RULES FOR WOMEN SERVANTS

960. _Of the Cookmaid._--When a young woman undertakes the situation of cookmaid in a family, where only one or two other servants are kept, she will have many duties to perform, besides preparing and dressing the provisions, although that is her principal business. What those duties are, will, of course, depend very much upon the habits of the family with whom she lives; and whether there is a man-servant or a boy kept; as, if not, the cleaning of knives, shoes, and various things that would be done by them, become the business of the cook-maid.

961. _General duties of the Cookmaid._--The part of the house in which her chief work lies is the kitchen; but she is also expected to clean the passage or hall, the stone door-steps, the bell-pull, name-plate, knocker, and all things outside the house which are kept cleaned; also, the kitchen stairs, pantry, servants' offices, and areas; and, in many families, the dining-room as well as the kitchen windows, and the light over or at the sides of the hall door. It is her place to scour the dresser, table, shelves, &c., in the kitchen and pantry, and to keep both places clean and in order; to wash the plates and dishes, to keep the saucepans and all other vessels used in cooking, or for keeping eatables in, perfectly clean, so that they may always be ready for use; to wash and keep the pudding-cloths sweet and clean; to sweep the carpet, and clean the grate, fender, fire-irons, and hearth, in the breakfast-parlor; to clean the kitchen candlesticks; to assist the housemaid in making the beds after they have been laid open to air; to answer the door to the trades-people; and, if there is no man-servant, nor boy kept, to brush the clothes and shoes of the gentlemen of the family.

It is of great importance that the cookmaid should be cleanly in her person, as well as in her cooking; and that she should never be seen with dirty hands, which may be easily prevented by using thick gloves, when blacking a stove or doing any other dirty work, and always washing her hands as soon as she has finished. Nothing can be more disagreeable than to see the person who prepares one's meals with dirty hands or apron.

962. _Arrangements for Work in the Kitchen._--The cookmaid should always be furnished with her own pails, brushes, flannels, and everything she requires for her own work, and should never use the housemaid's pails or brushes, nor suffer the housemaid to use hers. A strict attention to this rule prevents much discomfort and confusion, and the work is sure to be done with more regularity, and much time saved.

963. _Work in the Breakfast-room._--Your work in the breakfast-room generally is to light the fire, clean the stove, fender, fire-irons, and hearth; take up the ashes, sweep the carpet, shake the hearth-rug, and lay it down again; but this is sometimes varied in different families. If you find there are more cinders than you can use for lighting the fire, you should take them down to burn in the kitchen.

964. _Of Neatness in the Breakfast-room._--In order to avoid soiling the carpet in the breakfast-parlor, while you are lighting the fire and cleaning the stove, you should have a piece of drugget, about a yard wide and two yards long, or cloth of some kind, to lay down; but whichever you use, always use it the dirty side upwards. Without this precaution, the most careful person cannot prevent the carpet from getting dirty before the fire-place.

965. _Punctuality in Servants._--Punctuality is a very essential quality in a cookmaid, who ought to regulate her work so that the dinner should always be ready at the appointed time; and to avoid any mistake in this particular, she should know precisely the length of time required to cook each kind of food, according to the taste of those for whom she cooks, and then she should allow herself about fifteen to twenty minutes more, to take up the dinner, and for any little hindrance that may occur, she will be tolerably exact. The best means of being punctual is to keep everything in its proper place, and fit for use, so that no time may be lost in looking for this thing or that, or in having to clean any utensils that may be wanted for cooking.

966. _Economy in the Kitchen._--Never waste anything, but have places and purposes for all articles in your keeping. Habits of economy are easily acquired, and the cookmaid would do well to consider how much more valuable she must be to her employers, and how much more she will be respected, if she be careful, and make the most of the property that is intrusted to her charge, than if she uses it wastefully.

967. _Cleaning the Hall, &c._--If you are quick with the breakfast-parlor work, you will, very likely, have time to clean the door-steps and passage before breakfast, which is much better than leaving them till afterwards: but this will, of course, depend on the breakfast-hour, as you must not, on any account, neglect to see that the water in the kettle is boiling, the urn-iron hot, and everything ready to take up the moment it is wanted.

