Household science and arts

One way of protecting ourselves from the living germs always found in dust is the use of a proper method of dusting and sweeping rooms. The main thing to be done is to avoid throwing dust into the air when trying to remove it from any article of furniture. Much that will be said in the next lesson on dusting arid "sweeping can be traced back to this one principle of avoiding the scattering of dust. 4 Digitized by Google # But harmful germs are brought to the home by other carriers than dust. Flies are very harmful to us and useful to bad germs by carrying them from place to place. Flies are hatched in filth and always support germs. The good housekeeper will not allow uncovered in her house anything attractive to flies. She will also make sure that her garbage pail is not open to them as a free boarding house. She wiU use every possible means of keeping her home free from these busy little pests. Mosquitoes, too, are enemies. Although their bite is unpleasant, we should wage war on them for another reason than that. They carry diseases, and are a very common means of " chills and fever," ague or malaria. But there are useful germs. Bread making, butter making, and cheese curing are aided by such germs, and they help too in the ripening of meat. SWEEPING Care of Brooms and Brushes. — In sweeping use alternate sides and comers of the broom, so that it may wear evenly. Wash brooms frequently in hot, soapy water, and hang them up to dry. Brush all lint from dustbrush, and wash it occasionally in cold or warm water, never in hot, as hot water softens the glue which holds the bristles in place. After washing the brush, hang it in the open air to dry. Sweeping Smooth, Finished Floors, or Hardwood Floors. — Before beginning to sweep, see that no uncovered food is in the room. Then dust the comers of the room with a shorthandled bristle brush ; dust the sides of the room with a longhandled bristle brush, sweeping toward the center; then sweep the floor with short strokes, keeping the broom close to the floor to prevent raising dust. Next, gather the dust in one spot near the center of the Digitized by Google DUSTING 13 room, and take it up with a brush, or a small broom and a dustpan, and bum it at once whenever possible, opening all the dampers of the range before putting the dust into the fire. Care of Hardwood Floors and Stairs. — Always sweep floor and stairs before wiping them with damp cloth. Use as Uttle water as possible, and wipe the wood dry ; or wipe it over with kerosene. Rub hard with a soft, dry cloth until the wood is perfectly dry. Sweeping a Carpeted Floor, (a) Preparatory Steps. — Dust pictures and all pieces of furniture too large to be removed, and cover them with cheesecloth covers. Dust all small articles and remove them from the room. If a high wind is blowing, close the windows to prevent the dust from blowing back. Tear old newspapers into small pieces, dampen them, and sprinkle them over the carpet. (6) Sweeping, — Sweep the cpmers of the carpet with a short-handled com broom. Sweep the sides of the room with a long-handled com broom, sweeping towards the center, and taking short strokes, so as to avoid raising dust. Collect the dirt in one pile and take it up on a dustpan with a small broom. A carpet sweeper may be used on the center of the carpet after the sides are brushed. Sweeping Carpeted Stairs. — Use a short-handled com broom and a dustpan covered with damp paper. Brush the dirt from each step into the dustpan. Be careful to leave the comers clean. DUSTING Implements for Dusting. — Dry mop for hard wood or smooth-finished floors, or a long-handled com broom covered with a canton flannel bag. Several cheesecloth dusters. Digitized by Google