St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1898-07-30
THE FAMILY WASH.
0one Soggestions Which May BE 81
Value to the Young
H0usekeeper.

Before soiled clothing is put in the
general clothes-basket rents should
be mended and buttons fastened. Then,
when the regular washday approaches,
an hour devoted to sorting the clothes
into piles, separating the fannels, col
ored goods, stockings, table lisen, bed
linen. ETC., either the hight before the
regular washing day or even the day it-
self, will greatly lessen the work and
save time. 1t is better, however, to
start in the night before and put the
clothes to soak in cold water contain
ing little borax, if the pieces be much
soiled. Table linen, handkerchiefs and
kitchen clothes should be kept by
themselves until they are quite clean
and Rave been boiled.
Colored goods are best washed in
warm water, not hot; they should be
washed and rinsed IN water of about
the same temperature and dried in the
shade. No soap should be rubbed into
them; the dirt can be gotten out by
dousing them up and down in lather
of melted soap and water.
Half cupful of vinegar to the gall
Ion Of water will set the colors in pink,
red and light green materials, while
the same amount of salt will have like
effect on blue, black and dark green.
Fldnnels are subjected to much the
same treatment as colored goods, but
they should be well shaken before being
submerged in water, to free them from
all dust or other foreign matter; they
also should be dried in the shade. Stock
ings should be washed first on the right
side, then turned inside out and washed
on the wrong side.
For washing all linen and calico the
water must be much hotter than for
flannels or prints.
Begin with the table linen, because,
being the cleanest, the water and soap
used for it will probably do for the next
lot of things, and it should always be
washed and boiled before anything else.
The sleeping has softened the dirt and
stains, and after little rubbing the
cold water should be wrung out and
they should be placed into a tub of hot
water to wash. Soap should be rubbed
on each separate piece, paying partic-
ular attention to the stains. When thor
oughly clean they should be put into the
boiler containing q little soap and
boiled for half an hour; they are then
ready for the next process, that of blu
ing. The blue should be tied in a piece
of muslin and wished through the cold
water long enough to make it the prop
er color-a very light blue. The linen
may be lifted out of the boiler with the
aid of stick and put into cold water,
rinsed and wrung tightly out and then
placed into the blue water. first stirring
the water up SO that it does not streak
the linen. Again wiring tightly and
evenly to prevent streakiness and hang
It out to dry.
In hanging the things on the line tc
dry they should always be hung wrong
side out.
Other sets of the linen may be pro.
.eeded with in similar way, leaving
he most soiled until the last.
After washing, the next process is
hat of starching. Starch is used tc
Ni0thNS anu I've III a uiCC dp :
and to make them retain their |
freshness longer. The quality of starch |
IAN be ascertained by dissolving a lit. !
lie in cold water; if i EXAMPLES it is
quality white; good starch will !
Try in compact form.
Articles. such as skirts, etc, requiring
much stiffness should first be thorough.
y dried, or they will not absorb sufii.
.ient starch; while for those calling fol
ess body, cooked starch is used A few
|rops of turpentine used in raw starch
will prevent the iron from adhering tc
he fabric, while a little soap can be
lsed with the same advantage for
cooked starch.
Table linen does not require starch.
ng if ironed perfectly dry while still
lamp; but it will keep clean longer and
ook better if little hot starch be used.
Before ironing. all pieces should be
thoroughly dampened or sprinkled with
old water, then tightly rolled and laid
side for some time before ironing.
he irons should be hot and perfectly
lean. A piece of beeswax and little
alt will help keep them in proper con-
ition during the day. = American
lueen.