The Kitchen – Tablecloths

The choice of tablecloths and hand napkins depends greatly on the taste of the housewife. And to a certain extent, the use of cloths and napkins made of figured white fabric has gone out, and in their place has spread the use of colored tablecloths with hand napkins to match them.

The lady should make certain of the quality of the article before buying it, so that it may stand up to washing and service without its colors changing; otherwise it is to be counted among the cheap sorts. The size of the cloth must be considered, for that is of great importance: the cloth that is far too large, like the cloth that is far too small, both disfigure the look of the table and upset the arrangement of those seated at it. The lady should take pains not to use cloths that are wrinkled or discolored with dirt, for that may wipe out the impression that the most beautiful of elegant tables and the most appetizing dishes of food produce upon the soul. The cloth in use should be rolled and folded with care and attention three times a day — that is, after each meal — and then placed in a special drawer. And to avoid the marks of hot plates or cups and all the other things that leave a trace on the gleaming, polished wood of the table, she must lay a pad of soft felt, or an old cover of oilcloth or linen, beneath the cloth in use, to ward off the effects of hot things. And if the lady keeps a splendid table, she should display it to the eyes of visitors only, and use it but little, so that it may keep its luster and its newness.

All the table linens must be kept in the special linen cupboard, each kind kept in a place by itself. If they are to be sent to the laundry, the lady, before proceeding to send them, should examine each piece by itself, and go over their count and the number of their items with care and attention; and she should also use the table linens in rotation, so that some are not worn out while others remain new.

As for blankets, although they can be washed and cleaned, it is better that they be cleaned dry; and if they must be stored away in summertime, the necessary precautions must be taken to ward off from them the dangers of the moth, by means of camphor powder or naphthalene balls. It is advisable to sprinkle some fragrant scents, such as lavender, in the cupboard of linens and whites, so that a refreshing perfumed scent may waft through them.

Kitchen linens are best kept in a drawer or in the kitchen cupboard; and new ones may be kept in the linen cupboard so long as they are in excess of need.