How to Air a Room

A room which has been occupied through the night ought to be aired before it is put in order. The need is usually apparent upon returning from the passage, though bedrooms, being familiar to their owners, are often granted a charitable judgement which a visitor would not share.

Method

Open the curtains, observe what the weather is doing, and turn down the bedclothes so that the sheets receive the air. The window should then be opened wide for ten minutes; where the plan of the house permits it, an open door or a second window on the opposite side will establish a useful current.

Attend meanwhile to washing, dressing, or another nearby duty. A room airs more effectively when the window is open fully for a short period than when it is left barely open throughout a cold morning.

In wet weather, choose the driest interval and shorten the exercise. During great heat, air the room early, then close the window and curtains before the day becomes oppressive. A bathroom should be aired after bathing until the mirror clears and damp surfaces begin to dry.

Before leaving, close and secure the window as the weather and safety require. Make the bed only after the sheets have had their interval in the air.

Common errors

A scented spray merely contributes another smell to the one already present. Turn down a radiator beneath an open window, close the room again when the exchange of air is complete, and allow the bedding its interval before making the bed; otherwise the night’s warmth and moisture are tucked in as carefully as the sheets.