by beating and washing, in a 1 per cent. solution of potassium
permanganate. Remove them, wash thoroughly with water, and press out
the water. Next put them into a solution of ½ lb. sodium hyposulphite
in 1 gal. water, to which 1 oz. oxalic acid has been added, and
leave in the solution for 15 minutes. Finally, take out, and wash
thoroughly. By this treatment the sponges are rendered perfectly
white. Many sponges contain a more or less dark-coloured brownish
core. If treated only with permanganate and acid, the core is either
not bleached at all, or, if it has been somewhat bleached, the tint
is apt to grow again darker. (Borham.)
(_e_) Soak for 10 minutes in a 2 per cent. solution of potash
permanganate; then in a 2 per cent. solution of oxalic acid with the
addition of a little sulphuric acid for about ½ hour; finally treat
with a 2 per cent. solution of potash carbonate for ½ hour, wash,
and dry. The solution of potash carbonate produces the yellow colour
often particularly wanted. (_Chem. and Drug._)
(_f_) A sponge employed in photographic manipulations for a few
months loses all its valuable qualities, becoming black, hard, and
greasy, and contaminating anything which it touches. To clean it,
a solution of potash permanganate in water is prepared of such
a strength that it appears of a wine colour, and into this the
unserviceable sponge is immersed, and allowed to remain for some
time. When taken out and squeezed, it is next put into a diluted
muriatic acid of ordinary commercial quality, being immersed and
kept saturated therein for some time as before. The most appropriate
strength of this acid solution is about 10 parts water to 1 of acid.
The sponge is taken out after sufficient treatment, squeezed well to
free it from the acid, and then washed well in good spring water.
When taken out, it will be found to be quite clean, to have again
assumed its light colour, and to be free from all foreign matter.
Sponges treated in this way become like new sponges, and can be
used without any fear of their contaminating, even if employed for
the filtration of neutral liquids. The main thing to be attended to
in this plan of purifying sponge is to see that it is thoroughly
saturated both by the permanganate and the acid solutions, which
should be allowed ample time to soak through the mass; care must also
be observed to wash the sponges thoroughly with plenty of water at
the end of the operation. (Dr. J. Stinde.)
(_g_) When sponges get greasy, let them dry, and then work them with
a small quantity of turpentine, and after a few minutes wash them
with warm soap-and-water with a little bit of soda. This will get
them quite clean with very little trouble. (E. T. Scott.)
(_h_) Put a handful of salt on the sponge, and rinse the salt well
through the sponge. Let the sponge dry in a thorough draught of air.
The latter precaution alone will keep sponges free from sliminess,
unless they become saturated with soap.
(_i_) I tried the effect of sulphuric acid as follows:--In a large
basin mixed about 1 pint water and 2 tablespoonfuls sulphuric acid
(common oil of vitriol), then steeped the sponge about 2 hours, wrung
it out several times in the acid, and finally well washed out the
acid in clean water; it was then just like new, having regained its
former size, colour, and elasticity, with not the slightest trace of
its former sliminess. It was a large bath sponge, and in an extremely
bad condition. (J. W. Jackson.)
(_j_) Dissolve some citric acid in water in a hand-basin, and wash
the sponge in it as in (_i_).
_Stuffed Specimens._--(_a_) Give a good brushing with a stiff
clothes-brush. After this warm a quantity of new bran in a pan,
taking care it does not burn, to prevent which quickly stir it.
When warm, rub it well into the fur with your hand. Repeat this a
few times, then rid the fur of the bran, and give it another sharp
brushing until free from dust. (_b_) Sponge with white soap and warm
water, rubbing well into and about the roots of the hair, but avoid
using an excess of water to soak into the stuffing, or the specimen
will, in all probability, never thoroughly dry, and moths and rot
will be the result. Dry in a current of air as free from dust as
possible; brush the fur occasionally as it dries (a coarse comb at
first will, perhaps, separate the hairs better). Before putting it
into its case, wash freely with benzoline, rubbing with the fur; you
may never dread moths, and your specimen will always be clean if
your case is properly made and closed up air-tight by means of paper
pasted over every joint and crack.
_Teapot._--(_a_) Fill with boiling water and add some strong washing
soda; let it remain for a day or two. (_b_) Weak solution of spirits
of salt (hydrochloric acid).
