o it three gills of ox-gall. Rub
it into the carpet with a soft brush. It will raise a lather, which
must be washed off with clear cold water. Rub dry with a clean cloth.
Before nailing down a carpet after the floor has been washed, be
certain that the floor is quite dry, or the nails will rust and injure
the carpet. Fuller's earth is used for cleaning carpets, and weak
solutions of alum or soda are used for reviving the colours. The crumb
of a hot wheaten loaf rubbed over a carpet has been found effective.

376. Carpet-Beating.

Beat a carpet on the wrong side first; and then more gently on the
right side. Beware of using sticks with sharp points, which may tear
the carpet.

377. Sweeping Carpets.

Persons who are accustomed to use tea-leaves for sweeping their
carpets, and find that they leave stains, will do well to employ fresh
cut grass instead. It is better than tea-leaves for preventing dust,
and gives the carpets a very bright, fresh look.

378. Making a Carpet Last Longer.

A half-worn carpet may be made to last longer by ripping it apart, and
transposing the breadths.

379. Sweeping a Stair-Carpet.

A stair carpet should never be swept down with a long broom, but
always with a short-handled brush, a dust-pan being held closely under
each step of the stairs during the operation of sweeping.

380. Cleaning Oilcloth.

Oilcloth should never be scrubbed with a brush, but, after being first
swept, it should be cleansed by washing with a large soft cloth and
lukewarm or cold water. On no account use soap or hot water, as either
will injure the paint, and in time remove it.

381. Cleaning Straw Matting.

Straw matting may be cleaned with a large coarse cloth dipped in salt
and water, and then wiped dry. The salt prevents the matting from
turning yellow.

[EAT NOT TO DULNESS--DRINK NOT TO ELEVATION.]

382. Method of Cleaning Paper-Hangings.

Cut into eight half quarters a quartern loaf, two days old; it must be
neither newer nor staler. With one of these pieces, after having blown
off all the dust from the paper to be cleaned, by the means of a good
pair of bellows, begin at the top of the room, and, holding the crust
in the hand, wipe lightly downward with the crumb, about half a yard
at each stroke, till the upper part of the hangings is completely
cleaned all round. Then go round again, wi