difficult. In such case soaking in strong ammonia water may answer. An
emulsion, formed by shaking together 2 parts of ammonia water and 1 of
spirits of turpentine, has been recommended.
«To Remove Vaseline Stains from Clothing.»—Moisten the spots with a
mixture of 1 part of aniline oil, 1 of {193} powdered soap, and 10 of
water. After allowing the cloth to lie for 5 or 10 minutes, wash with
water.
«To Remove Grease Spots from Plush.»—Place fresh bread rolls in the
oven, break them apart as soon as they have become very hot, and rub
the spots with the crumbs, continuing the work by using new rolls until
all traces of fat have disappeared from the fabric. Purified benzine,
which does not alter even the most delicate colors, is also useful for
this purpose.
«To Remove Iron Rust from Muslin and Linen.»—Wet with lemon juice and
salt and expose to the sun. If one application does not remove the
spots, a second rarely fails to do so.
«Keroclean.»—This non-inflammable cleanser removes grease spots from
delicate fabrics without injury, cleans all kinds of jewelry and
tableware by removing fats and tarnish, kills moths, insects, and
household pests by suffocation and extermination, and cleans ironware
by removing rust, brassware by removing grease, copperware by removing
verdigris. It is as clear as water and will stand any fire test.
Kerosene. 1 ounce
Carbon tetrachloride (commercial). 3 ounces
Oil of citronella 2 drachms
Mix, and filter if necessary. If a strong odor of carbon bisulphide is
detected in the carbon tetrachloride first shake with powdered charcoal
and filter.
«To Clean Gold and Silver Lace.»—I.—Alkaline liquids sometimes used for
cleaning gold lace are unsuitable, for they generally corrode or change
the color of the silk. A solution of soap also interferes with certain
colors, and should therefore not be employed. Alcohol is an effectual
remedy for restoring the luster of gold, and it may be used without any
danger to the silk, but where the gold is worn off, and the base metal
exposed, it is not so successful in accomplishing its purpose, as by
removing the tarnish the base metal becomes more distinguishable from
the fine gold.
II.—To clean silver lace take alabaster in very fine powder, lay the
lace upon a cloth, and with a soft brush take up some of the powder,
and rub both sides with it till it becomes bright and clean, afterwards
polish with another brush until all remnants of the powder are removed,
and it exhibits a lustrous surface.
III.—Silver laces are put in curdled milk for 24 hours. A piece of
Venetian soap, or any other good soap, is scraped and stirred into 2
quarts of rain water. To this a quantity of honey and fresh ox gall
is added, and the whole is stirred for some time. If it becomes too
thick, more water is added. This mass is allowed to stand for half a
day, and the wet laces are painted with it. Wrap a wet cloth around the
roller of a mangle, wind the laces over this, put another wet cloth on
top, and press, wetting and repeating the application several times.
Next, dip the laces in a clear solution of equal parts of sugar and gum
arabic, pass them again through the mangle, between two clean pieces of
cloth, and hang them up to dry thoroughly, attaching a weight to the
lower end.
IV.—Soak gold laces over night in cheap white wine and then proceed as
with silver laces. If the gold is worn off, put 771 grains of shellac,
31 grains of dragon’s blood, 31 grains of turmeric in strong alcohol
and pour off the ruby-colored fluid. Dip a fine hair pencil in this,
paint the pieces to be renewed, and hold a hot flatiron a few inches
above them, so that only the laces receive the heat.
V.—Silver embroideries may also be cleaned by dusting them with Vienna
lime, and brushing off with a velvet brush.
For gildings the stuff is dipped in a solution of gold chloride, and
this is reduced by means of hydrogen in another vessel.
For silvering, one of the following two processes may be employed:
(_a_) Painting with a solution of 1 part of phosphorus in 15 parts
bisulphide of carbon and dipping in a solution of nitrate of silver;
(_b_) dipping for 2 hours in a solution of nitrate of silver, mixed
with ammonia, then exposing to a current of pure hydrogen.
«To Remove Silver Stains from White Fabrics.»—Moisten the fabric
for two or three minutes with a solution of 5 parts of bromine and
500 parts of water. Then rinse in clear water. If a yellowish stain
remains, immerse in a solution of 150 parts of sodium hyposulphite in
500 parts of water, and again rinse in clear water.
«Rust-Spot Remover.»—Dissolve potassium bioxalate, 200 parts, in
distilled water, 8,800 parts; add glycerine, 1,000 parts, and filter.
