How long should the dust settle after sweeping? An
hour or more, then remove covers carefully ; go over all
the base boards and doors, and large surfaces ; wipe the
Efficiency in Home Making 19
dust into the cloth, and shake out of the window occa-
sionally. Do not flirt the dust off furniture into the room.
How should polished floors be cleaned? Wipe them
over with a three-cornered floor dust mop. A tiny bit
of oil may be put on the mop to collect the dust so it will
not fly about.
What places should one watch out for? At the ends of
radiators, where the pipes are. Turn the mop on edge
to slip behind pipe, and across the other way, between
radiator and pipe; this will prevent the little triangle of
dust sometimes seen, around radiator pipes, which looks
very badly.
Is a feather duster desirable? No; it should never
be used ; it simply removes the dust from one place to
settle in another. The room is no cleaner than before
dusting, the dust is simply scattered somewhere else.
What should be used to dust with? A soft cheese-
cloth duster, with a little coal oil, or furniture oil, patted
and wrung into it thoroughly, or better still close it up
tight in a can or jar kept for that purpose — over night.
The oil will then penetrate every thread.
Is there danger of putting on too much oil? Yes ; there
should not be enough to leave any oily streaks. Pat and
wring the duster until the oil is evenly distributed, There
needs to be just enough so the dust will cling to it.
What rule should be followed in dusting either floor
or furniture? Always begin at a particular place, and
follow a regular plan ; the dusting will take less time
than if no system is followed. Begin at the right of
entrance door, and dust around outside of room, and half-
way across spaces between rugs, and across the other half,
when doing other side.
In dusting the furniture what plan is best? If the top
of dining room table is very dusty, it is best to wipe that
off carefully first, and 'shake the dust cloth out of the
window. See that the wind is not that way so dust is
blown back in. It is a good plan to begin with the fur-
niture at right of entrance door, and go around on out-
side, then any in centre.
20 Efficiency in Home Making
In dusting chairs, what is a good order? Begin at
bottom of left back leg, then the back, down back right
leg; front legs and cross pieces, then the seat. If there
are any large surfaces particularly dusty, it is well just
before shaking the duster to wipe over them carefully.
Why is it better to follow a regular routine this way?
It saves time, and habit makes it easier.
In cleaning several rooms every day, is it better to finish
one before going to the next? No; it is better to go over
all with the sweeper if they need brushing up ; then with
the floor duster, and lastly dust. The dust has more
chance to settle, and it saves time and steps to go the
rounds with one implement, instead of changing con-
stantly.
CARE OF THE VACUUM CLEANER.
Page 8
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 long should the dust settle after sweeping? An hour or more, then remove covers carefully ; go over all the base boards and doors, and large surfaces ; wipe the
Efficiency in Home Making 19
dust into the cloth, and shake out of the window occasionally. Do not flirt the dust off furniture into the room.
How should polished floors be cleaned? Wipe them over with a three-cornered floor dust mop. A tiny bit of oil may be put on the mop to collect the dust so it will not fly about.
What places should one watch out for? At the ends of radiators, where the pipes are. Turn the mop on edge to slip behind pipe, and across the other way, between radiator and pipe; this will prevent the little triangle of dust sometimes seen, around radiator pipes, which looks very badly.
Is a feather duster desirable? No; it should never be used ; it simply removes the dust from one place to settle in another. The room is no cleaner than before dusting, the dust is simply scattered somewhere else.
What should be used to dust with? A soft cheesecloth duster, with a little coal oil, or furniture oil, patted and wrung into it thoroughly, or better still close it up tight in a can or jar kept for that purpose — over night. The oil will then penetrate every thread.
Is there danger of putting on too much oil? Yes ; there should not be enough to leave any oily streaks. Pat and wring the duster until the oil is evenly distributed, There needs to be just enough so the dust will cling to it.
What rule should be followed in dusting either floor or furniture? Always begin at a particular place, and follow a regular plan ; the dusting will take less time than if no system is followed. Begin at the right of entrance door, and dust around outside of room, and halfway across spaces between rugs, and across the other half, when doing other side.
In dusting the furniture what plan is best? If the top of dining room table is very dusty, it is best to wipe that off carefully first, and 'shake the dust cloth out of the window. See that the wind is not that way so dust is blown back in. It is a good plan to begin with the furniture at right of entrance door, and go around on outside, then any in centre.
20 Efficiency in Home Making
In dusting chairs, what is a good order? Begin at bottom of left back leg, then the back, down back right leg; front legs and cross pieces, then the seat. If there are any large surfaces particularly dusty, it is well just before shaking the duster to wipe over them carefully.
Why is it better to follow a regular routine this way? It saves time, and habit makes it easier.
In cleaning several rooms every day, is it better to finish one before going to the next? No; it is better to go over all with the sweeper if they need brushing up ; then with the floor duster, and lastly dust. The dust has more chance to settle, and it saves time and steps to go the rounds with one implement, instead of changing constantly.
CARE OF THE VACUUM CLEANER.