Common Sense for Housemaids

by Ann Fraser Tytler

When candles are required in the sitting-rooms, in addition to the lamp, let the candlesticks be properly cleaned, and fresh candles set in them, and the shorter pieces made use of for the bed-rooms; where wax-candles are not used, see that the snuffers for the different candlesticks are completely emptied and carefully wiped, and that there is a pair of snuffers for each bed-room candlestick, as well as for each sitting-room. The lights being thus prepared for night, and the work in the different rooms finished, if it is not sweeping-day, the housemaid will still have some time for needlework before laying the cloth for dinner. Before sitting down to work, she will of course wash her face and hands, change her working-dress for a gown with long sleeves, a white apron instead of a coloured one, and a tidy modest-looking bobbin-net cap, coming close to the face, and tied with a ribbon of some quiet colour; nothing is more unbecoming in her station, than a flying out cap hanging on the back of the head, with gaudy soiled ribbons streaming down in all directions. The style of dress adopted by servants of late years is much to be regretted; it is a loss of their money, of their time, and above all, of their respectability; a maid-servant can never be too scrupulously clean and quiet in her dress.

A few more observations on this subject may be added in another place. In sitting down to work, she will take care to be within hearing of the drawing-room bell, and the knocker of the street door. By proper regulation there will always be some part of each day for needlework, and in the country, where less sweeping and dusting is required, a great deal may be done in this way. It is a pleasant sight to see a young girl neatly and quietly dressed, busily plying her needle, her tidy work-basket beside her well stocked with cotton-reels, rolls of worsted, tapes, needles, pins, scissors, and thimble. It will probably be her business to mend the bed and table-linen, to watch over the state of the carpets, table-covers, &c., and repair them when necessary; a slit or tear in the carpet, even of an attic, is sure to give a bad impression of the housemaid. The bed-linen should be carefully looked over each time before going to the wash, and the slightest fracture or slit repaired; and instead of allowing the middle of the sheet to wear into holes, while the sides are quite good, as soon as the sheet begins to wear, the breadths should be unripped, and the sides turned into the middle and joined again. Care should also be taken that the buttons or strings for each pillow-slip are complete; it is most desirable that the housemaid should be a good darner of table-cloths, and also of stockings, for where there is no ladies’-maid the darning of the ladies’ stockings will be part of her work; and even where there is, the charge of the gentleman’s stockings generally falls to her care; but anxiety to get on with her work must not lead her to forget when the time for laying the cloth for dinner shall have arrived. Having previously rung a bell precisely half-an-hour before dinner, as a signal for the family to dress, which bell should be punctual as the clock itself, and having at the same time added fresh coal to the fire, swept the hearth, and placed the plate-warmer before the fire, she should enter the dining-room to lay the cloth a quarter of an hour before the dinner-hour strikes. To enable her to be ready in this time, however, all must have been prepared before sitting down to work; the clean knives and forks put into the tray, the mustard and vinegar replenished, the tops of the cruets carefully wiped, and the salt-cellars filled. To avoid as much as possible having to open and shut the door often when laying the cloth, collect as many of the articles necessary as you can bring in at one time in a large tray, glasses, tumblers, spoons, knife-tray, bread-basket, and beer and water jugs. All being prepared, see that the stand for placing your tray in while you bring in the glasses, &c., is placed in a convenient corner of the room, and that the basket for carrying the plates and the trays for the knives and forks which have been used, are placed near the sideboard, but not in the way to prevent passing easily. Having brought everything into the room which is necessary, shut the door, and having laid the cloth perfectly straight on the table, place a plate for each person, with a napkin neatly folded upon it, and on the right side of the plate, place a knife and spoon, and on the left a silver fork. The soup-plates should be placed before the person who is to help the soup, and a carving-knife and fork, and a gravy-spoon, put at the top and bottom of the table. Place a salt-cellar at each corner of the table, lay a couple of spoons on each side of it, and a crystal caraffe filled with clear spring-water; see that those caraffes, and the tumblers and glasses (which should be placed all round the table for each person) are perfectly clear and bright: a clean glass-cloth should be brought into the room to wipe off any dimness which a finger may have caused. When the different articles on the table are perfectly bright-looking, and the dishes neatly sent up, the plainest dinner has a look of comfort, and even elegance about it. A knife, fork, or spoon, which has not been properly cleaned, cannot be taken into the hand without being discovered, and leaving a disagreeable impression; a visitor may not have the courage to send it away, but the comfort of his dinner is destroyed. Having cut some slices of bread rather thick, cut each slice into four, and with a fork, put a piece all round for each person, leaving the loaf in the room in case more may be required; when more is called for, hand some additional pieces in the bread-basket. Place a chair for each person.