Moisten the rust or ink spots with this solution; let the linen, etc.,
lie for 3 hours, rubbing the moistened spots frequently, and then wash
well with water. {194}
«To Clean Quilts.»—Quilts are cleaned by first washing them in lukewarm
soapsuds, then laying them in cold, soft (rain) water over night. The
next day they are pressed as dry as possible and hung up; the ends, in
which the moisture remains for a long time, must be wrung out from time
to time.
It is very essential to beat the drying quilts frequently with a smooth
stick or board. This will have the effect of swelling up the wadding,
and preventing it from felting. Furthermore, the quilts should be
repeatedly turned during the drying from right to left and also from
top to bottom. In this manner streaks are avoided.
«Removal of Peruvian-Balsam Stains.»—The fabric is spread out, a piece
of filter paper being placed beneath the stain, and the latter is then
copiously moistened with chloroform, applied by means of a tuft of
cotton wool. Rubbing is to be avoided.
«Solution for Removing Nitrate of Silver Spots.»—
Bichloride of mercury 5 parts
Ammonium chloride 5 parts
Distilled water 40 parts
Apply the mixture to the spots with a cloth, then rub. This removes,
almost instantaneously, even old stains on linen, cotton, or wool.
Stains on the skin thus treated become whitish yellow and soon
disappear.
«Cleaning Tracings.»—Tracing cloth can be very quickly and easily
cleaned, and pencil marks removed by the use of benzine, which is
applied with a cotton swab. It may be rubbed freely over the tracing
without injury to lines drawn in ink, or even in water color, but the
pencil marks and dirt will quickly disappear. The benzine evaporates
almost immediately, leaving the tracing unharmed. The surface, however,
has been softened and must be rubbed down with talc, or some similar
substance, before drawing any more ink lines.
The glaze may be restored to tracing cloth after using the eraser by
rubbing the roughened surface with a piece of hard wax from an old
phonograph cylinder. The surface thus produced is superior to that of
the original glaze, as it is absolutely oil- and water-proof.
«Rags for Cleaning and Polishing.»—Immerse flannel rags in a solution
of 20 parts of dextrine and 30 parts of oxalic acid in 20 parts of
logwood decoction; gently wring them out, and sift over them a mixture
of finely powdered tripoli and pumice stone. Pile the moist rags one
upon another, placing a layer of the powder between each two. Then
press, separate, and dry.
«Cleaning Powder.»—
Bole 500 parts
Magnesium carbonate 50 parts
Mix and make into a paste with a small quantity of benzine or water;
apply to stains made by fats or oils on the clothing and when dry
remove with a brush.
«CLEANING PAINTED AND VARNISHED SURFACES:»
«Cleaning and Preserving Polished Woodwork.»—Rub down all the polished
work with a very weak alcoholic solution of shellac (1 to 20 or even
1 to 30) and linseed oil, spread on a linen cloth. The rubbing should
be firm and hard. Spots on the polished surface, made by alcohol,
tinctures, water, etc., should be removed as far as possible and as
soon as possible after they are made, by the use of boiled linseed
oil. Afterwards they should be rubbed with the shellac and linseed oil
solution on a soft linen rag. If the spots are due to acids go over
them with a little dilute ammonia water. Ink spots may be removed with
dilute or (if necessary) concentrated hydrochloric acid, following its
use with dilute ammonia water. In extreme cases it may be necessary to
use the scraper or sandpaper, or both.
Oak as a general thing is not polished, but has a matt surface which
can be washed with water and soap. First all stains and spots should be
gone over with a sponge or a soft brush and very weak ammonia water.
The carved work should be freed of dust, etc., by the use of a stiff
brush, and finally washed with dilute ammonia water. When dry it should
be gone over very thinly and evenly with brunoline applied with a soft
pencil. If it is desired to give an especially handsome finish, after
the surface is entirely dry, give it a preliminary coat of brunoline
and follow this on the day after with a second. Brunoline may be
purchased of any dealer in paints. To make it, put 70 parts of linseed
oil in a very capacious vessel (on account of the foam that ensues) and
add to it 20 parts of powdered litharge, 20 parts of powdered minium,
and 10 parts of lead acetate, also powdered. Boil until the oil is
completely oxidized, stirring constantly. When completely oxidized the
oil is no longer red, but is of a dark brown color. When it acquires
{195} this color, remove from the fire, and add 160 parts of turpentine
oil, and stir well. This brunoline serves splendidly for polishing
furniture or other polished wood.
«To Clean Lacquered Goods.»—Papier-maché and lacquered goods may
be cleaned perfectly by rubbing thoroughly with a paste made of
wheat flour and olive oil. Apply with a bit of soft flannel or old
linen, rubbing hard; wipe off and polish by rubbing with an old silk
handkerchief.