968. _Making Breakfast._--If you have toast to make, or bacon to cook, take care to have a clear fire, so that it may be done quickly, when wanted, and not before; for both toast and bacon should be hot from the fire, and not suffered to stand after they are done. Dry toast should be thin and crisp; to keep it so, set it on its edge in the toast-rack, directly it is made.

Never boil eggs by guess; if you have no clock in the kitchen, you should have a sand-glass or egg-boiler, for in guessing at the time, it is not possible to be quite exact, and half a minute too much or too little will spoil an egg. It is the duty of the cookmaid to prepare the breakfast; and that of the housemaid to carry it up to the breakfast-parlor.

969. _Cold Meats at Breakfast._--In some families, whatever cold meat or cold poultry may have been left from the previous day, is served up at breakfast; in which case it is the cookmaid's duty to send it up, laid out neatly on clean and rather small-sized dishes, with breakfast plates and small clean knives and forks; sometimes it will require a little putting to rights, by trimming, and garnishing with a few sprigs of parsley, which, of course, she will attend to.

970. _To arrange for Children, &c._--If the children of the family breakfast in the nursery, or require to go to school early, you will, most probably, be expected to cut their bread and butter, and get their breakfast ready for them; or, at all events, assist in doing so. It is your place also to get the kitchen breakfast ready for yourself and the housemaid, &c.; and it will materially add to the comfort of your situation, if you take care to keep your table-cloth clean, and neatly folded, so that it may not have an untidy appearance when spread upon the table; and let the knives, and all the things you use for yourself and fellow servants, be clean like those you send up to the table of the family.

971. _Taking Directions for Dinner._--In most families, it is the custom of the lady of the house, to go into the kitchen every morning, to make arrangements with the cook about the dinner, and to give out from the store-closet such things as may be required for the day's use, either by the cookmaid or housemaid. You must then remember to ask for whatever you will want, so that you may not have to give trouble a second time. Some ladies prefer that the cookmaid should come into the parlor, to receive directions. Should this be the custom, you should make it a rule to wash your hands, and put on a clean apron, before you go in. There are some foolish servants, who have a mistaken notion that a lady should not trouble herself much with her kitchen; but every one ought to have the good sense to know that it is the province and duty of a mistress to superintend the order and management of every part of her household; and those servants who are conscious that they waste not, and perform their duties to the best of their ability, will never feel an objection; but, on the contrary, will be pleased that their mistress should see that they do so.

972. _Making Beds, &c._--When you have taken orders about dinner, you should go up into the bed-rooms, to assist the house-maid in making the beds--having already washed your hands, and put on your clean bed-apron. It is very proper to keep a bed-apron entirely for this purpose, one that will wrap quite round you, and tie together behind; and to take it off, and fold it up, as soon as the beds are made. It will serve for a week, with care; therefore, if you make a rule to put on a clean one every Monday morning, the bed-clothes and furniture will never get soiled by rubbing against your gown or clothes. Attention to such little niceties as these is so easy, that it is surprising any one should neglect them, particularly as they make all the difference between a good servant and a bad one.

973. _Arrangement of the Dinner-Table._--Always have the salt-cellars filled with fine clean salt, and the cruets and cruet-stand dusted; and that each of the cruets are about half-full of vinegar, oil, pepper, sugar, &c., such as they are intended to hold; and although this is the housemaid's duty, it is only kind in the cookmaid to give the housemaid all the information she may require or ask for; a good dinner will look very unhandsome, unless the housemaid takes care that the salts and cruets are clean, and sufficiently filled to accompany it to table. The housemaid should also see that the mustard-cruet is quite clean, before it is put on the table; for if the mustard is dried on the edges, or on the spoon, it has a very disagreeable appearance, and betokens an untidy servant.

974. _The Dinner-Hour, and its Duties._--In order more surely to be correct to the dinner-hour, allow yourself from fifteen to twenty minutes for taking up the dinner, and for any hindrances that may occur; and take care to have the fire made up in proper time for cooking--regulating the size of it according to what you have to cook. It should be stirred as little as possible while you are cooking; indeed, a good cookmaid stirs her fire only once during her roasting, and that is when she turns the meat, or alters the hanging of it, at which times she takes the meat and dripping-pan away from the fire, as stirring creates both dust and smoke; but as dust or coal may, by accident, fall into the dripping-pan, keep ready a dish-cloth, to wipe it out directly. Be mindful, also, to keep in the house a stock of the things that are commonly wanted, such as flour, salt, pepper, spices, &c.; but always make a point of using up what you had, before you begin upon the fresh supply; and be sure to put them away into their proper places, as you receive them--as mustard, pepper, spices, tea, coffee, &c., will spoil, if kept in the papers they are sent home in.