The sideboard should next be laid out with a supply of knives, silver forks, spoons, tumblers, glasses, and silver-waiters. As considerable taste may be shown in the arrangement of those articles, it may be well to take a lesson of laying out a sideboard from the first butler, or experienced man-servant, who may chance to be in waiting on any of the dinner-guests at your master’s table. All should be done without noise or bustle, and with a quick hand and light foot; jingling the glasses, making a clashing noise in lifting the knives, knocking the chairs against the legs of the table, and moving about with a heavy foot, (and often with the addition of creaking shoes,) are extremely disagreeable to whoever may be in the room at the moment, and even should no one be present, the servant should accustom herself to do all these with the least possible noise, that the habit of doing things quietly may be acquired; activity is a first-rate quality in a waiter at table, but then it must be quiet activity.

All being prepared, the first dish should be placed on the table as the appointed hour strikes; the cook having brought the dishes as far as the dining-room door, carry in the top and bottom dishes separately, as they are generally large; the side dishes may be brought in at once on the dinner tray, which being placed upon the stand, the dishes can easily be removed to the table. All being neatly arranged, the top and bottom dishes exactly opposite to each other, and the side dishes perfectly straight, and at equal distances from the top and bottom, announce to the family in the drawing-room, that the dinner is on the table. Standing back while they pass through the door, which you have thrown open for them, and having followed the last member of the family down stairs, remain standing behind the chair of your master till grace is said, then remove the covers unless there is soup, in which case the covers should remain on the other dishes while the soup is being served; be careful to go to the left hand of the persons you are serving, when placing any thing before them, or handing them anything; those to be first served are any lady visitors who may be present, the elder ladies first, then the younger, the lady of the house and her daughters, and lastly the gentlemen. In handing round the soup-plates, remove the flat plates put at first on the table; and in the first leisure moment place them on the plate-warmer before the fire; let each soup-plate be taken away the moment it is empty, having another warm plate in your hand to replace it. The covers on the other dishes should now be removed. In handing round the soup-plates at first, be careful not to spill the soup by placing them hastily before any one; and in changing them for others, make no clatter of plates; attend in going round the table, not to push against any chair, or touch any one as you pass, and take particular care that no one’s dress should be injured by spilling gravy or melted butter upon it; in handing the sauce-boats, lower them as near as you can to the left side of the plate, the person requiring sauce can then help himself with the right hand, without any danger of spilling it. If there are any side dishes of meat, such as cutlets, patties, &c., they should be handed round first, while the joint is being carved. The spoons on each side of the salt cellars now come into use in helping the side dishes. Beware of offering a side dish to any one till you have first placed a spoon in it. As soon as each person has been helped to meat, carry round the vegetable-dishes, then offer melted-butter, pickles, &c., &c., as may be required. Have your eye constantly on the table, taking in by a glance all that is necessary for you to do. Those that have been eating cutlets, will require their plates to be changed before being helped to the joint; and those that have commenced with the joint, will now be ready to be helped a second time, and to have another plate given for the second helping. When waiting at table there should be no gazing out of the windows, or amusing one’s self with one’s own thoughts; neither should the conversation going on at table be attended to: this is difficult, but if one accustoms one’s self from the first to watch the numerous wants of the party, and not their words, there will be sufficient employment fully to engross the servant. Vegetables will require to be taken round a second time, and more bread to one, and beer or water to another; in short, there is scarcely a moment in which there will not be something required, and if the servant is attentive and quick-sighted, she will not find that she is standing idle at one moment, and that in the next more of the party will require to be served than she can attend to; if there is a leisure moment, she can employ herself by stirring the fire (if in winter), and if this is not necessary, let her remain in quiet readiness, with her eye upon the table, and her ear open to the first request for her services. As each finishes with the first course, let her place a plate of smaller size generally used for tart or pudding before him, with a silver fork and spoon: in some families the spoon is not approved of, it is thought that even custard should be eaten with a silver fork; but the practice (or rather the attempt) is more refined than agreeable or convenient. As soon as the last person has finished eating, ring the bell for the tart and pudding; and having gone round the table with a knife-tray, in which you should put the carving knife and fork and gravy spoons from the different dishes, carry away all that is on the table, and bring in the tart and pudding. As soon as each person has finished with the second course, place a cheese-plate and small knife before them, and when the tart and pudding have been carried out into the hall (having rung for the cook to carry them down into the kitchen), clear the table-cloth with a spoon of the broken pieces of bread, before setting down the cheese. Have fresh pieces of bread cut in the bread-basket to be handed to each person the moment they have been helped to cheese. Stand behind your master’s chair while he is cutting the cheese, that you may be ready to carry it instantly round: a good waiter will manage to offer the bread immediately after the cheese, or even at the same moment; but this is too little attended to; bread has often to be cut after it is called for, and sometimes there is no bread in the room, and before more can be brought in, the cheese has been eaten alone, and the waiter considered a very intolerable person. The cheese being carried away, any pieces of bread remaining should be removed with a silver fork, the table-cloth folded over at each side, doubled up, and taken out of the room; the table wiped with a nice cloth, and the wine decanters set before the master of the house—having previously, before removing them from the sideboard, wiped them gently with a glass cloth, without shaking the wine. Put a couple of wine glasses to each person—they are generally of two sizes; the dessert-plates should next be set round to each person with a napkin neatly folded upon the plate, with a finger-glass half filled with water, and a small dessert knife and fork upon it. In winter, bring a jug of warm water into the room, and pour a little into each finger-glass, before placing it on the table. Let the fruit be neatly arranged in the dishes, higher in the middle than at the sides, but no dish so full as to endanger any falling over when helped; neither at dinner nor dessert should the dishes be full. Place the larger kinds of fruit, such as apples, pears, grapes, or oranges at top and bottom, the smaller fruits and sweetmeats at the sides. Place a crystal jug of clear water, with a tumbler on each side of it in the middle of the table, and pounded sugar at top and bottom, which to look well, should be in cut crystal glasses. If cream is required for strawberries or raspberries, that also should be served in crystal. Glance your eye over the table to see that all the dishes are standing straight, and exactly opposite to each other, and all being properly arranged; leave the room, shutting the door behind you.

