The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1884-10-10
Cleaning Silk and Satin.

To clean silk or satin dresses it is
well to take out the sleeves and separate
the skirt from the bodice or waistband.
Have two earthenware vessels which
will hold about two gallons each, and
put half a gallon of camphene into each.
Soak the bodice in the first pan, and
when wetted lay it on the cleaning
board wrong side up, With one of the
securing brushes clean the lining first,
then turn and clean the outside as fast
as possible. Plunge it again into the
first pan. Take it up and allow some
LIQUOR to run of. Plunge it in the sec
ond and drain for a few minutes over
the latter. Turn the plain side of the
cleaning board, spread clean sheet
out on it, take the bodice, which has
been well dipped, and lay it down
smoothly, allowing no crumpling; rub
well with clean Ind a cotton cloth until
dry. Treat the sleeves. then the skirt,
as far as possible, in the same way.
Hang up in hot room for twelve
hours to take off the smell of the cam
phene. Silk dresses are more effect
lively cleaned when the breadthS are
separated In such a case the cost of
camphene may be saved by substituting
soap, but several pans of cold water
must be ready at hand, as not more
than five minutes should be spent over
ca h breadth from first to last, or it
will have an Enthusiastically washed
instead of cleaned appearance. Never
brush silks or satins across the width,
as doing so causes them to fray out
and spoils them for remaking. Dissolve
two pounds of soap in two gallons OF
boiling water; use when cold. Have
four pans of cold water, with four pals
of water in each. Into one of these put
a small quantity of the dissolved soap,
making q weak h2uor. Into another
dissolve a quarter of pound of tar
taric acid for spiriting. The other two
pans are for rinsing. Spread q width
wrong side upward upon a securing
board, being careful that the latter is
quite clean. Pour over it sufficient of
the dissolved soap to wet it thoroughly,
and well brush it, lengthwise, with a
soft brush; then turn and treat the
right side in the same way. Pass the
silk throug III the thin soap liquor; then
in one, and then in the other of two
rnsing pans. Handle it we'll in the
spiriting pan and take it up to drain.
Have the board and clean sheet as in
the camphene method, and dry with
clean cloths. After all the breadths are
done, not more than five minutes be-
ing spent over each, they must be fin
ished IN frame, or on the stuffed board,
one by one. Most silks require little
stiffening, which is the last process.
For black silks and sating size made
of old black kid gloves is excellent, and
as these are the most useless of a
lady's possessions when no longer
fit to wear, it is comforting to be
able to turn them to account The
gloves are to be cut up into small
pieces, put into a vessel of cold water,
stone jar or porcelain-lined sauce
pan, and very slowly simmered for an
hour or two, or until the quantity Of
water is reduced to one-half; strain
through fine muslin and use warm, but
not hot. Another size, that usually APP
piled by dyers, is made of parchment
shaVings or cuttings, washed, cleaned
and s1mmered slowly like the gloves,
OAC pOuA1tI VI JftL NIiAiO1O w IONl HNsNL Ot'
of water boiled to two quarts and
strained. One teacupful of this to a
quart of water is enough for silk fin'sh-
ing. Take the board with the stuffed
covering, lay on it one of the cleaned
breadths fat, no wrinkles. Sponge it
carefully and evenly with the size and
water. Pin down the two ends of the
silk on the board, then the two sides.
Two people are required for this
pro eess, as the silk must be well
stretched. Pins about an inch apart.
Rub once more with the damp sponge
and dry before q brisk fire. Textiles
which are a mixture of silk and wool
may be strained on the board, but no
size is needed. Cotton materials to be
ironed on the wrong side, q box-iron,
being the cleanest, is recommended.
Satin sometimes requires to be ironed
on the wrong side alter being taken off
the frame, to give it brightness.-BOs-