The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1881-08-25
HOUSEHOLD HELPS.
A Day in the Laundry.

A Day in the
A lady at Syracuse, N. Y, sends the
following interesting letter to the De-
troit Free Press Household on Wash
ing Made Easy :" Blue Monday, that
used to harass the mother, torment the
husband and drive the children out
doors, is now made comparatively easy.
Soak the clothes over night in warm
water with plenty of good washing soap.
The next morning wash them from the
water with a little hot poured inn into
another of very hot water. If two a
work at this it will be a much shorter
method. Rub these out and put into a
third tub pour hot water on these to
scald them. Then wiring them into a
tub of clear blued water-an indigo bag
is better than all the patent bluing-and
the clothes will be clean and white. Of
course 1t will not be necessary to have
four tubs two will be enough, and if
you have q good wringer it will not take
long to do out quite a large washing.
There is q great difference in wringers,
and each time they are used they should
be dried carefully and a drop of oil put
on the cogs Or wheels. Then if the
clothes are taken down at night and
sprinkled well, they will iron easily. The
best sprinkler is a wisp broom, kept for
this purpose only. This sprinkles eff
fectually and evenly; without a pool of
water in one place and none in others.
TO MAKE GOO ARC
Dissolve two tablespoonful of starch
In a little cold water when it is a smooth
paste, pour IN boiling water slowly, and
stir briskly to keep from Jumping. The
exact quantity of water will depend on
the quality Of starch, a pint to each
ounce is a fair average; add a good tea
spoonful of salt, a drop of bluing, and
half a teaspoonful of lard. Mem. For
colored goods put a little alum in the
starch.) Boil for twenty minutes by the
clock. A clean bright pan and spoon
should be kept purposely for making
starch. Strain if not perfectly smooth
when done, and if it has to stand before
using, cover the pan to prevent a scum
forming, and keep it not. 1t should be
used as hot as the hand can possibly bear.
in order that it may better penetrate the
linen; for the same reason the starch
must not be made too thick. It must
be rubbed in until the linen is completely
saturated, and zone Is left unabsorbed
On the surface. In mild weather starch
the clothes from the rinsing water; in
cold or windy weather dry them first, as
both wind and frost snap out the stiff
ness. After the linen is perfectly dry,
and q couple of hours before it is to be
ironed, mix q tablespoonful of starch in
a little cold water. Add a little salt and
a piece of borax, the size of a hazel nut,
dissolved in boiling water. Mix the
starch thus prepared with enough water
~ din tho hacnrnc anffo -on1 aO11oro
Fold these parts inside and roll the
shirts up tight in a clean dry cloth.
Iron the back, sleeves, cuffs and bands,
smooth out the bosom. Rub it hard
Iron rapidly with a clean hot iron, then
raise the plaits and iron again. It will
be wise for those who are not experienced
to do this first ironing with a piece of
thin muslin laid over the surface. In
either case, after the whole bosom is
done, rub the surface with the damp
cloth and iron again, without covering,
repeating this operation until the work
is satisfactory. Do not move the bosom
until the ironing is completely finished
and the linen perfectly stiff and dry.
POLISHING FLUID AND IRONS.
Dissolve two ounces of powdered gum
arabic in a pint of boiling water; when
cool stir in half an ounce of carbonate of
magnesia, and after it has settled bottle
the clear fluid for use.
When the shirts are all ironed, put
the first one on the shirt board. and
with a fine cloth moistened with the
fluid go over the surface of the part to
be polished, applying the hot polishing
iron as o as possible afterwards. If
any parts become too dry before ironing,
moisten them again and repeat the
operation. The polishing iron must be
used quickly and lightly. Anickle-plated
n is best, and care should be taken
never to let it become too hot.
TO WASH NICE LACE EDeINGs.
Cover the outside of a large glass bot
tie smoothly with soft white cotton,
linen or flannel. Wrap the lace around
it, basting each edge carefully with very
fine thread. Fasten a piece of thin
muslin or net over the outside of the
lace. Soak the bottle in tepid water for
an hour or two, then wash in soap suds
until clean, after which lay it in clean
water for twelve hours, changing it once
or twice during that time. To finish,
take it from the water and dry by wrap
ping in a towel, then dip the bottle into
rice water and roll it in a fresh towel.
While still damp take the lace carefully
from the bottle, and placing it between
clean white cloths, iron until completely
dry.
WASHING NICE
Nice laces may be carefully washed,
and with much more satisfaction. than
if sent to a lace %renovater or washer, by
making a strong soap suds and filing a
shallow platter full of the soapy water.
Then double the lace twice and lay it in
the water so that every part is completely
covered. Put this out in the sun for a
couple of days, changing the water sew
eral times during the day. Lift it out
carefully each time and do not wiring or
rinse it. When completely clean starch
it on a piece of white cloth in the house,
carefully pulling it before it gets quite
dry. Smoothing it carefully with the
thin blade of a fruit knife will improve
its looks, but never iron or starch it.
If its a kind of lace that should be a
little stiff, put. the least bit of gum
arabic in the last water, or a little sugar.
Even if you only put it in the soapsuds
and dry it, it will look very nicely. Gas
oline washes silk lace very nicely, as it
also does ribbons, handkerchiefs and silk
stockings.