_Textile Goods._--The arrangement of a laundry is dealt with in
another section. The present section is concerned with the ordinary
household washing, drying, ironing, and starching operations.
The first step is to sort the dirty linen the day before washing
actually takes place. White goods should be separated from coloured,
and linen from woollen. Repairs may often be considerably reduced by
doing them while the articles are soiled and before the ordeal of the
washtub has converted thin places into holes and small holes into
large ones.
Much labour is saved by putting the articles in soak overnight, which
dislodges the dirt and avoids the hard rubbing otherwise necessary.
A good soak mixture is an inch cut off a bar of soap to every 4 gal.
of water used, and a dessert spoonful of washing powder, allowing
both soap and powder to dissolve before introducing the clothes. For
body linen the water should be hot, for bed linen it may be cold.
Curtains, blinds, fringes, and other articles which harbour dust
and smoke should be soaked in plain cold water. Another excellent
soak mixture is made as follows:--Dissolve 2 lb. soap in 5½ gal.
nearly boiling water; add 3 tablespoonfuls ammonia and 1 of spirits
of turpentine; soak the clothes in this mixture for 3 hours before
washing.
On washing day the first care is to get a copper full of boiling
water. Meantime the articles in soak can be prepared. Always commence
operations with the most delicate goods.
Thus laces and fine muslins are dealt with first. If to be boiled
they must be tied up in a clean coarse muslin bag, but usually they
will hardly require this treatment, but simple washing will suffice.
In this case pass them into a hot soak mixture as already described
and work them with the hands without rubbing, till clean. Then rinse,
first in warm water, then in cold; fold; roll up in a clean towel,
and put aside ready for starching.
Go over the body linen in soak and pay special attention to stains
and extra dirty spots. Wring the articles as free as possible from
the dirty water, beginning always with the finest, and put into
another tub containing a warm soak; here wash again, and then pass
through a tub of clean cold water to remove adhering suds. Next fill
the copper with clean cold water and add the same quantities of
soap and washing powder as before; wring the goods out of the cold
washwater, put them into the copper, bring to boiling, and let boil
for 10-15 minutes. Pass successive lots into the copper in the same
way, replenishing the water, soap, and washing powder as needed. Each
lot as taken from the boiler should be rinsed first through hot and
then through cold water, well wrung, dipped, an article at a time, in
water containing some blue, wrung out, shaken, folded, and put on one
side. The bluewater will need additions of blue occasionally.
When all the body linen has gone through the copper, the table and
bed linen may follow in the same way; but after the second rinsing
on leaving the copper these articles can at once be hung out to dry.
The kitchen linen will come last and be washed in the suds of the
previous batches.
Drying should always be at least partially effected in the sun if
possible. When available, nothing is better than exposing linen on a
clean lawn. Failing this it must be hung on wires or ropes provided
for the purpose. Galvanised wire lasts longer and is cleaner than
rope. Both require rubbing clean with a damp cloth before use. After
sunning, the drying must always be completed before a good fire,
especially in the case of body linen. Table and bed linen should be
taken in while still damp, and folded and mangled before drying by
the fire. Body linen is not mangled, but ironed or starched.
Ironing may be done without starching, or with. Calicoes are
generally ironed on the right side, as they thus keep clean for
a longer time. In ironing a frock, first do the waist, then the
sleeves, then the skirt. Keep the skirt rolled while ironing the
other parts, and set a chair to hold the sleeves while ironing the
skirt, unless a skirt-board be used. Silk should be ironed on the
wrong side, when quite damp, with an iron which is not very hot, as
light colours are apt to change and fade. In ironing velvet, turn up
the face of the iron, and after damping the wrong side of the velvet,
draw it over the face of the iron, holding it straight; always iron
lace and needlework on the wrong side, and put them away as soon as
they are dry.
Starching is applied chiefly to shirts, cuffs, and collars, and in a
rougher way to print dresses and white petticoats. A good cold-water
starch is prepared as follows. Mix in a basin 3 tablespoonfuls of
laundry starch and sufficient cold water to make a paste; then add 1
teaspoonful of white soap shredded and dissolved in warm water and 1
teaspoonful powdered borax, mixed in ½ teacupful of boiling water;
stir well together till it froths. To starch collars, &c., wring them
from bluewater a few at a time, well rub them in the starch, and
wring hard, stirring up the starch for each fresh lot; rub them a few
at a time, fold, and pass through a close mangle or wring hard in a
towel. Iron immediately.
