Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-01-28
ABOUT UNDERWEAR.
HOW TO WASH KNIT WOODS AND
SILKS WITHOUT SHRlNkAcE.
Ingenious Means for Rapid and shapefy
Drying-How to Maintain the Color
Of Cotton Hosiery.

(Written for the Dlspatch.)
It is a bad practice. but as common rs
It Is bad, to wash underwear In the same
suds that has served for white things.
Aside from the dirt held in solution. the
water is charged with linty particles
that are sure to cling and abide In the
elastic mesh of knit goods. Any woman
that doubts II had best look at colored
stocking washed in such fashion.
KNIT SILK UNDERWEAR.
To wash colored knit silk garments, dis
solve a handful Of powdered borax In a
pail OF warmish water. and soak the
things In It for fifteen minutes.
Then wash rapidly through good,
white soap-suds, rubbing as lightly as pos
sible. 1t should be about blood warm'
that is ninety-eig degrees. Hotter water
tends to make silk harsh and crinkiy.
Squeeze out OF the suds. but do not wiring.
Rinse in two waters Of the same tempera-
ture. and hang to dry without any wiring
ing.
DRYING DEVICES.
The quicker the drying the better TO
facilitate IT,. keep on hand dozen bits
Of steel an inch and a quarter square
and eighteen inches long. Exactly MD
way screw In a good-sized NOOK III use
hang a shirt or pair OF drawers over a
strip. and button the neck or waistband.
Then catch the hook over your line. run
the garment in shape and leave 1t to dry.
The hooks need not be more than SIX
inches apart on the line. thus enaonhg
YOU to dry half dozen garments III less
rp1pirQf for one.
Also. by the use OF these strips ana
hooks IL is possible to dry each garment
In shane. and 10 avoid the wrinkles that
IL is next to impossible TO iron out OF
wool or silk without injury to the fabric.
White silk underwear needs Just the
same treatment with the addition OF
blueing and a little liquid gum arabic to
the last rinsing water.
CLEANSING SILK STOCKINGS.
Wash plain silk stockings In the same
way.
Iace-woyen ones I'm white and delicate
tints are best cleaned with benzine or
naptha. To do this turn them wrong
side out; shake them free OF all removal
BILE particles lay them fiat In an earthen
dish and food them with naptha. Agit'te
rapidly for minute or two; then turn
and wash the other side in clean naptha.
That Just used, after settling few Sc
conds may be passed away from the
sediment of dirt and used to clean textures
less delicate. Hang the cleaned stockings
to air until there Is no smell of naptha
about them.
IRONING KNIT SILK.
To iron knitted silk do not sprinkle 1t.
Roll up the garments in thick towel
wrung out of clear water and let them
lie for an hour Then lay them very
smooth and press hard on both sides
with a heavy iron just below scorching
heat. Iron always lengthwise a knit gar
ment and be sure there are no wrinkles
on the under side.
Wash heavy stockings and underwear.
whether all wool or mixed cotton and
wool. exactly as you do fannels-that Is
In streng suds made Of borax soap, with
little rubbing and no machine wringing.
Fine woollen shirts have often such
tendency to shrink that 1t may be worth
while to substitute for the hooked drying
strips a light. plain, oblong frame or
steels, likewise with n pair OF hooks for
the llne, over which they can be stretched.
These drying frames prevent the shrink
age which results from the tendency or
wool fibre to contract when wet and grow
so matted that its native elasticity Is lost.
KEEPING THE COLOR OF COTTON
HOSIERY.
Many precautions are used to keep cot
ton stockings from fading, but few OF
them have any value. For black ones.
the best thing IL TO buy only such "a are
known not to streak or stain. The first
cost Is greater, but In the end you save,
not only your pockets. but your pride.
which certainly suffers II you go about
with foxy feet.
In a general way It may be said that
salt and CELEBRITY are the best helps to
save oolors
Very few fancy colors in cotton will
bear more than one or two washingS
without growing dingy. Ammonia in the
wash-water will help TO brighten some
reds There is however, so much varia-
ton In the dye-stuffs and the dyeing that
no certain rule IL possible. Sugar Of lead,
water. and black pepper tea are held by
some good laundresses sovereign for any
colored cottons.
Whatever Is used or let alone. shake
your stockings free OF dirt and dust, wash
hem In plenty Of fresh clean suds. rinse
we'll. and dry quickly, while wrong side
put. Iron while slightly damp, folding
the stocking carefully along the back
seam. and pressing the iron forward
THE KEROSENE TREATMENT.
Wet very dirty socks, as those of n |
or small boy, with kerosene |
,il Let them lie half an hour. then scald |
with boiling water to which ammonia or |
washing soda has been added till 1t feels |
slick to the touch. Stir the socks rapidly |
round and round in 1t with a wooden |
paddle: fish them out In a minute or |
wo. and wash as you do the rest. You |
will be simply amazed to see how much |
lirt they have lost. Remember not to |
ct them stand too long. or the fabric |
nay be injured.
MARTHA MCULLOCH WILLIAMS.