And so the descent into madness began. It wasn't enough to clean and iron the blouses that have been sitting lo these many months in the dry-cleaning pile. No. I had to buy lavender-scented linen water and iron all the sheets and pillowcases. Once the blouses and sheets were ironed, the closets had to be reorganized. Next thing I knew, I was leaving the house at 7 am on Sunday to rent a carpet cleaner.
It was like I'd been channeling How to Run Your Home Without Help, a 1949 housekeeping manual that's been reissued in the UK. My favorite part is Beauty While You Work:
Hands: When you have had your hands in water, wash them carefully with soap and then rinse under the cold tap. Then dry, taking care to push back the cuticles as you do so. Keep a bottle of hand lotion in the kitchen. Rub a thin coating of Vaseline over your hands if you’re going to plunge them into very hot water. It is protective. Rubber gloves are useful, too.
Hair gets pretty grubby unless it is always wrapped up. Use a scarf, cap or a clean duster pinned like a nurse’s square over head and hair when doing the rooms. Then with a shampoo every ten days or so, all will be well.
Skin: It’s a good idea to give your face a treatment on wash-day. Cleanse your skin before you begin, then apply nourishing cream. The steam will soften it so that it is absorbed by the pores. When you’ve finished, take off the surplus cream with cotton wool and finish with cleansing milk or a mild astringent before making up.
Figure: Some women will always let themselves go, just as others will take thought about posture, but on the whole, housework is far better for one than a sitting-down job. There’s less chance of the spreading round the middle that dogs those who do clerical work.
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