Boiled starch for shirts, &c., is made in the following manner.
(_a_) Into a _warm_ basin put 4 tablespoonfuls of starch; rub down
with warm water to a thickish paste; add 1 in. cut off the end of
a bedroom composite candle, a piece of spermaceti as large as a
pea, and 4 drops turpentine. Slowly pour in boiling water, with
vigorous stirring till the starch turns transparent without losing
its thickness. Take the shirts in a damp state, and first dip the
fronts and collars, squeezing them tightly, and then the cuffs; be
expeditious, as the starch should be used quite hot. Rub moderately,
hang up to dry; when quite dry, damp with cold water, fold with the
two sides of the front in contact, and roll up for a day before
ironing, wrapping in a damp cloth if the weather is dry.
(_b_) A liquid starch gloss which is well recommended consists of
5 oz. glycerine and 2 oz. each spermaceti, gum senegal (cheap gum
arabic) and borax in 49 oz. water, mixed and boiled together; 2 or 3
teaspoonfuls of this are added to ¼ lb. boiled starch.
Ironing starched goods requires more care. For cold-starched cuffs
and collars it is well to have a table with a thick flannel and a
clean cotton or linen cloth tightly stretched upon it. Lay the collar
evenly on the table, and run a moderately hot iron lightly along the
wrong side first; turn it, and do the same on the right side. Repeat
this once or twice rather quickly until it begins to feel a little
dry. Then press heavily and evenly on the right side, pulling out
button-holes, and ironing them straight. A fine polish is put on by
using the edge of the iron, and rubbing with it from the top of the
collar to the band, leaning heavily. Curl the collar, and put aside
to harden. Cuffs are ironed in the same way; if reversible, with a
band in the middle, the band is ironed thoroughly and finished first.
Hot-starched cuffs and collars are ironed in the same way but with a
hotter iron.
When ironing a shirt, lay the back of the sleeve smoothly on the
table; iron each side smoothly. Iron the wrist-band smoothly, wrong
side first, and then right side. Next iron the shoulder-strap, then
the neck-band or collar, doing the latter extremely carefully, and
polishing it nicely. Now double the back of the shirt, and iron it on
both sides. Spread the shirt out, and iron all the front except the
breast. Lay a board covered with flannel under the breast, and iron
very nicely, polishing highly at the last. Hang up to dry well, fold
neatly, and put away.
The following curious recipe is recommended for restoring linen
which has been scorched at the fire in drying. “It is almost
needless to premise that if the tissue of linen is so much burnt
that no strength is left, it is useless to apply the following
composition; for nothing could prevent a hole from being formed,
although the composition by no means tends to injure the fabric. But
if the scorching is not quite through, and the threads not actually
consumed, then the application of this composition, followed by 2
or 3 good washings, will restore the linen to its original colour;
the marks of the scorching will be imperceptible, and the place will
seem as white and perfect as any other part of the linen. Mix well
together 2 oz. fullers’ earth reduced to powder; 1 oz. hen’s dung; ½
oz. cake soap, scraped; and the juice of 2 large onions, obtained by
the onions being cut up, beaten in a mortar, and pressed. Boil this
mass in ½ pint strong vinegar, stirring it from time to time, until
it forms a thick liquid compound. Spread this composition thickly
over the entire surface of the scorched part, and let it remain on
24 hours. If the scorching was light, this will prove sufficient,
with the assistance of two subsequent washings, to take out the
stain. If, however, the scorching was strong, a second coating of
the composition should be put on after removing the first; and this
should also remain on for 24 hours. If, after the linen has been
washed twice or thrice, the stain has not wholly disappeared, the
composition may be used again, in proportion to the intensity of the
discoloration remaining, when a complete cure will seldom fail to be
effected. It has scarcely ever happened that a third application was
found necessary. The remainder of the composition should be kept for
use in a gallipot tied over with bladder.”
Having dealt with the general operations, it will be well to add a
few notes on special processes for certain classes of goods.
Bed Ticks.--Apply starch by rubbing it in thick with a wet cloth,
then put the tick in the sun. When dry, rub it with the hands. If
necessary, repeat the process, and the soiled part will be as clean
as new.
Black Goods.--After washing, rinse in water containing salt, to fix
the colour.
Chintzes.--As coloured dresses, adding a little ammonia to the water.