«Polish for Varnished Work.»—To renovate varnished work make a polish
of 1 quart good vinegar, 2 ounces butter of antimony, 2 ounces alcohol,
and 1 quart oil. Shake well before using.
«To Clean Paintings.»—To clean an oil painting, take it out of its
frame, lay a piece of cloth moistened with rain water on it, and
leave it for a while to take up the dirt from the picture. Several
applications may be required to secure a perfect result. Then wipe the
picture very gently with a tuft of cotton wool damped with absolutely
pure linseed oil. Gold frames may be cleaned with a freshly cut onion;
they should be wiped with a soft sponge wet with rain water a few
hours after the application of the onion, and finally wiped with a soft
rag.
«Removing and Preventing Match Marks.»—The unsightly marks made on a
painted surface by striking matches on it can sometimes be removed by
scrubbing with soapsuds and a stiff brush. To prevent match marks dip a
bit of flannel in alboline (liquid vaseline), and with it go over the
surface, rubbing it hard. A second rubbing with a dry bit of flannel
completes the job. A man may “strike” a match there all day, and
neither get a light nor make a mark.
«GLOVE CLEANERS:»
«Powder for Cleaning Gloves.»—
I.—White bole or pipe clay 60.0 parts
Orris root (powdered) 30.0 parts
Powdered grain soap 7.5 parts
Powdered borax 15.0 parts
Ammonium chloride 2.5 parts
Mix the above ingredients. Moisten the gloves with a damp cloth, rub on
the powder, and brush off after drying.
II.—Four pounds powdered pipe clay, 2 pounds powdered white soap, 1
ounce lemon oil, thoroughly rubbed together. To use, make powder into a
thin cream with water and rub on the gloves while on the hands. This is
a cheaply produced compound, and does its work effectually.
«Soaps and Pastes for Cleaning Gloves.»—
I.—Soft soap. 1 ounce
Water. 4 ounces
Oil of lemon 1/2 drachm
Precipitated chalk, a
sufficient quantity.
Dissolve the soap in the water, add the oil, and make into a stiff
paste with a sufficient quantity of chalk.
II.—White hard soap. 1 part
Talcum. 1 part
Water 4 parts
Shave the soap into ribbons, dissolve in the water by the aid of heat,
and incorporate the talcum.
III.—Curd soap 1 av. ounce
Water 4 fluidounces
Oil of lemon. 1/2 fluidrachm
French chalk, a sufficient quantity.
Shred the soap and melt it in the water by heat, add the oil of lemon,
and make into a stiff paste with French chalk.
IV.—White castile soap, old and dry 15 parts
Water 15 parts
Solution of chlorinated soda 16 parts
Ammonia water 1 part
Cut or shave up the soap, add the water, and heat on the water bath to
a smooth paste. Remove, let cool, and add the other ingredients and mix
thoroughly.
V.—Castile soap, white, old, and dry 100 parts
Water 75 parts
Tincture of quillaia 10 parts
Ether, sulphuric 10 parts
Ammonia water, FF 5 parts
Benzine, deodorized 75 parts
Melt the soap, previously finely shaved, in the water, bring to a
boil and remove from the fire. Let cool down, then add the other
ingredients, incorporating them thoroughly. This should be put up in
collapsible tubes or tightly closed metallic boxes. This is also useful
for clothing.
«Liquid Cloth and Glove Cleaner.»—
Gasoline. 1 gallon
Chloroform. 1 ounce
Carbon disulphide 1 ounce {196}
Essential oil almond 5 drops
Oil bergamot 1 drachm
Oil cloves 5 drops
Mix. To be applied with a sponge or soft cloth.
«STONE CLEANING:»
«Cleaning and Polishing Marble.»—I.—Marble that has become dirty by
ordinary use or exposure may be cleaned by a simple bath of soap and
water.
If this does not remove stains, a weak solution of oxalic acid should
be applied with a sponge or rag, washing quickly and thoroughly with
water to minimize injury to the surface.
Rubbing well after this with chalk moistened with water will, in a
measure, restore the luster. Another method of finishing is to apply a
solution of white wax in turpentine (about 1 in 10), rubbing thoroughly
with a piece of flannel or soft leather.
If the marble has been much exposed, so that its luster has been
seriously impaired, it may be necessary to repolish it in a more
thorough manner. This may be accomplished by rubbing it first with
sand, beginning with a moderately coarse-grained article and changing
this twice for finer kinds, after which tripoli or pumice is used.
