Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-12-06
THE ART OF WASHING CLOTHES.

apparel and this when rightly understood and
practiced, becomes real art, though It's essays
may never happen TO eXceed the scope and skill
OF the ordinary laundreSS.
We do not here enter into the branch Of the
art which belongs exclusively to the Cleaner
and Dyer" Though washing forms prominent
part Of that trade also, but merely confine our
selves 10 few useful hints on the treatment of
materials Of which our daily clothes are made.
Nearly every laundreSS has her favorite RENE
dies for dirt, sta ms, and the preservation OF
tints in coiored fabrics, and often the less time
they have for executing their ''Order5," the
stronger cleansing agent they employ.
The use OF what is known In laundry .'tech-
nique" as strong bleach"-whch consists in
mixing potash. chloride OF lime. etc, with the
water-iS doubtless enectual for the moment,
but very disastrous afterward, as people can
testify whose clothes are rotted and burned by
the powerful chemical action to which they are
submitted In this process.
At the risk OF its being already probably well
known, we would remind our readers that the
ordinary yellow soap is the best for washing
clothes, and the common blue mOttled variety
for household cloths, etc. Also, that soft water,
when obtanabe, is much better for cleansing,
for the reason that, instead OF decompoSing the
soap as hard water does causing 1t to lie ON the
surface in flakes it unites with and melts it
thus dSS0ving the grease stains. Hard water
is, however not without its advantages. one
being that colors run less easily when washed
and rinSed in 1t.
Let us now turn to the first of the many minor
arts included in this particular branch OF the
ant of washing and il we speak OF Old-faSh-
Toned methods. it is because. after a long ex-
perience. we have found nothing new that ex-
Gels them.
After separating the common cloths from the
clothes. and again dividing the finer class of
these from the more ordinary, they must be all
thoroughly soaped in the most soiled places,
thrown into plenty of fresh water. and left to
soak for al least twenty-fOur hours Next day
they are taken ont for a good rub which. it
should be noticed, is no common rubbing; the
things must not be torn by violent Scrubbng
and yet the dirt ought to be thoroughly elimi-
mated. The rubbing should. of course be accord
ing to the strength and quality of the material:
some must be rubbed very hard and others not
at all, only kneaded and pressed, such as muslins
and flannelS.
The wise laundress knows that she might as
well attempt to wash fabric of iron wires as
1avor1te expression OF gentlemen who profess
much knowledge of the materials of ladies' at
tire ION the bias'-it would never come clean
she is therefore careful to rub the straight way
of her material and tciM the threads This is
the more important with linen, being harder to
cleanse than calico.
The next process is to boil all the white things
In large coppers full OF soap water. to insure a
good color. When taken out they are thor
oughly rinsed in two waters, the second having
little blue in it. still further to improve the
color. The use OF blue is often abused by care
less washer wOmen. who with an extra tinge of
1t hope to conceal the results OF inefficient
washing TO rinse clothes effectually Il laun-
dress must have no stint OF water-She can not
rinse too much.
When soda is used (as it generally is with
soap in boiling for under-linen it must be
rinsed out in at least three distinct waters with
out which the material is not perfectly freed
nom the chance OF injurious effects If worn
next the skin. In fact, one of the greatest evils
attendant on toWn-waShed clothes is that
where the supply of water is limited they sell
dom II ever get the necessary amount of rinSing,
hence the offensive smell that so often pervadeS
the newly sent home linen.
Articles that have been washed should never
De thrown on to or amongst dirty clothes, for
lack OF room or through lazineSS.
