St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1879-08-08
To Wash CoIored Fabrics.

Black and white cotton or linen dress
es are thought very difficult to cleanse
and do up because the color ''runs" and
settles in the white, and the same COM
plaint is made of stone, slate blown or
MAI OOn colOrs. But by a few precau-
tiOns and little extra care in the first
washing there need be no further
trouble with any of these colors.
Before washing black and white cot
ton or linen dresses, or any of these
dark cOlors, first dip them in salt and
water, and hang in shady place to
dry. Two coffee cups of salt to eight
or ten quarts of cold water is the prop
er proportion. When dry put them
into light suds, not very hot, and
wash us usual. A little salt in the rims
ing water is desirable. After washing
once in this way they can ever after
be washed without these precautions.
No colored goods should be allowed to
soak at all, either in suds or rinsing
water. Let the work be done as speed
lily, with as little delay when first be-
gun, us is consistent with being well
done.
AN EASIER WAY,
and we have tried it successfully in
washing the fine colored Isle and cot
ton hosiery of dark and medium colors
now so much used-is to put black pep
per into the suds when hot, let it stand
till the water is cool enough to wash
colored goods, and then put them in
and Wash as usual: rince in one water
and hang i'll Il shady place to dry. A
great spoonful and half of pepper to a
pailful of water. The pepper does not
affect the suds at all, but sets the color,
and we are told that it is equally etfec-
tive with all cotton OIL linen fabrics,
light or dark. We have tried it only
on hosiery, and not on any very light
cOlors.
ANOTHER WAY.
Mix two cupsfuls of wheat bran in
cold water till smooth paste; then
stir it into one quart of soft boiling wa
ter. Let it boil half an hour, then strain
and add to it four or five more quarts
of soft, warm water, or enough to wash
a dress in. Use no soap, for the bran
answers all the cleansing purposes of
soap. The water should not be much
more than milk warm, and perfectly
clean. Add a tablespoonful of salt if
there is black in the dresses or any col
or that may ''run.n Rinse thoroughly
in only one water. No starch is need
ed, but if one thinks it desirable use
little white glue water, not hot.
Many prefer muslins or calicoes very
stiff. To have such articles look like
new they should have no more stiffen-
ing or polish than new goods have.
Except the coarsest and cheapest cotton
goods, we find none in the stores that
are SO very stiff or glossy. To avoid
the last, iron the wrong side, and not
with a very hot iron, and there will be
none of the shiny look which hot iron
used on the right side will always leave.
TO WASH BROWN LINEN.
Take enough timothy hay to fill a
ten-quart kettle two-thirds full when
pressed down, cover it thoroughly with
soft, hot water, and boil till the water
is dark greenish color. While the
hay is boiling make -four starch in the
usual way, and when the hay-water is
of the right color strain it into the
starch, and put the linen into it, not
hot but tepid, letting it soak ten or fif-
teen minutes, no longer; then wash
without any soap. The starch and hay
tea will clean the linen, and no rinsing
will be needed. Linen washed in this
way will look like new as long as it
lasts.
Blue, stone, slate and brown colored
articles can be washed and retain their
color perfectly by putting sugar of lead
into the water in which they are to be
washed. Dissolve one ounce of sugar
of lead in pailful of hot water. When
thoroughly dissolved, and the water
cooled so as to be about milk warm.
put the articles to soak in the water an
hour or two; then ring out, and hang
up to dry before washing When dr5
wash as directed in bran water. The
sugar of lead fixes the color permanent
ly, so it will not need to be repeated.
Be cautious that there is no scratch.
cut or sore on the hands, and that none
OF this water gets into the mouth, as
sugar OF lead is pOisOnous.-Mrs II. W
Beecher IN Christian Union.