wall Paper.—­Light colored wall paper may be cleaned by a careful rubbing with a very clean rubber of the kind which artists use.  If the spot cleaned seems lighter than the surrounding color it may be toned down by a gentle rubbing with a clean chamois skin.

228.  To Keep Canary Seed Away from Mice.—­If there are any mice in the house, the best way to keep the canary from being robbed of its food is to empty the contents of a cardboard box of bird seed into a quart preserve jar and cover with a screw top.

[880 Mothers’ remedies]

229.  Convenient Scrub Bucket.—­The most convenient scrub bucket is light, and is made of galvanized iron with a wide flaring top.  The bucket is to be fitted with a wire soap tray on the outside, for often the soap is wasted while floating in the water if there is no convenient place to put it, while scrubbing.  Holes can be punctured in the bucket and the wire tray fastened on with a heavy cord or a pliable wire,

230.  Fruit Stains on Table Linen.—­Fruit stains on table linen should be taken out before the cloth is put in the wash tub.  Soap and water will set the stains.

231.  Wicker Furniture.—­Do not scrub your unpainted wicker furniture with soap and water, as it will turn it yellow and ruin its looks.  Instead, try scrubbing it with a strong solution of salt water.  If you have pieces that are so shabby that they must either be painted or thrown away, try the salt water treatment first.  Scrub well and put in the sun and air and dry quickly.

232.  Removing Dirt from Carpet.—­Of all the ways to remove dirt from a carpet, the worst is by the use of the ordinary short brush which involves the housemaid’s kneeling down in the dust.

233.  How to Preserve the Household Broom.—­The ordinary household broom will last twice as long, if care is taken of it, as it will if it is just used anyhow.  When it is new, before using it, put it in a pail of hot water and let it remain there until the water is quite cold.  Then thoroughly dry—­in the sun if possible.  Always clean it after sweeping, by dipping in water and shaking well before putting it away and occasionally give it a thorough washing in hot soda water.

234.  A Good Furniture Polish.—­A good furniture polish may be made of paraffin oil and turpentine.  Kerosene too is very good, while crude oil may be used to darken wood that has not been varnished.