The final polish is given by the so-called putty powder. A plate of
iron is generally used in applying the coarse sand; with the fine sand
a leaden plate is used; and the pumice is employed in the form of a
smooth-surfaced piece of convenient size. For the final polishing
coarse linen or bagging is used, wedged tightly into an iron planing
tool. During all these applications water is allowed to trickle over
the face of the stone.
The putty powder referred to is binoxide of tin, obtained by treating
metallic tin with nitric acid, which converts the metal into hydrated
metastannic acid. This, when heated, becomes anhydrous. In this
condition it is known as putty powder. In practice putty powder is
mixed with alum, sulphur, and other substances, the mixture used being
dependent upon the nature of the stone to be polished.
According to Warwick, colored marble should not be treated with soap
and water, but only with the solution of beeswax above mentioned.
II.—Take 2 parts of sodium bicarbonate, 1 part of powdered pumice
stone, and 1 part of finely pulverized chalk. Pass through a fine
sieve to screen out all particles capable of scratching the marble,
and add sufficient water to form a pasty mass. Rub the marble with it
vigorously, and end the cleaning with soap and water.
III.—Ox gall 1 part
Saturated solution of sodium carbonate 4 parts
Oil of turpentine 1 part
Pipe clay enough to form a paste.
IV.—Sodium carbonate 2 ounces
Chlorinated lime. 1 ounce
Water 14 ounces
Mix well and apply the magma to the marble with a cloth, rubbing
well in, and finally rubbing dry. It may be necessary to repeat this
operation.
V.—Wash the surface with a mixture of finely powdered pumice stone and
vinegar, and leave it for several hours; then brush it hard and wash it
clean. When dry, rub with whiting and wash leather.
VI.—Soft soap. 4 parts
Whiting 4 parts
Sodium bicarbonate 1 part
Copper sulphate 2 parts
Mix thoroughly and rub over the marble with a piece of flannel, and
leave it on for 24 hours, then wash it off with clean water, and
polish the marble with a piece of flannel or an old piece of felt.
VII.—A strong solution of oxalic acid effectually takes out ink
stains. In handling it the poisonous nature of this acid should not be
forgotten.
VIII.—Iron mold or ink spots may be taken out in the following manner:
Take 1/2 ounce of butter of antimony and 1 ounce of oxalic acid and
dissolve them in 1 pint of rain water; add enough flour to bring the
mixture to a proper consistency. Lay it evenly on the stained part with
a brush, and, after it has remained for a few days, wash it off and
repeat the process if the stain is not wholly removed.
IX.—To remove oil stains apply common clay saturated with benzine. If
the grease has remained in long the polish will be injured, but the
stain will be removed.
X.—The following method for removing rust from iron depends upon
the solubility of the sulphide of iron in a solution of cyanide of
potassium. Clay is made into a thin paste with ammonium sulphide, and
the rust spot smeared with the mixture, care being taken that the
spot is only just covered. After ten minutes this paste is washed off
and replaced by one consisting of white bole mixed with a solution of
potassium cyanide (1 to 4), which is in its turn {197} washed off after
about 2 1/2 hours. Should a reddish spot remain after washing off the
first paste, a second layer may be applied for about 5 minutes.
XI.—Soft soap 4 ounces
Whiting 4 ounces
Sodium carbonate 1 ounce
Water, a sufficient quantity.
Make into a thin paste, apply on the soiled surface, and wash off after
24 hours.
XII.—In a spacious tub place a tall vessel upside down. On this set the
article to be cleaned so that it will not stand in the water, which
would loosen the cemented parts. Into this tub pour a few inches of
cold water—hot water renders marble dull—take a soft brush and a piece
of Venetian soap, dip the former in the water and rub on the latter
carefully, brushing off the article from top to bottom. When in this
manner dust and dirt have been dissolved, wash off all soap particles
by means of a watering pot and cold water, dab the object with a clean
sponge, which absorbs the moisture, place it upon a cloth and carefully
dry with a very clean, soft cloth, rubbing gently. This treatment will
restore the former gloss to the marble.
XIII.—Mix and shake thoroughly in a bottle equal quantities of
sulphuric acid and lemon juice. Moisten the spots and rub them lightly
with a linen cloth and they will disappear.
XIV.—Ink spots are treated with acid oxalate of potassium; blood stains
by brushing with alabaster dust and distilled water, then bleaching
with chlorine solution. Alizarine ink and aniline ink spots can be
moderated by laying on rags saturated with Javelle water, chlorine
water, or chloride of lime paste. Old oil stains can only be effaced
by placing the whole piece of marble for hours in benzine. Fresh oil
or grease spots are obliterated by repeated applications of a little
damp, white clay and subsequent brushing with soap water or weak soda
solution. For many other spots an application of benzine and magnesia
is useful.