975. _Of Re-cooking._--In cities, where the master of the house is often engaged in business until late in the day, the dinner-hour may be as late as four or five o'clock; in that case, there is an early dinner for the children and servants, for whom a pudding is usually to be made. It is a very material part of your business to know how to dress over, nicely, anything left from the preceding day's dinner, so that it may be used in the kitchen, if not required in the dining-room. For this purpose, you should, when a joint is brought down from the dining-room, put it on a clean dish, and pour the gravy into a small basin or jelly-pot, and you will find it very useful in making nice, savory dishes of cold meat, or to put into hashes and stews, or warming up for gravy.

976. _Hot Plates for Dinner._--Before sending up dinner, take care that you have enough hot plates. It is better to heat a few more than the exact number, lest an extra one may be wanted.

977. _Serving up Dinner._--Whilst the dinner is being served up, the cook-maid may be required to assist, by taking the dishes to the door of the dining-parlor; also, in some families, by taking them from the housemaid, or from the outside of the dining-room door, when they are done with, that the housemaid, if she waits at dinner, may not have to leave the room. And the cookmaid will save herself much time and trouble, if she gets her dish-tub, in the sink, half filled with hot water, so that she may put the dishes and plates into it the moment they are brought from the dinner-table.

978. _Washing Dishes._--The dirty dishes and plates should be put into a dish-tub of warm water, immediately they are taken from the dinner table; for, by this means, half the trouble of washing-up will be saved, as it will prevent the gravy, mustard, juice, &c., from cooling and drying on the plates and dishes. When you commence washing them, add sufficient boiling water to make it hot enough to wash them in, and with a dish-cloth wash them clean on both sides, one at a time. Rinse them immediately, in a pan full of cold water, part of which should stand under the tap, which should be turned a little on to keep it full. The reason for keeping the pan full of water and running over, is, that any grease, &c., which may rinse off the plates and dishes, may swim over into the sink in the act of rinsing, otherwise it would remain on the water, and make those you rinse, after the first few, look greasy, instead of clean and bright.

979. _Washing Saucepans, Kettles, &c._--When you have washed all the dishes and plates used at dinner, as above directed, and put them in the rack to drain, the saucepans and kettles which have been used for cooking, should next be cleaned. The proper plan is to fill them with cold water as soon as the food has been taken out of them, as, by this means, whatever may hang about the sides cannot stick close, nor dry on hard, and they will clean much more readily. If the insides are discolored or dirty, a little soda or wood-ash is the best thing to clean them with; or, if they are very dirty, the wood-ashes, or some soda, must be boiled up in them. They should afterwards be well rinsed with boiling-hot water, wiped, and made perfectly dry, by being placed for some time bottom upwards, before the kitchen fire. The upper rims of saucepans, and the rims and insides of the lids, must be kept quite clean. If tin saucepans are not completely dry, they will soon get rusty, and if copper ones are not perfectly cleaned and dried, they become poisonous. Never leave food of any kind in a saucepan to become cold.

980. _Washing Pudding-cloths, &c._--Pudding-cloths should be washed as soon as possible after the puddings are taken out of them. They should be washed in clean warm water, without soap, rinsed and thoroughly dried before being folded and put in the kitchen drawer, otherwise they will give a musty smell to the puddings that are next boiled in them. The paste-brush, egg-whisk and sieves must also be washed, first in cold and then in warm water, and put away clean and dry, or they will spoil whatever you use them for afterwards. All things through which eggs are strained, should be washed, first in cold and then in hot water.

981. _Cleaning the Sink._--First, wipe into one corner and take up all the little bits of gristle, fat, or vegetables, or whatever else may have collected in the sink; and, if you live in or near to a town, throw it on the back part of the top of the kitchen fire; for, if thrown into the dust-bin, it will either entice rats or other vermin, or else cause an offensive and unwholesome smell. If forced down the sink holes, the same unpleasant consequences will follow, besides stopping-up and destroying the drains. But if you live in the country where a pig is kept, it may be thrown into the pig tub with the dish washings.

