The weekly herald. [volume] (Cleveland, Tenn.) 1876-1888, 1880-01-08
The Art Of Washing Clothes.

Nntu iiBhtig uuhcibtOSu anu PAaSt4oNht
becomes a real art, thoughts essays may
never happen to exceed the scope and
skill Of the ordinary ~laundress. The
use Of what is known in laundry tech
nique' as a strong 'bleach'-which con.
sists in mixing potash, chloride Of lime.
etc, with tho water-is doubtless ef-
fectuAl for the moment, but very disas-
trous a%fterWard, 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 proba.
bly, 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 house
hold clothes, etc. Also, that soft water,
when o~btainable, is much better for
cleansing, for the reason that, instead of
decomposing the soap as hard water
does, causing it to lie on the surfaoe in
flakes, it unites with and melts it, thus
d~issolvinG the grease stains. Hard water
is, however, not without its advantages,
u being that colors run lees easily
when washed and rinsed in it.
After separating the Common cloths
from the clothes, and again dividing the
finer class of these from the more ordi.
nary. they must be all thoroughly soaped
in the most soiled places, thrown into
plenty OF fresh water, and left to soak
for at least twenty-four hours. Next
DAY they are taken out for a good rub,
which, it should be noticed, is no COM
mon rubbing; the things must not be
torn by violent scrubbing, and yet the
dirt ought to be thoroughly eliminated.
The rubbing should, of course, be &C.
ccrding 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 fan
nels.
The wise laundress knows that she
might as well attempt to wash a fabric
of iron wires as to rub her cloth across
the threads, or Ito use a favorite express.
sion of gentlemen who profess much
knowledge OF the materials of ladies'
attire 'on the bias'-it would never
come clean; she is therefore careful to
rub the straight way of her material, and
NTH the threads. This is the more i'm.
portant with linen, being harder to
cleanse than calico.
The next process is to boil all the
white things in large coppers full of
soapy water, to insure q good color.
When taken out they are thoroughly
rinsed in two waters, the second having
a little blue in it, still further to improve
the color. The use of blue is often
abused by careless w~asherwomen,
who with ar extra tinge of Fit
hope to conceal the results of inefficient
washing. To rinse clothes effectually a
~laundress 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 cut in at least three dis
tinct waters, without which the material
is not perfectly freed from the chance OF
injurious effects if worn next the skin.
In fact, n OF the greatest evils attend.
ant on town-washed clothes is that, where
the supply of water is limited, they sell
dom if ever get the necessary amount of
rinsing, hence the offensive smell that
SO often pervades tho newly sent home
linen.
To wiring any article with an even
pressure, care must be taken to gather
it up in 2 long bunch, allowing it 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,
Some people prefer using their starch
raw, mixed with cold water, and after
straining it through muslin, succeed in
stiffening their linen very nicely; others
find it necessary to boil it, or AT any rate
to mix it with boiling water; to this is
sometimes added a piece of sugar, or the
whole pudding is stirred round with an
ig%nominious tallow candle, which is a
specific for preventing the starch stick
ing, or glueing tho sleeves, etc, of clothes
together, The beautiful glaze so highly
priced in the appearance of a gentle.
mans shirt front, collar, or cuffs, is pro-
duced by the admixture OF turpentine
with the starch.
Cotton garments should have all starch
thoroughly rinsed out of them, and be
'rough-dried, before putting away or
storing for any length of time. The ad-
dition of a larger quantity of blue than
usual greatly aids in preserving both
the color and material of white things.
All colored things should be washed
in coolish hard water, then rinsed in cold
in which salt has been dissolved, or q
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 fir pur.
chasere, and afterward so try the skill
of the laundress, sugar of lead is indis-