Thursday 26 September 2013

10 October, 1885 - Answers to Correspondents - Housekeeping

ALICE:- Washing at home is, of course, the cheapest plan; and in addition you have the comfort of not being stinted. For a small family of two or three persons, you should wash every fortnight or three weeks, having a washerwoman in. She would probably take two days only if your servants did the folding and hanging out and helped in the ironing. 2s. and 2s. 6d. is paid by the day, the latter for ironing. A washing machine and a wringer simplify matters, and save in soap and time. About a bar of good old soap, four pennyworth of soda, and a quarter of a pound of starch would be enough. The clothes should be put in soak overnight.

TROUBLED HOUSEKEEPER:- The handles of knives may be cleaned with a rather thick mixture of whitening and water, left to dry and then rubbed off, or with common salt well-rubbed on with a damp cloth. Wash off and rub up with a leather. Salts of lemon is sometimes used also for stains.

BRIDE IN SEPTEMBER:- The refreshments for a wedding in the afternoon are arranged exactly as they would be for an afternoon "at home" - the wedding cake in the centre of the table, hot coffee and tea, iced coffee and lemonade, fruit, cakes, bread-and-butter, and ices, if you wish to have them.

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