After r1nSing comes wringing and to the abuse
OF this art We owe the diShevelled state OF our
garments and dcstitution of buttons on their re-
turn from the tender mercieS of the wiSh-tub
Senll To wiring any article with an even pres
sure care must be taken TO gather il I'D in long
bunch. allowing 1t to make its own folds in and
out alike; thus, when turned. the strain On the
material Will be evenly dispersed: but careless
wringers will fold or roll the sides of the garment
all into the middle leaving the outside smooth
and tight over the mass, the result of which Is
that the strain in wringing comes upon the thin
outside, which gives way or cracks. Again 1t is
from the want OF care and taking trouble
that we miss and lose so many buttons in the
wash. In large laundrieS where wringing-
machines are used, careless laundreSSeS, who are
IN hurry TO finish the greatest amount of work
1p the shortest possible time, just run the linen
through the machine anyhow; II an unlucky
button goes through backward, it is either sent
flying with piece of material for WINGS leaving
hole in the place that shall know it no more or
1t Is doubled up fiat by the uncOmprOmiSing roll
ers, which reduce ii to a state of folly-for what
Is there more foolish than useless button? To
avoid this, very little care is necessary by those
who fold the clothes preparatory to their pass
age through the machine arranging the buttons
outside, watching and guiding them, so as to in
sure their going through with perfect tatnesS
Surprising our clothes are by this time hung
out to dry in some breezy field. we will leave
them there whilst weSay a few words about the
next performance in store for them, which is
Starching. For this 1t Is almost impossible to
lay down any hard and fast law, as there are so
many and varied methods. each good In its way
that it must be really matter OF choice Some
people prefer using their starch raw, mixed with
cold water, and after strainlng it through mus
lin, succeed in stiffening their linen very nicely;
Others find 1t necessary to boil it, or at any rate
to mix it with boiling water; to this is some
times added piece OF sugar, or the whole pud-
ding is stirred round with an ignominious tallow
candle, which is a specific for preventing the
starch sticking, or glueing the sleeves ETC., of
clothes together. The beautiful glaze so highly
priced In the appearance OF gentleman'S shirt
front, collar, or cuffs is produced by the admiX-
ture OF turpentine with the starch.
Cotton garments should have all starch thor
oughly rtnsed out OF them, and be ''rough-drted'
before putting away or storing for any length of
time. The addition OF larger quantity OF blue
than usual greatly aids In preserving both the
color and material of white things.
The pretty cOlored prints, shirts. and muslin
dresses which form so large part OF our sum-
mer wash" now claim our attention, and the
art OF preserving their tintS needs cleverness
and care. All coored things should be washed
in coOIiSh hard water, then rinsed in cold in
which salt has been dissolved, or little vinegar
added; after this comes one more rinse of alum
water, and any ordinary color will remain fast.
For the exquisite blues which so tempt fair pur-
cnaSerS, anu a1terWdfu so Try the skill or the
laundreSS, sugar OF lead is Indispensable: this
is, however such a terrible poison, and so In
furious TO the hands OF the washer, that we
would deprecate its use except in some very eX-
IRENE case. The wise thing to do in buying
,Colored cottOnS OF any kind, whether muslin or
calico. is TO bring home little piece to wash
first, before getting the quantity required; and
the most abiding and enduring colorS are gen.
orally found best in French prints.
We have not hitherto mentioned the treat
ment OF flannel and wooden goods $50 often
ruined by inexperienced hands, because, as in
washing they must be done separately, so in
description they deserve place TO themselves.
We well know the encouragement experienced
by seeing our fiannels thickened by constant
careleSSneSS into mass or felt or tough car
petty substance. There Is something extremely
piteCuS in the helpless misery OF that supreme
creature, man, when he finds himself reduced
to a state OF contraction through the ine1iciency
OF the launtreSS whose mercileSS shrinking
w1therS up the legs Of wooden underclotheS to
the dimensions OF an umbrella case, and makes
everything flannel gradually unwearable. So
that all this may be averJed, the following d.
rectionS may be useful:
First cut the soap in small pieces, boil it with
the water; when cool put your fiannes into it,
and knead them Never rub flannel Tor muSin)
merely knead or work 1t with the hand then
rinse in luhewarm or cold water and having
pressed mot wrung) all the water out OF 1t, hang
Ii up to dry.
ColOred WpOlIenS Darticularly the color c,1Iad