d in the fall,
summer clothing. Before the spring cleaning the stoves must be taken
down and cleaned out, stovepipes cleaned and rubbed with boiled oil to
prevent rust, and both put away in the attic. Chimneys, too, must be
cleaned, and if the heating is by furnace, it should be put in order
and all its parts swept free from soot, covering the registers during
the operation. This is better done in the spring so the summer winds
cannot scatter the dust and soot through the house. The supply of coal
and wood for the ensuing year should be put into the cellar, and then
the preliminaries are over. The fall cleaning must be delayed until
the canning and pickling are all done, and the "busy, curious, thirsty
fly" is pretty well extinct. Now is the best time for painting,
whitewashing, papering, and other decorating and repairing. If done in
the spring, its freshness is bound to be more or less spoiled by
insects during the summer, be as careful as one may.

CLEANING DRAPERIES, RUGS, CARPETS

The first step in the real cleaning is to take down draperies, shake
well, hang out on the line, right side under, and beat out the dust
with a dog- or riding-whip. Follow with a hard brushing on the wrong
side and wipe down quickly with a damp cloth, following the nap, if
there is one. Lace and muslin curtains are repaired, if necessary, and
laundered, or sent to the cleaner. If only slightly soiled, they can
be freshened by folding, after shaking, and sprinkling all the folds
thickly with magnesia. Let this remain three or four days and then
brush out thoroughly. Next rugs and carpets come out and are well
swept on both sides, then hung on the line and beaten with a flail--one
of two feet of rubber hose partially slipped over a round stick and
split lengthwise into four parts, being the best--until no vestige of
dust remains. Heavy carpets, Brussels, velvets, Wiltons, Axminsters,
and Moquettes, need not be lifted oftener than every two or three
years, unless the presence of moths about bindings, corners, or seams
is detected, when they must come up at once. The ravage of moths can
be prevented by drawing the tacks occasionally, turning back the edge
of the carpet half a yard or so, laying a cloth wrung out of hot water
on the wrong side, and pressing with a very hot iron, holding the iron
on until the cloth is dry and then moving on until all the edges are
thoroughly steamed and dried. This will not injure the carpet