In this witty look at our obsession with cleaning, 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 and an analysis of characters from novels and advertising, she presents such memorable personalities as the woman who sends her small daughter to walk around other people's houses in white tights. From demented television housewives to the redoubtable Mrs. Beeton, this book runs the gamut of ideas and emotions and throws light on a subject that is rich, strange &, oddly enough, highly entertaining.