The Saint Paul globe., 1896-11-30
Careless Washin g.

The Home Magazine.
Great as has been the saving Of la
Dor to womankind since the introduce
ton and almost universal use of the
washing machine, it has been fruit
full source of neglect, and has caused
much carelessness in this one OF the
household arts.
To many, washing is simple
drudgery. 1t is, in reality, hard Ia
Dor at the very best. But an amb1-
tious home-maker who takes pride IN
all the dainty furnishings of her home,
wishes them to look their daintiest
upon all occasions, and to her there is
actual pleasure, as we'll as labor, in
even the work of the laundry. If she
IS able personally to Superintend,
though she does not actually do, her
laundry work, the clothes will come
from the line in very satisfactory
and creditable condition. But the aV-
erage "help," given a washing ma
chine, wringer and tubs, soiled cloth
ing and houSe-furnishings and full po-
session of the kitchen and laundry, will
soon make of the entire array Of fab
RIGS a sorry and deplorable looking lot.
To "get through" Is the aim and OBJ
ject in view of the least interested par
ties of the household. AS to how the
clothes will look is of minor impor-
tance The machine being supposed
to attend to details and do its work
correctly, regardless of special atten-
ton, the propeller of the washing ma
chine becomes careless, and more care
less as time goes on, until eventually
it has become conspicuously patent
that poor washing has become the rule
rather than the exception.
Directions with most washing ma
chimes inform one that the proper way
to proceed to make perfect and rapid
work of washday duties Is to fill the
machine with boiling suds, into which
you are to plunge the Soiled pieces,
wash through and rinse and hang out.
All this does very well for few
times. for the clothes, beautifully white
probably to begin with, will bear SUCH
treatment a very few times without
complaining in a decidedly noticeable
manner that that way of washing is
not what it is recommended to be.
In the meantime, one is congratulating
herself that never before were wash
ings so speedily disposed Of. But there
comes eventually the day of awaken
ing to the fact that the clothes have
grown griny, dingy and almost hope
less beyond all bleaching and sunshine
persuasion. For they will not be easily
coaxed back into their former state Of
whiteness, of which their owner was
once so proud.
Boiling suds upon soiled and dirty
clothes will. just as surely as used,
soon leave the imprint of such careless
ness, in a dingy looking and very un-
satisfactory appearing basket Of
clothes. Labor and care is q price that
must be paid for success in every
thing. None the less does it apply to
laundry than other lines of work.
Instead of boiling suds in the ma
chine, it should be only hot. And the
clothes should be sealded (not cooked),
and when placed in the boiler of suds
for scalding, the water should be but
warm. and not boiling or scalding hot.
AS the clothes come from the boiler
they should be sudsed through at once,
cold water having been poured over
them for that purpose, and before more
clothes are added to the boiler, the
boiler-water should be well cooled
! down with the suds in the tub.
Boiling, or very hot water, upon
soiled clothes has a tendency to "set'
the dirt, and they are soon a hopeless
| locking undertaking to the fastidious
| housewife, and she beWailS the day
that she placed machine in her kit
! chen. But in reality it is not the fault
| of the machine, but the fault entire of
the one who has run the machine. A
| washing machine is a perfect boon to
a woman, and, properly managed, does
most excellent work. Several pieces
can be washed through where but one
would have been handled in the old
! washboard way, and to operate the
| machine is not the back-breaking ex-
| hauSting labor of washboard rubbing
| OF clothes. I wish that every woman
! had all such necessary conVeniences
| for tightening her household labors,
! but | have seen such carelessness ex-
hihited by many operators of washing
machines and wringers that [ would
! warn against them for the benefit of
| the uninitiated.
| Handsome table linens, tray cloths,
| table cloths and napkins have been ir-
redeemably ruined by having been by
careless hands plunged into hot suds.
| Fruit stains will become set beyond
| q possibility of removal by just such
treatment, whereas had they been freed
| of fruit and coffee stains by simply
pouring boiling water over or through
them the articles in question would
have been none the less spotless and
white for the accident that befell them
at the table. But it is no unusual
thing to see such things spotted and
Drowned from careless handling at the
| hands of either the careless or unin-
| formed.
Only by care can pretty white table
nappery, bed furnishings, underwear
ETC., be kept white to that degree OF
pure white that alone pleases care
full and proud housewife. And the
| manner of hot suds machine washing
mentioned can prove nothing but ruin.
GUS to fabric and pride combined.