Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1889-01-26
DOING UP LAcE-cURTAINs.
Valuable Suggestions on a Most Importan
Household Topic.

] Valuable Suggestions on Most Importan
Household Topic.
Once thoroughly understood this
work is as easily accomplished as any
simple washing. After taking the cur
tains down shake out the dust careful
ly, so as to avoid tearing the material;
then spread them out on two lines near
together, and brush them gently with
a soft feather duster; this will remove
all the dust that can be got off. Now
have ready a tub half full of tepid
water, to which two tablespoonful OF
LIQUID ammonia has been added (this
comes put up in bottles ready for use,
and is called, think, household am
monia). Place the curtains in this
water and allow them to remain some
fifteen or twenty minutes, turning them
over carefully every minute or two
and squeezing with the hands. This
process will loosen all the dirt, after
which squeeze out as dry as possible,
but be very, very careful lest the
meshes of the lace be broken. Have
ready another tub containing water
prepared as before, and place the cur
tains Immediately in it, one at time,
allowing them to soak until all are
washed. 1t will need three waters If
the curtains are much soiled, but the
water will decide this; should it be very
much discolored, use different waters
until the last from which they were
taken looks clear. Ammonia in the
| first two waters will be sufficient I'M
less the curtains are very gray and
smoky. Next, place them in a coarse
pillow-case and scald in clean soap
suds (not very strong), for few min
utes. Use pure white soap, and let
the water be only blood warm when
they are first put in; allow them to
come to boiling heat, and then rinse
thoroughly in two clear waters, the
last of which should be blued, and
then starch in thin boiled starch which
must be made very blue, as lace when
hung up against the light does not ap-
pear blue.
The blOOd-warm water and starch
should be strained, that no paEticle of
bluing may settle on the curtains.
After scalding, take the curtains from
the boiler and rinse thoroughly, but
with a gentle hand, until all suds are
out. Then wiring or squeeze out and
put through the bluing water; wiring
out from that and prepare to stretch
and pin out smoothly, to the original
length and width. This must be done
while the curtains are wet, as the lace
can not be stretched when dry. The
whole process of washing, rinsing,
scalding and drying should be done as
| quickly and thoroughly as possible, as
no other cotton material shrinks so
easily.
Although many pin clean sheet on
| to carpet and pin the curtain on to
the sheet while drying, consider it
much better and easier way to keep on
hand four strips OF thin boards about
three inches wide, made similar to
| quilting frames, with holes at suitable
distances to increase or diminish the
length and breadth to suit the size Of
the curtains. Have strong wooden
pins put through the holes to fasten tho
frames strongly together; tack wide
tape or selvage edges of cloth the
whole length of the frame, then place
them on chairs, SO that they will stand
firm and steady, out of doors on still,
bright, sunny day, and pin or haste the
curtains to the tape, pulling out and
fastening every point in the lace.
Before wetting the curtains measure
the length and breadth and mark it on
the frame on which they are to be
dried. After washing, fasten at both
ends first and then stretch to match
the measure. Curtains thus stretched
dry very quickly in the sun, and if we'll
rinsed and free from soap several can
be dried at the same time. Instead OF
lacking on the strips of cloth or tape,
If small-sized galvanized hooks were
used the work could be greatly facili-
tated, and the curtains be caught on to
these hooks while drying. Curtains
washed in the manner described look
much better than when done at the
laundry, and last great deal longer
which is quite an object to be consid-
cred. -PortEa,d Transcript.