Housekeeping for Historic Homes and House Museums (2000)   471K   1 version
Uploaded - 06-13-2016
The typical historic house, whether museum or private residence, is subjected to stresses far beyond those of a modern residence. Historic structures are not sealed like modern buildings. Floor boards are worn and have shifted, doors and windows no longer hang properly in their openings, and modern ventilation systems often bring in even more dirt and dust. Even the most thorough housekeeping regime cannot prevent these pollutants from creeping into the house. In addition, historic houses are often furnished with objects that require long-term preservation. These heirlooms, whether a marble topped table or a century-old family quilt, are often extremely fragile, and cannot be cared for with modern cleaning methods. The elbow grease and strong chemicals that are used to maintain most modern homes cannot be used to clean historic artifacts. They have to be carefully handled and extra precautions should be taken when cleaning them.