Page:Every Woman's Encyclopedia Volume 1.djvu/342

 WOMAN'S HOME 320 valuable, a housemaid should be skilful with her needle, because if she plans out her day's work cleverly she should have leisure to take her share in mending, renovating, and patch- ing the household linen. This will save the mistress of the house much time and trouble earlv riser, clean and neat in work and person. The' health and comfort of the family depend greatly on how conscientiously the housemaid airs rooms and beds, and how much consideration she pays to the mdividual whims of the occupants. To be really DAILY TIME-TABLE FOR SINGLE HOUSEMAID A cook and parlourmaid kept also-A town house of medium size- A family of four persons answer front door while parlourmaid dresses. Do needlework and light duties. ^ pjv[. — Help prepare kitchen tea ; have tea, and clear it away. 5 P M. — Tidy bedrooms. Close house, and light bedroom fires, according to the season of the year. 7.30 P.M. — Put hot water in bedroom; help ladies to dress if required. Assist parlourmaid to wait at table. 3 p_M. — Prepare bedrooms for the night. Have supper. 9.30 or 10 P.M. — Put hot water in bed- rooms. See to fires. Bed. 6.30 A.M. — Go downstairs, open shutters, etc. Sweep and dust drawing-room, sweep stairs, call family, take up hot water, tea, boots, and letters. 8 A.M. — Have kitchen breakfast. 8.30 A.M. — Open bedroom windows, strip beds, do bedroom china ; dust stairs, make beds, do grates, sweep and dust bedrooms. 10 A.M. — Do special ivork for the day. I P.M. — Put hot water in bedrooms. Have kitchen dinner: tidy bedrooms. Change dress. Help to clear dining- room lunch if required. Be ready to SPECIAL WORK MONDAY Collect, sort, and count linen for laundry. Clean dining-room and housemaid's closet. TUESDAY Clean two bedrooms. Mend house linen. WEDNESDAY Clean bedroom and brasses. THURSDAY Clean library and morning-room ; clean gas globes, lamps, etc. FRIDAY Clean bathroom, lavatory ; and pay special attention to stairs. SATURDAY Count, air, and put away clean linen. Turn out own roo m. Clean silver. To be continued. HOME LAUNDRY WORH Continued from fage 16S, Part II UTENSILS NECESSARY FOR LAUNDRY WORK Utensils According to "Washing to be Done and Space Available— A List of the Most Important Articles — How to Use Them and Keep Them Clean T^HE number of utensils required for laundry- work will depend very much upon the amount of washing to be done and also upon the space available. In a small house, when the washing has to be done in a kitchen or scullery, the number of utensils bought specially for laundry purposes must be reduced to a minimum ; but where a special wash-house is provided, it will be found a saving of labour and patience to have the proper utensils pro- vided and kept for their special purpose only. Everything should be strong and good, as laundry utensils are necessarily subjected to great wear and tear. The following utensils will be required to do the work conveniently : Tubs. Two or three large ones and one smaller one. If the tubs are not fitted, a wooden bench or stand will be required to place them on. The tubs must be kept very clean ; dirty water must never be allowed to remain in them, as a greasy scum will settle on the sides and be most difficult to remove. Wooden tubs, when not in use should have a little clean water left in them , to prevent the wood shrinking. Zinc tubs, on the contrary, should be thoroughly dried, to prevent rust, and turned upside down, to keep them clean. A ScRUBBiNG-BoARD. This is helpful in the washing of the heavier and more soiled clothes. Choose one that is strong and of a good make. After use, the dirt which collects underneath should be brushed off, and the board dried and left ready for future use. A Boiler. When a fitted boiler is not provided, a large goblet, or boiling-pot, must be kept for the purpose of boiling the clothes. The boiler should be kept free from dust and rust ; thoroughly wash and dry it well after use. If the boiler is fixed, always fill it before lighting the fire, and always see that the fire is out before emptying and drying it. If the boiler becomes greasy inside, a little soft soap and paraffin is a good thing to clean it with, and if this is insufficient use ^ little scouring soap as well ; then thoroughly rinse with hot water. Clothes Lines and Pegs, Clothes Horse or Pulleys. The two former will