A freewheeling cultural history of why, how, when and who cleans our housesIn this witty look at our obsession with cleaning, Margaret Horsfield confronts her own dirt demons and scours the social, historical, literary and psychological nooks and crannies of the world of household chores. Through historical research, countless interviews with people and an analysis of characters from novels and advertising, Horsfield presents such memorable personalities as the woman who sends her small daughter to walk around other peoples houses in white tights to check for dirt and the mother who, upon her son's suicide, shed not a tear but stayed up all night frantically polishing her already gleaming hardwood floors.From demented television housewives to the redoubtable Mrs. Beeton, Biting the Dust runs the gamut of ideas and emotions. As we pause repeatedly to recognize our mothers, our friends, ourselves, we ask what we really do around the house and why. Biting the Dust throws light on a subject that is rich, strange and, oddly enough, highly entertaining.