XV.—Marble slabs keep well and do not lose their fresh color if they
are cleaned with hot water only, without the addition of soap, which is
injurious to the color. Care must be taken that no liquid dries on the
marble. If spots of wine, coffee, beer, etc., have already appeared,
they are cleaned with diluted spirit of sal ammoniac, highly diluted
oxalic acid, Javelle water, ox gall, or, take a quantity of newly
slaked lime, mix it with water into a paste-like consistency, apply the
paste uniformly on the spot with a brush, and leave the coating alone
for two to three days before it is washed off. If the spots are not
removed by a single application, repeat the latter. In using Javelle
water 1 or 2 drops should be carefully poured on each spot, rinsing off
with water.
«To Remove Grease Spots from Marble.»—If the spots are fresh, rub them
over with a piece of cloth that has been dipped into pulverized china
clay, repeating the operation several times, and then brush with soap
and water. When the spots are old brush with distilled water and finest
French plaster energetically, then bleach with chloride of lime that is
put on a piece of white cloth. If the piece of marble is small enough
to permit it, soak it for a few hours in refined benzine.
«Preparation for Cleaning Marble, Furniture, and Metals, Especially
Copper.»—This preparation is claimed to give very quickly perfect
brilliancy, persisting without soiling either the hand or the
articles, and without leaving any odor of copper. The following is
the composition for 100 parts of the product: Wax, 2.4 parts; oil of
turpentine, 9.4 parts; acetic acid, 42 parts; citric acid, 42 parts;
white soap, 42 parts.
«Removing Oil Stains from Marble.»—Saturate fuller’s earth with a
solution of equal parts of soap liniment, ammonia, and water; apply
to the greasy part of the marble; keep there for some hours, pressed
down with a smoothing iron sufficiently hot to warm the mass, and as
it evaporates occasionally renew the solution. When wiped off dry the
stain will have nearly disappeared. Some days later, when more oil
works toward the surface repeat the operation. A few such treatments
should suffice.
«Cleaning Terra Cotta.»—After having carefully removed all dust, paint
the terra cotta, by means of a brush, with a mixture of slightly gummed
water and finely powdered terra cotta.
«Renovation of Polished and Varnished Surfaces of Wood, Stone,
etc.»—This is composed of the following ingredients, though the
proportions may be varied: Cereal flour or wood pulp, 38 1/2 parts;
hydrochloric acid, 45 parts; chloride of lime, 16 parts; turpentine,
1/2 part. After mixing the ingredients thoroughly in order to form
a homogeneous paste, the object to be treated is smeared with it and
allowed to stand for some time. The paste on the surface is then
removed by passing over it quickly a piece of soft {198} leather
or a brush, which will remove dirt, grease, and other deleterious
substances. By rubbing gently with a cloth or piece of leather a
polished surface will be imparted to wood, and objects of metal will be
rendered lustrous.
The addition of chloride of lime tends to keep the paste moist, thus
allowing the ready removal of the paste without damaging the varnish or
polish, while the turpentine serves as a disinfectant and renders the
odor less disagreeable during the operation.
The preparation is rapid in its action, and does not affect the
varnished or polished surfaces of wood or marble. While energetic
in its cleansing action on brass and other metallic objects, it is
attended with no corrosive effect.
«Nitrate of Silver Spots.»—To remove these spots from white marble,
they should be painted with Javelle water, and after having been
washed, passed over a concentrated solution of thiosulphate of soda
(hyposulphite).
«To Remove Oil-Paint Spots from Sandstones.»—This may be done by
washing the spots with pure turpentine oil, then covering the place
with white argillaceous earth (pipe clay), leaving it to dry, and
finally rubbing with sharp soda lye, using a brush. Caustic ammonia
also removes oil-paint spots from sandstones.
«RUST REMOVERS:»
«To Remove Rust from Iron or Steel Utensils.»—
I.—Apply the following solution by means of a brush, after having
removed any grease by rubbing with a clean, dry cloth: 100 parts of
stannic chloride are dissolved in 1,000 parts of water; this solution
is added to one containing 2 parts tartaric acid dissolved in 1,000
parts of water, and finally 20 cubic centimeters indigo solution,
diluted with 2,000 parts of water, are added. After allowing the
solution to act upon the stain for a few seconds, it is rubbed clean,
first with a moist cloth, then with a dry cloth; to restore the polish
use is made of silver sand and jewelers’ rouge.