You must next clean the sink, which, if of stone, is best done with a hard brush and a little soda; or, if of lead, with the following mixture:--One pennyworth of pearlash, one pennyworth of soft-soap, and one pennyworth of fuller's-earth, (the fuller's-earth dried,) mixed together in a pipkin, or something of the kind, with a quart of water. About a table-spoonful of this on a piece of flannel will clean the leaden sink.

982. _Cleaning the Spit, Frying-pan, &c._--The spit, if one is used, must also be always perfectly cleaned when done with. A little dripping rubbed on a hot frying-pan or gridiron, after cleaning it, will greatly remove the smell and taste of fish; but some persons rub a little salt well about the inside of a hot frying-pan, with a piece of clean paper, which also removes the taste of fish or onions. If these things are put away into damp places, they will soon become unfit for use.

983. _Cabbage-water to be thrown away._--Always remember that green water, that is, water in which cabbage, or any other vegetable is boiled, should be thrown down the sink the moment the vegetables are out of it, while it is quite hot, and then a pailful of cold water thrown after it, will prevent the unhealthy smell arising from green water; but if it be left till it is cold, or nearly cold before you throw it away, twenty pails of water thrown after it will not prevent the smell.

984. _Scalding Milk vessels._--Be careful to scald every vessel which has contained milk, having previously let it stand for some time filled with cold water, and never let any other liquid be put into it till it has undergone this process; or whatever you put in will be spoiled.

985. _Cleaning Bread-pans, &c._--Your pan for keeping bread should be wiped out every day, and scalded once a week; in the same way clean the cheese-pan, or both your bread and cheese will become mouldy and musty; and cheese should always be kept standing on its _rind_; and the rind should be scraped before it is sent to the table.

986. _Keeping Beer._--You should not let beer stand in a pot or jug; but, if there be any left, put it into a clean bottle, with a tea-spoonful of sugar, and cork it tightly.

987. Never suffer two things to be put together, which would give to each other a disagreeable taste or flavor. Never cut bread, or butter, or meat, with a knife which has been used for cheese or onions, or the bread, butter, or meat will taste of them. Therefore, you should put the knife which you have used for these purposes, in some place separate from the other knives, and never allow it to be put with them until it has been properly cleaned.

988. _Washing Pickle and Preserve-Jars._--Whenever pickle or preserve jars are empty, wash them well in cold water--dry them thoroughly--and put them in a dry place. If you wash pickle or preserve-jars in hot water, it will crack their glazed surface, and make them porous, which spoils them for use, as pickles and preserves require to have the air kept from them.

989. _Cleaning Dish-Covers._--Dish-covers should always be wiped and polished as soon as they are removed from the table. If this is done whilst they are warm, it will be but little trouble; but, if the steam be allowed to dry on them, you will find much difficulty in getting the tarnish off from the insides. When they are wiped and polished, hang them up in their places immediately.

990. _Of the Paste-Board, Rolling-Pin, &c._--After making puddings or pastry, wash your rolling-pin and paste-board, without soap, and put it away quite dry. Never use, nor allow others to use, any of the family dinner or tea-service, in the kitchen; as, if one thing be broken, it would perhaps spoil a valuable set; but, always use for cooking, the plates, dishes, and cups, provided for that purpose, which are usually plain, and though of course equally clean, are much less expensive. Keep the bread, cheese, butter, flour, dripping, milk, eggs, and every thing else you may require in cooking, in their distinct and separate places; and be careful to put them away as soon as you have done with them.

991. _Of keeping Hot Water._--It is highly necessary that you should keep a plentiful supply of hot water, by constantly filling-up the boiler whenever water is taken out of it. A self-acting boiler does not require to be filled, as it fills itself as fast as the water is drawn out; but you must be very careful in frosty weather, to watch whether the water continues to run; for if the water in the pipes becomes frozen, and you allow the boiler to get empty, the consequence is almost sure to be, that when the frost melts, the cold water comes suddenly into the hot boiler, and splits it. The damage can only be repaired by having a new boiler, which costs, perhaps, from ten to twenty-five dollars; so you may see how important it is that you should prevent so serious an accident.

