SCRUBBING THE CEILING

“Before the festivities, women would always clean the chimneyless hut from top to bottom. As Pentecost, Midsummer, All Saints’ Day, or Christmas approached, helpers were sent for, the furniture was carried outside, and the oven, the funnel, the ceiling, and the walls were thoroughly scrubbed. Branches of evergreen trees were tied to broomsticks. The funnel cleaning woman climbed up onto the roof, and swept the slag and soot off the funnel with a broom. The ceiling rafters and their support beams were scrubbed with evergreen brooms. The rafters were rough-hewn slabs. When scrubbed, splints would come off them, leaving white patches; the more the better, because the cleaner was to get as many cups of coffee as there were new patches after her cleaning. The beams, the top of the oven, and the top half of the walls were swept with a broom. The floors and the bottom half of the walls were scrubbed using brooms, water and sand, and then rinsed, and then dried with rags. If the washing water tended to gather to one end of the floor, people were pleased, for that meant prosperity to the household.” (Rytkönen 1931, Savupirttien kansaa)