The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1883-03-23
"WASHING DAY."
Some Uscful Hints TO Housekeepers
About washing and Ironing.


First have the clothes well sorted
Let the table-cloths and napkins be
washed by themselves, and each piece
looked over carefully in order to see if
there are any fruit or coffee stains on
the pieces; if so, pour boiling water
over the fruit-stains, several times if
necessary, until they are removed, and
soak coffee stains for a little in cold
water, which will generally take them
out
Let the sheets, pillow-cases and cot
ton underwear be washed and boiled
together; then the towels and white
cotton stockings; white shirts, gar
ments to be starched and handkerchiefs
could be put together, then tea towels,
and last of all the flannels. That
clothes may be washed clean, use a
good soap and an abundance of warm
water. Clothes will not be white if
washed in little water in the bottom
of tub, and cheap soap is not econ
omy, and often leaves a disagreeable
odor, even after a careful rinsing.
Have the water merely warm in
your boiler when the clothes are put
in, and rub little soap on each piece
before boiling. Do not boil over fifteen
minutes, as longer time is apt to give
the linen yellow hue. After the
clothes are removed from the first
boiler, dip out half the water, and pour
in enough cold to fill your boiler half
full, and go through this process each
time. Many servants, unless directed
otherwise, are apt to put the second
quantity into the boiling water from
which they have taken the first, and
then pour in whatever extra amount is
needed. But putting the clothes into
boiling water will leave them yellow,
while the other process is a cleansing
one.
After removing from the boiler, rinse
them thoroughly in a large tub of
water, then blue them in another. We
have found it well during the winter
to have sheets, pillow-cases and cotton
underwear washed first, then take
linen, as they dry quickly, and are
ready to bring into the house, when
the starched clothes, which need to
hang much longer on the lines, are
ready to put out. The starched clothes
should be out during the brightest part
of the day, and the flannels should be
washed so as to have the benefit of the
sun also. To keep them soft and nice
do not put them all into tub at one
time, but take up each piece separately,
wash in as hot suds as you can COM
fortably bear your hands, then rinse
Immediately in another tub of hot
water, sqaeeze very dry, snap out, and
after pinning on the line, pull them
into shape. Flannels should never be
ironed.
The plan of soaking clothes over
night is not considered the best by ex.
perienced laundresses, and rather hind
ers than eXpedites the washing
AS there is no odor about a house
more disagreeable than that produced
from boiling clothes, or the steam from
the drying of them in the house, when
the day is too stormy to hang them out
of doors, let every housekeeper be par
ticular in this matter, not only to keep
the doors between the kitchen or laun-
dry and the house closed, but to insist
that the windows in the kitchen shall
be lowered a few inches from the top,
even in the coolest weather, that much
of the disagreeable air may escape.
Early rising, systematic planning,
good soap, an abundance of water, pure
air and a cheerful temper are necessary
to make happy washing day, and the
washing and ironing well done and
greatly to the comfort of a household.
-Chicago Standard.