Food and health

scraps ; leaving the table in order, and the floor underneath free from crumbs ; having all the dishes washed, the glasses and silver shiny and set away in order, and the sink and dish towels spotlessly clean. What do we need for dish washing ? Water, air, sunshine are nature's cleansers, always at work if we give them a chance. When we wash dishes, we need plenty of clean hot water. Soft and hard water. Rain water is always "soft." Brook and spring water and even well water are sometimes so. When the water takes up lime or iron from the soil, we then have a " hard '' water ; and you know that it is hard when the soap does not make foamy suds. One kind of hard water is improved by boiling, and another is not ; with either we need to use borax, ammonia, or some stronger washing powder in the water. If you are still making and using the old-fashioned " soft soap,'' there is nothing better to soften the water ; but many people have given up doing this. Plenty of hot water. When there is running water in the house, the easiest way is to have a boiler connected with the stove, and a water back put in for heating the water. Some stoves, either coal or wood, come with a tank at the back into which water can be poured. It is in summer weather when we do not need a hot fire that the question of water is troublesome. If you are using kerosene, you may still have plenty of hot water, with a little thought and care. Study in Lesson 26 the Atkinson and the fireless cookers, and this may suggest to you a way of having hot water for dishes without heating the kitchen. A large pail of water can be brought to a boil on a kerosene stove, and kept hot either Courtesy of Miss Ethel Dole. Fig. 60. — Washing dishes. Notice the rack at the left for draining dishes. The sink is too low. in the Atkinson or in a fireless, ready for the next dish washing.' A word about soap. Soap making was always done at home in the days of our great-grandmothers. For this purpose they saved fat to be boiled with lye made from wood ashes. In these days a good soap can be purchased cheaply. Buying soap is one way of saving time and strength in the country home. It does not cost much less bought by the box than by the dozen cakes or bars, but it can be laid away to harden if we buy a large quantity at one time. Borax or naphtha soap is a help when the water is hard. Washing the dishes. With plenty of hot water, soap, and something to soften the water, with a dishpan and another pan for rinsing, we are ready for action. Remember to have ready a clean dishcloth and towels, — if used, — dried in air and sun, although not necessarily ironed. Perhaps you have a soap shaker, with small pieces of soap put into it. Make one from a tin can, with holes driven in by a large nail and hammer, near the bottom of the can. You also need fine sand, or a gritty cleaner or soap, and a- small stiff brush. 1. The cooking utensils have been standing with cold water in them ; or, if greasy, with hot water and a little washing powder. 2. Scrape and pile the dishes — dishes of a kind together. Rub greasy dishes off with soft paper, and put the paper in the stove. 3. Put water in pans, and use the shaker vigorously. How clean and sweet the soapsuds smell ! 4. Wash a dish at a time, the cleanest first. Why .? Do not fill the pan with dishes first. Why ? 5. Rinse the dishes in the clear hot water pan and wipe ; or, better still, arrange the dishes as in Fig. 61, pour boiling water over them, and allow them to drain dry. 6. Change the dishwater if it begins to look greasy and unpleasant.