992. _Of Ventilating Rooms._--Do not keep your kitchen always hot, and be sure you let in fresh air. If the attention of every master or mistress of a family turned to the ventilation of their dwelling, it would be greatly the means of insuring health. One single ventilator in the uppermost staircase window, would effect a great deal. Great attention ought to be paid to letting the chamber-windows down from the top, frequently through the day, particularly where the family sits.

993. _Of preparing Tea._--When the tea-time arrives, it is your duty to cut the bread-and-butter, or make the toast. You should never send up more than one or two rounds of buttered toast at once, according to the number to partake of it, that it may be hot and fresh when it is handed round. You must cut off the crusts as close as you can, after it is made and buttered. If a tea-urn is used, it will be your duty to get it ready in time, and put in the boiling water when it is wanted: you must also remember to make the urn-iron red-hot, by putting it into the kitchen fire after dinner, or at least for an hour before tea-time. When you use the tea-urn, be careful to do as follows:--

Take care that the water boils, and that the urn-heater is red-hot; then, in the first place, dust the urn, and put the boiling water into it, before you put in the heater; and, to prevent giving an unpleasant taste, or spoiling the boiling water by dust, or particles of the hot iron, (which may rub off the heater as you are putting it into its place,) be careful to put on the round rim, or ring, before you put in the red-hot heater; and be sure, also, to avoid pouring any water into the place where the heater goes; otherwise, when the iron is put in, the steam may fly up in your face, and scald you seriously. Taking the urn up into the parlor or drawing-room, is the housemaid's business; and she should not forget the rug to place it on, or the heat issuing from it will certainly spoil the polished table: and it is also the housemaid's business to empty the urn when done with, which she must be careful to turn upside down, to drain.

994. _Taking care of the Fire._--The cookmaid's last duties of the day, are--to take great care that the kitchen fire is so nearly out, as to be quite safe; and that nothing is left hanging before the fire-place; then she must see that the kitchen windows and shutters are fastened, and lock and bolt all the doors and windows that have not been fastened earlier in the evening.

995. _Cleaning Knives, Forks, &c._--If a lad or man-servant is kept, he cleans the steel knives and forks, as well as the shoes and boots; and also brushes the gentlemen's clothes: but, in that large number of families who keep no boy nor man, it becomes the business of the cookmaid to clean the steel knives and forks. [See the best manner of preparing the knife-board, &c., in another part of this book.]

996. _Care of Table-Knives._--Be careful to keep a good edge to your knives, and do your utmost to preserve them from notches, especially the carving-knife, otherwise a hot joint may get cold while the knife has to be sent from table to be sharpened. A keen edge may be given by cleaning alone, if care be taken, in passing the knife from you, not to let the edge lean on the board, but, in drawing it towards you, to lean with a little pressure on the edge.

The knives which are not in daily use, should, after being wiped with a dry cloth, be put into the cases, or wrapped in very dry brown paper, and so placed as not to touch each other, the same way as the cutlers keep them. Great care should be taken that the place in which they are put is perfectly dry--as all articles made of steel have a tendency to contract rust, that metal having the property of extracting damp from the atmosphere, or from anything moist near to it. If the ivory handles of the knives and forks get stained, or become discolored, mix a table-spoonful of water with a few drops of spirits of salt--rub it well on with a little bit of clean rag--wash it off with cold water--and wipe them perfectly dry.

997. _Of cleaning Boots and Shoes._--Where no man-servant is kept, the cook or housemaid must clean the shoes and boots. First, scrape the dirt off the shoe with a wooden knife, or piece of firewood, cut to something of an edge. When the worst of the dirt is thus taken off, use your hard brush to remove the remainder, or the leather will never be bright. Stir the blacking with a short fine sponge, tied round one end of it; and, with this, put some blacking on the blacking-brush, and black the shoe all over; use the polishing-brush directly, while it remains damp, and rub it lightly, yet briskly, till the shoe shines perfectly bright. When boots or shoes are laid down before a fire to dry, let them be placed at a good distance, or the leather will harden and shrink, and the shoes get out of shape.