Having removed everything from the hall, you will next shake and fold the table-cloth, lay it in the napkin press, and carry the plates into the scullery to be washed by the cook. It will then be time to proceed to the drawing-room to put it in order, before the return of the family. You will smooth the sofa, shake up the pillows, dust the table, and arrange any books or newspapers (that may be scattered about) neatly upon it; but beware of removing any book (which some one member of the family may have been reading), and stuffing it into an odd corner, or even carefully replacing it in the book-case; common sense should regulate in such matters, and common sense should tell you, that it is most disagreeable to have to hunt all over the room for a book, in which one is interested, and which had been left on the table half an hour before. Having closed the curtains, put fresh coals on the fire, and swept the hearth, it will now be time to sit down to your own dinner with the rest of the servants (unless the servants’ dinner has been at an earlier hour): as soon as you have finished, carry away the dessert things from the dining-room, and having washed the dessert plates, and the spoons, silver forks, tumblers, and glasses, place all in order in the butler’s pantry, and before you leave it, arrange the cups and saucers in the tea-tray, so that if the family is small, and you have not a great many articles to wash, you can again sit down to work till within a quarter of an hour of the time for tea, when it will be necessary to get the butter and cream in readiness, and to toast the bread or cake for tea. Be sure to remember also to put the heater for the urn into the kitchen fire in such time that it may be completely red-hot before putting it into the urn. Be careful also that the water in the tea-kettle boils before it is poured into it; the finest tea which can be used becomes tasteless and bad, if the water in the urn does not boil, and in some families this happens day after day; the servant is either obstinate or careless, and contents herself with assuring you, either that it does boil or has boiled. No such excuses should be listened to; the most effectual cure in such cases is to send the urn from the table each time that the rising of the steam does not prove the water to be at boiling heat.

While the family are at tea, the slops should be emptied in the bed-rooms; the ewers and bottles filled up with fresh water, and the beds folded down. If in summer, the windows are generally left open, and shut before the housemaid retires to bed; and if in winter, the fire should be lighted, taking care to shut the door and open a little bit of the window before setting fire to the paper in the grate, and to return again in a little time to shut the window, and add more coals to the fire, as more particularly mentioned already.

Where there is no lady’s-maid, the housemaid will also be required to lay out the combs and brushes on the toilet, to stretch out the curl-papers, or cut fresh ones; to lay out the nightcap, neatly smoothed, and to unfold the nightclothes, and hang them over a screen. Where there is a lady’s-maid, the frills and nightcap are generally ironed; but where the housemaid has much to do, there is not time for this. Once a week or fortnight, the hair-brushes will require to be washed; they never should be plunged into warm water, as it warps the back of the brush, and destroys the polish, or discolours the ivory, and softens the hair; a little soda should be mixed in warmish water, and the surface of the brush moved swiftly up and down in it, taking care not to wet the back at all. The soda will sufficiently clean it, and preserve the colour of the hair, if too much soda is not used; if too strong it will burn the hair, or turn it yellow; the brush should be left to dry for some time in the same position, with the face turned down, that the water may run out. When brushes are left to dry with the face up, the water lodges in all the holes pierced for the hair, and discolours the back. Be careful never to wash the tortoise-shell combs, it makes them brittle and apt to crack over; they should be cleaned with a comb-brush, and rubbed with the palm of the hand to keep up the polish. The cover of the toilet pincushion should be regularly changed, as soon as it gets soiled; though the washing is generally given out, yet there are small articles to be washed from time to time in all families where things are well attended to, such as the tidies, for the backs of sofas and chairs, the pincushion covers, and where there is no lady’s-maid, and the family is small, the housemaid may be also required to do up the lady’s muslins.

