From Cellar to Attic.
After the cellar is cleaned, the next move is to begin at the top of the house and work down. It is not safe in these days, when houses are kept almost as warm in winter as they become in summer, to take it for granted that anything is perfectly free from carpet-bugs, moths, and other insects. Every article in the storeroom should be examined, brushed, and shaken. All the boxes, drawers, and closets should be brushed, wiped, and lined with new paper. As a measure of safety all receptacles should be saturated with naphtha just before their contents are replaced. Woollen goods, furs, and feathers should be wet with naphtha and folded in old cotton or linen sheets. They will be perfectly safe for a year or more, provided they have been thoroughly shaken and brushed, so that no insects’ eggs remain in them. Pieces of carpets and other large articles should be hung out of doors, on lines, before being put away.
Having taken care of the closets, drawers, boxes, and stored goods, the next thing will be to clean the room. Brush the articles of furniture and set them outside the room. Brush the walls, ceiling, and windows. After sweeping the floor wash the windows and woodwork, and also the floor, wiping very dry. Let the room air for an hour or more; then return all the articles to their places.