How can the housewife who has everything to do her-
self save time and extra steps? By having a silver box,
in which the flat silver can be dropped in the separate
compartments as wiped, and set aside from the dust until
meal time, when it can be carried directly to the table,
and arranged. The needed number of glasses, bread and
butter plates, and any other used at every meal without
warming, can be put on a tray as wiped, set aside, and
carried to the table when needed, thus saving quite a little
unnecessary handling in the course of the day.
Should the sink be washed out with the dish cloth?
No; never. Keep a special cloth for it. The water the
floor is mopped in is emptied in it containing filth and
germs tracked in from the street, hands are often washed
there, and much dirt and germs cling to it.
38 Efficiency in Home Making
CARING FOR THE REFRIGERATOR.
Does the refrigerator need much attention? It does,
or it will not be a fit place to keep food. Never allow
food to remain in it until it becomes moldy, or spoiled.
If anything is spilled, wipe it up at once with a damp
cloth; never leave it to dry on.
How often should the refrigerator be washed out?
Once a week. Remove shelves, scrub and wash them,
and the sides and bottom of refrigerator. Look care-
fully for dirt in the creases and corners. Clean the pipe
with a long wire-handled brush that is made especially
for the purpose; see that it reaches through bottom of
pipe. Scald it down with boiling water in which a little
washing soda has been dissolved. See that drip pan is
empty first, that it may have the benefit, then scrub that
out. Sometimes get down and reaching under, run the
finger up pipe to make sure there is no slime in it ; unless
the pipe is a removable one, you can examine without. A
refrigerator with a slimy pipe is no fit place to keep food.
Run the fingers over the drip pan 'sometimes to make
sure it is free from slime for it will accumulate there if
not properly cared for.
Should there be any special arrangement of food in
the refrigerator? If the butter, milk, eggs and fresh
fruit are each kept in a particular place, also the left-over
meats, vegetables and desserts in one place, one can put
the hand at once on what is wanted, also it is much easier
when going to market, to tell quickly what is wanted, or
in planning a meal, what left-overs there are.
How much ice should be ordered at once? A large
piece every other day will keep better than a small one
every day, and it saves dirt and trouble. Never put warm
food in the refrigerator.
How is the best way to guard against the drip pan run-
ning over? By emptying it the first thing every morning,
then it will not be forgotten, and much time and trouble
will be saved.
Efficiency in Home Making 39
MANAGEMENT IN THE HOME.
Can one manage a home successfully without special
training? It is impossible to, unless one has informa-
tion, and working schedules that have been carefully pre-
pared.
Is it as important fcr the home-maker to have a knowl-
edge of home-making as it is for the business man to
have special training along his line of work? It is; for
the health and happiness of the family depend largely on
the knowledge and skill of the one at the helm.
Page 19
Presented as published in 1915. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
How can the housewife who has everything to do herself save time and extra steps? By having a silver box, in which the flat silver can be dropped in the separate compartments as wiped, and set aside from the dust until meal time, when it can be carried directly to the table, and arranged. The needed number of glasses, bread and butter plates, and any other used at every meal without warming, can be put on a tray as wiped, set aside, and carried to the table when needed, thus saving quite a little unnecessary handling in the course of the day.
Should the sink be washed out with the dish cloth? No; never. Keep a special cloth for it. The water the floor is mopped in is emptied in it containing filth and germs tracked in from the street, hands are often washed there, and much dirt and germs cling to it.
38 Efficiency in Home Making
CARING FOR THE REFRIGERATOR.
Does the refrigerator need much attention? It does, or it will not be a fit place to keep food. Never allow food to remain in it until it becomes moldy, or spoiled. If anything is spilled, wipe it up at once with a damp cloth; never leave it to dry on.
How often should the refrigerator be washed out? Once a week. Remove shelves, scrub and wash them, and the sides and bottom of refrigerator. Look carefully for dirt in the creases and corners. Clean the pipe with a long wire-handled brush that is made especially for the purpose; see that it reaches through bottom of pipe. Scald it down with boiling water in which a little washing soda has been dissolved. See that drip pan is empty first, that it may have the benefit, then scrub that out. Sometimes get down and reaching under, run the finger up pipe to make sure there is no slime in it ; unless the pipe is a removable one, you can examine without. A refrigerator with a slimy pipe is no fit place to keep food. Run the fingers over the drip pan 'sometimes to make sure it is free from slime for it will accumulate there if not properly cared for.
Should there be any special arrangement of food in the refrigerator? If the butter, milk, eggs and fresh fruit are each kept in a particular place, also the left-over meats, vegetables and desserts in one place, one can put the hand at once on what is wanted, also it is much easier when going to market, to tell quickly what is wanted, or in planning a meal, what left-overs there are.
How much ice should be ordered at once? A large piece every other day will keep better than a small one every day, and it saves dirt and trouble. Never put warm food in the refrigerator.
How is the best way to guard against the drip pan running over? By emptying it the first thing every morning, then it will not be forgotten, and much time and trouble will be saved.
Efficiency in Home Making 39
MANAGEMENT IN THE HOME.
Can one manage a home successfully without special training? It is impossible to, unless one has information, and working schedules that have been carefully prepared.
Is it as important for the home-maker to have a knowledge of home-making as it is for the business man to have special training along his line of work? It is; for the health and happiness of the family depend largely on the knowledge and skill of the one at the helm.