Keeping the kitchen clean..It's SPRING.... get cleaning!!..also American, 105yr old ( to reduce your carbon footprint)cleaning tips

It is NOW more important than ever to keep your kitchen clean of pests and lingering  odors/stains etc. without having to spend hours doing so. (Did you know In America in 1908 the average homemaker spent 3 hours a day washing up?!)

Try to work as cleanly as possible and always mop up any spills as they happen..they will stick and become a problem later if you don't; you could also slip and fall.

Sweep the floor after every "cooking spree" and mop ..best time to do this is before bed so no one is walking across the floor.

(( In 1908 they had Sweeping DAYS..when the whole house was swept, carpets were removed at the beginning of Spring, and  "vacuum cleaners were expensive, and confined to localities where electric or other power is available". So the rugs and carpets were beat, if they were particularly bad they were covered in a wet cloth before being beaten, then they were rolled, round a stick and  sewn into  bags or bed ticking and hung on hooks off the floor, until fall when they were relaid.
Then the homemaker had to fill in any cracks in the floor (with a mix of water and pastry flour, allow this to dry) before cleaning it...with wet sawdust and pieces of newspaper, brushing to remove dust, then mopping))

I have 12 ft high ceilings in my house and use a cellulose rectangular floor mop ( kept for just this use) to clean the kitchen ceiling. I use a good household cleaner and some bleach and it does the job in less than 20 mins.
Just sweep across the ceiling, from wall to wall, keep rinsing out the mop and squeezing it somewhat dry, then go around the edges, do this on a warm day and it dries quickly.
There is  an industrial extractor fan, in my kitchen, which I soak in cleaning solution overnight and clean the following day....with most kitchen equipment ( except electrical) it is a good idea to soak the areas first with a little hot water, then add any cleaning solution.
Avoid sharp scrubbers on polished surfaces.
And bleach will mark anything aluminum.

To clean wallpaper 1908..."brush with a  clean hairbrush or dust cloth, then cut a loaf of bread 2 or 3 days old once vertically through the middle, and again crosswise.
Hold these pieces by the crust and rub the wall downward with long strokes,
 keep a coarse grater on hand to remove dirty crust crumbs, brush down again to remove crumbs"

To  clean windows 1908 .."don't use soap on windows...
use some washing soda or a little gasoline..this dries quickly and gives a high polish"..don't smoke while cleaning windows!

1908 "to prevent doors creaking
dip a feather in oil and apply to the hinges
OR rub with apiece of soap
OR mix equal parts of soap, lard and black lead and apply with  the tip of a pencil"

1908
to clean Gilt ornaments "make a strong solution of cyanide and potassium. But remember this is a deadly poison. Apply with a stiff brush, or dip the articles in the solution. Afterwards rinse in water and dry in boxwood or other hardwood shavings".

1908 to clean Oriental and other rugs,particularly woolen.."tack the carpet to the floor.
Mix together 8ozs good white soap, in same quantity of boiling water; add 10 ozs of aqua ammonia, 5 ozs alcohol, 5 ozs glycerin, and 4 ozs of ether or chloroform.
Keep this mix in a fruit jar or bottle and cork tightly..add 1 tbsp of this liquid to a pail of warm water and brush the rug with this ....for Oriental silk rugs 21st century brush with half a cut green cabbage, and allow to dry."

1908 explanation of  DUST

"Dust is explained by The Century Dictionary as 'earth or other matter in fine dry particles so attenuated that they can be raised and carried by the wind'.
In addition it also contains 3 types of spores or germs, molds, yeasts and without moisture, they cannot multiply.
Sunlight sterilizes dust and the molds, spores and bacteria in it.
Knowledge of these facts emphasizes the dangers of dust, which may be avoided in 3 ways, sterilization, by prevention and by removal".
To remove dust, begin in the highest corner of the room, and wipe not brush off the dust, shaking the duster out of the window frequently, wash and dry the duster after use.
Use the wings of birds to dig out dirt from the corners of windows, also dip the bony ends in a biochloride solution to prevent moths and insects. Do not leave them where the cat can chew them up."

Great advice from a time of high mortality....no doubt cleanliness DID bring you closer to God especially when cleaning Gilt ornaments, and not washing your hands..or even breathing in the fumes!