place should be cleaned out before the sweeping is done, and
the hearth brushed, with a bath afterwards. Brass trimmings and
utensils in use about the grate can be easily kept clean by rubbing
first with kerosene and then with red pomade; but if neglected and
allowed to become tarnished, it is somewhat of an undertaking to
restore them to their pristine brightness. In an extreme case rub with
vinegar and salt, wash off quickly, and follow with some good polish.
Results obtained in this way are not lasting, and the vinegar and salt
should be resorted to only after other well-tried means have failed.
Another home cure for tarnished brass and other metals is a mixture of
whiting, four pounds; cream of tartar, one quarter pound; and
calcinated magnesia, three ounces. Apply with a damp cloth.

The dust will settle while the brasses are being cleaned, and then the
carpet or rug should be brushed over a second time, lightly, and may be
brightened once a month or so by rubbing, a small space at a time, with
a stiff scrubbing brush dipped in ammonia water--two tablespoons of
ammonia to a gallon of water--and then quickly wiping over with a dry
cloth. The chandeliers and gas fixtures should be wiped with a cloth
wrung from weak suds, the globes dusted or washed as required, and a
doubled coarse thread drawn back and forth through the gas tips, if gas
is in use. Registers should be wiped out and dusted every sweeping day
to prevent the accumulation of dust. All woodwork, if painted, is
dusted and then wiped down with a damp cloth; if hardwood, use the
crude oil and turpentine, going into grooves and corners with a skewer,
and rub hard with a second clean flannel. Hardwood floors receive the
same treatment after being swept, and it is a good plan to go over all
the furniture in the same way to preserve the life and fine finish of
the wood, but it is imperative that the wood be rubbed _absolutely dry_.

When the windows have been washed, furniture replaced, and everything
is in apple-pie order in the drawing-room, each of the remaining rooms
is cleaned in like manner, ending with the hall, where each stair is
brushed with a whisk broom into the dust pan, and carpet, walls,
ceiling, and woodwork attended to as in the other rooms. The dusting
cloths and broom bags should go regularly into the weekly wash. It is
far better to do one room complete at a time than to have a whole floor
torn up at once. Just because it is sweepin