It will be as clean as Randalls by candlelight.
Emma
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In honor of the tradition of Spring Cleaning, I’ve pulled together a few Regency Era tips for getting your home into spotless shape. These are taken from Martha Lloyd’s Household Book. Martha was one of Jane Austen’s best friends and later in life married Jane’s older seafaring brother Edward. Too bad she isn’t more specific about her measurements and administrations!
Varnish for Tables
Four pennyworthof alkenet root [root of Alkanna Tinctoria] two ditto of rose pink, and one pint of cold drawn Linseed oyl.
Blacking (from C. Denton Esq)
–One quarter of a lb of Ivory Black.
–1/4 lb of Molasses or coarse brown sugar.
–one tablspoonful of oil of vitriol.
–one tablespoonful of sweet oil.
–one pint of Beer.
–two wine-glasses of Vinegar and as much Prussian blue as will lie on a sixpence.
A Wash for Rooms
2 oz of indigo well ground
7 lbs of London whiting
1 lb of glue
Boil the glue in 9 pints of water as a size, then add your other ingredients to it, which should be used cold, if made some days previously it is the better–to wash the rooms Buff instead of Blue, substitute Dutch pink and spruce beer.
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