Managing the Queensland House

Washing tub (Queensland Museum)

Managing the Queensland house was a complex matter. Everything had to be cleaned and polished with fairly basic cleaning agents, such as soap and water, beeswax, washing soda, ammonia, acids, turpentine, borax, and spirits of camphor.

This was extremely labour-intensive work, carried out through elaborate routines, each task having its allotted time in which it had to be accomplished.