Frontier Fridays: Keeping the Parlor Tidy

Keeping the Parlour Tidy

The parlour should be swept once a week using a whisk broom and a dust pan. You should cover the sofa, piano, chairs, table, and mantel with old cotton kept for this purpose. Remove rugs and shake them, dust the walls, window sills, and doors. Move every article as you sweep, and dust the furniture with a dust-brush and old piece of silk if available. Use a small brush to dust the crevices and ledges. Shake dust cloths often. Also desirable is a feather duster for books and ornaments.

Note:  The parlor later became the "formal living room" (as many of us remember from childhood) which were rarely used.