Coloured Dresses.--As flannels, omitting the washing powder. Wash
quickly in _warm_ water, wring hard, wash again, rinse in cold water
and hang to dry.
Crape Scarfs.--If the fabric be good, these can be washed as
frequently as may be required, and no diminution of their beauty will
be discoverable, even when the various shades of green have been
employed among other colours in the patterns. In cleaning them, make
a strong lather of boiling water, suffer it to cool; when cold, or
nearly so, wash the scarf quickly and thoroughly, dip it immediately
in cold hard water in which a little salt has been thrown (to
preserve the colours); rinse, squeeze, and hang it out to dry in the
open air; pin it at its extreme edge to the line, so that it may not
in any part be folded together. The more rapidly it dries the clearer
it will be.
Flannels.--The great difficulty in washing flannels, blankets, and
all woollen goods without causing excessive shrinkage is due to
the nature of the fibres, which, under the conditions of rubbing
and heat, become matted together in a kind of felt, reducing the
dimensions of the article and adding to its thickness. The following
recipes for washing such goods, are all destined to prevent this
felting process.
(_a_) The water should be only warm, not boiling, and soda silicate
or caustic ammonia is preferable to soap as a detergent. Flannels
well soaped and shrunk when first fulled always remain softer and
shrink less ultimately than those not so treated. The felting power
of wool varies considerably, and it should be selected accordingly
for fabrics intended to be frequently washed. Flannels should not be
rubbed or beaten in washing, merely rinsed, and soiled spots soaped
and brushed with a soft brush. It is important not to press the
material until thoroughly dry.
(_b_) Buy the flannel in the piece, put it into a tub, and cover it
with boiling water, turning it about with a stick to allow the air to
escape from between the folds. Leave it in the water until the next
day, when take out and hang on a line to drain and dry. It must not
be wrung or pressed, but allowed to get rid of the water in its own
way. When made up into trousers or jackets, it will never shrink any
more; but in the case of shirts, there may be a slight shrinking in
the course of time, though not to nearly the usual extent. Flannel
should be washed in lukewarm water, and without soda, when, if it has
been properly shrunk before being made up, it will last very well.
(_c_) The great principle is, not to have the water any hotter than
a _lady’s_ hand can comfortably bear. Cut up, overnight, some pieces
of yellow or mottled soap, into a large saucepan of cold water;
next morning allow this to heat gradually, until all melted. Have
two tubs of the hot water ready, into which pour some of the melted
soap, and whisk it with the hand to make a thoroughly good lather.
The first tub must be more than double the strength of the second,
which latter should have plenty of blue in. In the first tub wash the
white flannels, without rubbing _any_ soap on, excepting on stains
of perspiration, &c. Directly after they have been done through the
first tub, do them in the same way through the second, shake well,
and hang out immediately. Coloured flannels can follow in the same
way. Stockings should always have a third wash. The small pieces of
soap left in the bedroom soap-dishes come in nicely for melting down.
(_d_) Flannel should be soaked in cold hard water before making, and
hung up to drain and dry without any squeezing or handling in the
water. After this it will not shrink in washing. Fill a tub with
spring water, place the flannel in it, and take out as soon as it
sinks to the bottom. It does not lose the appearance of new flannel
when dry.
(_e_) To prevent shrinking in washing, soak the flannel for a night
in cold water when dirty, and the next morning wash with curd soap in
very lukewarm water. Do not wring, but press the water out and hang
to dry.
(_f_) White Flannel. Use pipeclay, which should be mixed to proper
consistency in a pipkin; stand on the fire till warm, stir with wax
candle for 5 minutes, add a modicum of soap and a dash of Prussian
blue, and stand by to cool, and always use cold, laid on with a
sponge, and dry in shady breeze. For grease spots, lay over them pure
clay, size the thickness of a crown piece, then place in the sun,
and the clay will absorb all the grease without fail. When trousers
are dry, rub them to loosen the clay, which brush off, and you will
have cleaner looking trousers than by washing, and they will be fit
to wear two or three times without pipeclaying. The same for flannel
jackets.
(_g_) In order to keep flannel from shrinking and felting as much as
possible, dissolve 1 oz. potash in a bucketful of rain-water, and
steep the fabric in it for 12 hours. Next heat the water with the
cloth in it, wash it out without rubbing, simply drawing it through
several times. Then place the flannel in another bath consisting of 1
spoonful wheat flour to 1 pint water, and wash in like manner. Then
rinse in lukewarm rain-water. Flannel washed in this manner becomes
very clean, and will scarcely shrink or felt.