It is the greatest advantage to all housemaids to be able to get up fine linen, and to have a knowledge of clear starching: besides making a servant doubly useful to her mistress, it may be the means at any time when out of a situation, of her gaining a respectable maintenance. One who gets up muslins and laces in a superior manner, is sure to find employment, and it may also lead to her filling one day, the superior situation of lady’s-maid. Her excellence in this department, is not only valuable as adding to the elegant appearance of her mistress, but is productive of great saving in expense. A fine worked collar, with expensive lace, may be torn or frayed, the very first time it is done up, by improper management, and it is seldom that fine muslins or lace have the elegant appearance they should have, or last the proper time, from ignorance, or the want of due attention in getting them up. Nothing spoils the appearance of dress more than torn lace, battered and stiff, and fine muslin with the starch clouded upon it or frayed and ironed awry. It will require considerable practice to attain perfection in this department, and the best way to learn is to see others do it: still a few instructions may be useful.

Muslin or lace should never be rubbed in washing. Take white soap, in proportion to the muslins you have to wash, shave it down, and boil it with soft water till it dissolves. When cold, it should be as thick as jelly; mix a part of this jelly with soft tepid water, so as to be strong of the soap; let the muslins lie in this for a night, then add boiling water; move them up and down in the water, repeatedly squeezing them through the hands, so as to wash them, but do not rub them. Having steeped them well in soap and water before, makes rubbing quite unnecessary; tie them loosely up in a pillow-case, and with soft water, and the rest of the boiled soap, boil them for a couple of hours; if in the country, they should be laid out on the grass to bleach (without the soap being washed out), and watered when necessary, so as to keep them moist. If in town, where no bleaching on the grass can be procured, put them into a washing-tub, and having poured boiling water over them, leave them in the back court in the air for the rest of the day, and during the night in the water; this has a great effect in whitening them; in either case, after being bleached, rinse them twice through cold water, to clear them completely from the soap, and hang them up to dry before being starched. A piece of lace, or any small article can be very well bleached by being put outside the window in the sun, in a crystal bottle of water, having been previously washed, and the soap left in it.

It is a frequent practice not to boil the starch, but to mix it with boiling water, to hang up the muslins or laces the moment they have been put through the starch, and squeezed out, and when dry, and as hard as a piece of board, then they water them down (as it is called), leaving one spot dry, and the rest wet, so that to stretch them out for ironing, without tearing them, is almost impossible. This mode of proceeding may account for the melancholy frequency of torn lace, and the dull heavy appearance of beautiful worked collars, looking as if they had been partially rubbed over with flour and water. To give them that light transparent look which adds so much to their beauty, the treatment must be very different; the starch should be mixed in a little cold soft water, and bruised down with the back of a spoon till quite smooth: more water should be added, till it resembles thin milk, then boiled in a glazed-stone pipkin, till it becomes clear and thick, so as to jelly when cold. The muslins and laces should be put through the starch, while it is still warm; squeezed out first in the hand, then gently in a clean smooth cloth, so as to get as much as possible of the starch out without fraying them in any way. The cloth must not be twisted round in the slightest degree, but gently pressed between the hands, putting but a few of the articles in at one time; each article should then be taken separately, held lightly by the two ends with the forefinger and thumb of each hand, and beaten between the palms of both hands for a few minutes; next shaken out and drawn, so that each thread in the muslin is perfectly straight, and the shape of the collar is carefully preserved. If after holding it up between you and the light, you find that in some parts it is not sufficiently clear, then a little drawing up and down on those spots will be necessary, so as to free every thread from the starch. It should then be folded up in a damp cloth, and each article put beside it, as soon as it has gone through the same process, so that the whole may have a slight degree of dampness when ironed. When it is not convenient to do up muslins the moment they are starched, it answers well after they have been squeezed in the cloth, to fold up each article, and to leave them wrapped up together in a cloth for some hours, or a night, to clear themselves. When this is done, they generally require only to be drawn a little, and folded up for ironing; but where great clearness is to be obtained, the stiffer the starch, and the more they are beaten, the better.