MATTING FOR FLOORS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1503, 27 July 1912, Page 11

MATTING FOR FLOORS.

—Provided that its use be restricted to suitable situations, and its cleaning be performed with understanding' and care, matting makes an ideal tapisserie, writes a correspondent in an. English paper. For though in halls; passages, and rooms subjected, to much traffic it soon becomes shabby, and, indeed, actually unsound, while, in nurseries, bathrooms, and lavatories a washable floor-covering, from which chance spills and splashes can easily be wiped" up, is obviously preferable, in bedrooms, boudoirs, and what may perhaps be termed occasional sitting-rooms, it answers admirably, wearing well, looking particularly cool and dainty, and proving far more hygienio than carpet, beeing, however, that the pretty woven surface readily marks with pressure, any needful shifting of furniture must be effected by lifting, not by pushing or dragging. . . Contrary to a prevalent idea, matting, if properly treated irom the outset, - neither holds !,the dust nor proves difficult to sweep clean, the daily Temoval of surface dirt ns directed below preventing any appreciable amount from lodging in the mesh, whenco the broom simply drives it further in to cause matutinal clouds of. dust, and in process of time to grind out tho threads. Where the cleaning has been wrongly or., perfunctorily executed, the only, remedy lies in having the mats or square taken, up and thoroughly shaken and beaten, a- measure which in. the case of permanently mattingJaid floors ought to be adopted at least twice or, thrice yearly. V ,' ■• . For sweeping,. a ; . hair .broom , .should, be rather gently, plied always'in- the same direction, since stiff bristles, undue vigour, nnd brushing across instead of along the mesh result in a frayed. surface which ruins the appearance and harbours dirt; I scattering of damp Indian meal, scraps ■j of newspaper, or common salt—on no account tea-leaves or newly mown grass, of which a stray shred accidentally stepped on creates an ugly stain—simultaneously attracts tho flying particles and enhances brightness, while a final rub over with a soft, dry cloth, though not a sine qua non, imparts a pleasing gloss.', Although plain water and soap, or, worse still,, soda, invariably, turn matting yellow, a periodical washing with bran-water or brine is very beneficial provided sloppiness is, strictly avoided and the surface is not left wet. The latter should be gone over piecemeal, first with ft large cloth squeezed out in the cho«en liquid, next with a second similarly wrung out in fresh cold water, and lastly with fl dry rubber, when, if the matting cannot be taken up and hung in a "shady spot in the open air, windows and doors ehpuld.-.bD thrown wide for at' least a couple dl hours, and sunlight meantime excluded. . • ■ In making up matting, unsightly and , dangerous ridges at tho joins may be, prevented by unravelling about an inch from the two raw,edges and knotting tho strands together in couples; then, having folded back the fringes thus fwraed and pressed them as flat as possible, laying one hem over the pther and either stitching them together with stout thread or ■fastening them to the floor- with email ■vacks. In order that these may not cut through the straws, ench should b.e nassed through a tiny snip of .chamo'is'leather previous to being, driven in. while by subsequently touching the heads with cream paint the seam will be practically invisible. As a binding,''cotton, linen. >r' American leather are to be preferred .to worsted, which holds the dust and attracts moths. , ■ . ' .