(_h_) It must strictly be observed that the heat does not rise beyond
100° F., and the fabric to be washed must be immersed in a bath of
boiled soap, to which 1¼ dr. sal ammoniac per pint of fluid have
been added; ¼ hour’s immersion in a well-covered vessel will have
dissolved the fat and dirt sufficiently, and a beating or rubbing
will no longer be necessary in order to wash the fabric clean. Very
dirty spots are rubbed in with soap, and brushed with a soft brush.
If one washing is not to satisfaction, repeat the process in a weaker
soap bath, observing the same cautionary rules, and conclude with
rinsing in cold water. It is also important not to smooth the fabric
in a half-moist condition; because in this case, the condition of
felting is complied with in this operation; while smoothing of the
sharply dried substance is performed without being accompanied by the
evil effects of shrinkage. The addition of sal ammoniac is to be left
out with sensitive colours.
(_i_) Scotch methods for Shawls.--Scrape or cut up 1 lb. soap, and
boil in a small quantity of water. When sufficiently cool, beat to a
jelly with the hand, at the same time mixing with it 3 tablespoonfuls
spirits of turpentine, and 1 of spirits of hartshorn. Wash the shawl
thoroughly in this, then well rinse in cold water, and, when all the
soap is out, in salt and water. This last need only be done when
the shawl contains delicate colours. Then fold the shawl between
two sheets, being careful not to let two folds of the shawl come
together. Mangle, and afterwards iron with a very cool iron.
(_j_) To wash red or scarlet flannel when soiled, mix a handful of
flour in a quart of cold water, and boil 10 minutes. Add this to some
warm suds, and wash the flannel gently, rinsing rather than rubbing;
rinse in 3 or 4 warm waters, and the brightest scarlet will never
lose its colour. Soft soap or olive soap should be used for woollen
goods in preference to bar soap.
(_k_) After rinsing, a wringing machine dries them better than any
other method. The drying must be done _rapidly_, and the articles
should be shaken and pulled during the drying.
Lace.--(_a_) Washing Black Lace.--Mix bullocks’ gall with sufficient
hot water to make it as warm as you can bear your hand in, and pass
the lace through it. It must be squeezed, not rubbed; and it will be
well to perfume the gall with a little musk. Rinse through 2 cold
waters, tinging the last with a little blue. After drying, put it
into some stiffening made by pouring boiling water on a very small
piece of glue; squeeze out, stretch, and clap it. Afterwards, pin out
on a linen cloth to dry, laying it very straight and even, and taking
care to open and pin the edge very nicely. When dry, iron on the
wrong side, having laid a linen cloth over the ironing blanket.
(_b_) Cleaning White Lace.--Boil gently for 15 minutes in a solution
of white soap; put it into a basin holding warm water and soap, and
keep gently squeezing it (do not rub it) till it is clean, and then
rinse it from the soap. Then take a vessel of cold water, into which
put a drop or two of liquid blue; rinse in it. Have ready some very
clear gum arabic water, or some thin rice-water. Pass through it.
Then stretch out even, and pin to dry on a linen cloth, making the
edge as straight as possible; open out all the scallops, and fasten
each with a pin. When dry, lay a piece of thin muslin smoothly over
it, and iron on the wrong side.
(_c_) Ditto.--Cover an ordinary wine bottle with fine flannel,
stitching it firmly round the bottle. Tack one end of the lace to
the flannel, then roll it very smoothly round the bottle, and tack
down the other end, then cover with a piece of very fine flannel or
muslin. Now rub it gently with a strong soap liquor, and, if the lace
is very much discoloured or dirty, fill the bottle with hot water,
and place it in a kettle or saucepan of suds and boil it for a few
minutes, then place the bottle under a tap of running water to rinse
out the soap. Make some strong starch, and melt in it a piece of
white wax and a little loaf sugar. Plunge the bottle 2 or 3 times
into this and squeeze out the superfluous starch with the hands;
then dip the bottle in cold water, remove the outer covering from
the lace, fill the bottle with hot water, and stand it in the sun to
dry the lace. When nearly dry take it very carefully off the bottle,
and pick it out with the fingers. Then lay it in a cool place to dry
thoroughly.