How to sweep a carpet

The Century Cookbook circa 1894

It is an easy matter to sweep well, at any rate, if we may judge by experience; for when a broom is put into the hands of the uninitiated, more harm than good generally results from the use of it.

Without the greatest care and some little knowledge, furniture and paint, by being knocked about with the broom , may soon receive irreparable amount of damage.

Before sweeping rooms, the floors should be strewed with a good amount of dry tea leaves, which should be saved for the purpose; these will attract the dust and save much harm to the other furniture, which, as far as possible, should be covered up during the process.

Tea leaves also may be used with advantage upon drugget and short-piled carpets.

Light sweeping and soft brooms are here desirable. Many a carpet is prematurely worn out by judicious sweeping. Stiff carpet brooms and stout arms of inexperienced servants are their destruction.

In sweeping thick-piled carpets, such as Axminster and Turkey carpets, the servant should be instructed to brush always the way of the pile; by so doing they may be kept clean for years; but if the broom is used in a different way, all the dust will enter the carpet and soon spoil it.