998. _Of cleaning Candlesticks._--It is the duty of the cookmaid to clean the chamber candlesticks used by the servants, and the candlesticks belonging to the kitchen (those used by the family in the parlors, drawing-rooms, and best bed-rooms, belong to the housemaid's work). Before you commence, have a sheet of thick brown paper laid on a table, or on whatever else you intend to clean them, to save making a grease. Then scrape off the grease on to the brown paper with a piece of firewood, and put all you scrape off into your kitchen-stuff. The candlesticks should then be put, upside down, in the deepest candlestick, at a little distance from the fire, so that all the grease may melt, and drain into one. This grease should also be put into the kitchen stuff, and the candlesticks wiped perfectly clean with the candlestick-rag, or with a cloth kept for that purpose. The polishing should be done with a little dry rotten-stone, or dry whiting, put on a leather. The cookmaid has usually a candle-box provided for her, into which she puts all the pieces of candle, for kitchen use. This box should be lined with white paper, which should be frequently renewed, or the candles will become very dirty, and be unpleasant to burn, from bits of the snuff sticking to them. Always set the candles in the candlesticks in the fore part of the day, that they be ready when wanted, and that all the dirty work may be done before cooking commences.

999. _Washing-Day._--If the washing be done at home, the cookmaid will have to assist; and the changes of linen, and the kitchen things, usually fall to her share. She generally folds and irons all but the fine things and the dresses. It is usual also for her to fill the copper; and for the housemaid to sort the clothes ready for the wash. Much time as well as labor will be saved by preparing the clothes for the wash the day before the washing-day; that is by putting them in soak, the fine things and coarse things in different tubs, after having examined, and rubbed with soap such places as are most dirty, such as the collars and wristbands of shirts, the parts of table-cloths cloths which are most soiled, and any place in the different articles which would require more than usual rubbing. Indeed, everything should be prepared the day before; the copper filled with soft water, the tubs rinsed and wiped, inside and out (taking care that they do not leak). The best way to prevent the tubs from leaking, is to turn them bottom upwards after using, and keep the bottom filled with water, without which they will not only leak but fall to pieces, in summer weather.

1000. _Care of Clothes-lines, &c._--Clothes-lines, when done with, should be wiped quite clean, and put away dry in a bag, for future use, or they will dirty the clothes. A bag should also be kept for the pegs; and both bags should be kept in a dry place.

1001. _Folding and Mangling._--Before you begin to fold the clothes, let the board be quite clean and dry, and a clean linen cloth placed upon it. Separate those things which are to be mangled, and those which are for rough-drying. Turn shirts, shifts, night-gowns, pillow-cases, petticoats, &c., the right side outwards; fold them very smoothly, and sprinkle them to a proper dampness for ironing. If the collars, wristbands, and frills, or pleated front of a shirt, be dipped in a little starch, then into water, and rolled up without squeezing, it will bring the whole of the shirt to a proper dampness, when it has lain for some time.

The articles usually mangled are, sheets, towels, table-linen, pillow-cases, and other straight things; but if there be any folds, they will not look well when mangled. Pearl-buttons will break in the mangle, and cut the cloth, therefore, all things with buttons, and even pillow-cases, if they have buttons, should not be mangled.

1002. _Of Ironing._--The ironing-blanket should be made of a thick kind of flannel, called swan's-skin, and a coarse cloth should be spread between it and the board. When you are ironing, be careful to try your iron first upon some coarse article, or one of little value, for fear of its soiling or singeing the better clothes. Let the heat be in proportion to the article you are about to iron, and be sure to make every part perfectly smooth.

After they are ironed, the things should be hung upon the horse to air. The cookmaid is now done with the washing, as it is the housemaid's business to air them, and to place them in the drawers, when aired; but in many families, the putting of them away is done by the mistress of the house, or by some of the young ladies.

In ironing the skirts of dresses, it is best and most proper to have a board about thirteen inches wide and four feet long, on which fasten, with tapes, an ironing-blanket; place one end of it on a table, and the other end on the dresser, or something that is firm, of the same height as the table. In using this board, pass it through the skirt, taking care that the wet part of the dress falls into a clothes-basket, or a cloth, which you must first put on the floor, under the middle of the board, to save the skirt from being soiled; and turn the skirt of the dress round the board, as you iron it.

1003. _Save the Rags._--All rags of cotton or linen should be saved by the cookmaid; they should never be thrown away because they are not clean. Mop-rags, lamp-rags, all should be washed, dried and put in the rag-bag. There is no need of expending soap on them; just boil them out in the suds after you have done washing.

Linen rags should be carefully saved; for they are extremely useful in sickness. If they have become dirty and worn by cleaning silver, &c., wash them, and scrape them into lint.