The earliest buildings of New Hampshire had dirt floors. Once they had evolved to wood flooring, the problem arose of how to keep them clean. Rugs and even coarse wool druggets were rare in those early colonial days.
Today we take for granted that we have vacuum cleaners, electric floor washers and steamers. So how did colonial women keep their floors clean? SAND. Yes, you read it correctly SAND. There were, of course, those who did not have access to sand who used hay, herbs, rushes or other natural grasses. But when it was available, SAND was often the choice. At some point the sand could be swept out and replaced with fresh, and the cost was negligible. Continue reading
