The times., 1898-01-30
THE ART OF RESERVATION.
The Best Way to Freshen SILK an
WOOIeu. Fabrics.


pointed scissors or a small knife, ant
pull all of the cut threads out. Shake
each piece well, and dust silken fabric.
with piece of flannel or old silk hand
kerchief; wooden materials need
whisk broom and more strength for the
brushing
| First and last, remember that naph.
tina, benzine and alcohol are all ex
plosiyes when used near fire or light
After cleaning materials hang them IL
the open air for the disagreeable fumes
to eyaporate, but If colored, do not hang
in the sun, or they will dry in streaks
Clean with a piece of the same fabric, ii
possible, or at least with one of the
same color.
Remove the grease spots from black
woolen goods with naphtha or French
| chalk. Scrape the chalk on the spot
let 1t remain for twenty-four hours and
brush off; sometimes this treatment
has to be repeated. These remedies
may also be Nsed on colored woolens
Paint is removed with benzine, and il
the latter leaves stain like water use
French chalk on it. Water stains are
! frequently removed if the spot is rub
bed perfectly dry at once.
Ammonia often turns black goods
/ gray, yet We repeatedly see il recon-
| mended for cleaning spots, diluting il
| with warm water. When black goods
| simply look rusty sponge them on the
/ right side with a wad of the fabric
/ dipped in equal parts Of alcohol and
/ warm water and when nearly dry i:On
| on the wrong side until perfectly dry.
| If mud leaves a stain after 1t has dried
i and been brushed off, rub it with naph-
| tina.
| If silk warp wooden goods begin to-
shine, part of it may be removed with
| the sponging of alcohol and water, but
the shine soon returns and is only en-
! tirely removed with redying the fabric,
as the shine comes from the wool wear
! ing away, exposing the silk in the warp.
Black goods wash well, but must not
be rubbed on washboard; clapping
them between the hands or sousing
them up and down in the water is as
near rubbing as can be given. Do NOT
twist the material tightly when wiring
ing it dry, and hang at full length on
the line; always iron on the wrong side
unless the right side is specified, as in
ladies' cloth, though with a soft muslin
cloth between the iron and cloth Fold
a full width down the center, as III new
goods; the smaller pieces leave unfold
ed.
A good washing fluid for black wool
ems consists OF soapsuds with a tea
SHOOIlul Oh W EfCIS wv IAeAA -.
Souse the goods in this warm suds and
rinse in very blue water; then dry and
iron as directed above. Or soak the
material in soapsuds for two hours.
then put ii in pail of warm water in
which an ounce of extract of logWood
has been dissolved and let it soak all
night; then rinse four times, adding
pint of sweet milk TO the last rinsing.
Wash alpaca like any black wOolen
l..
the rinSing water, and sponge this like
all other material, in down strokes.
CoIored serges and cashmeres may be
cleaned in a fluid of one dessertspoon-
full of beef's gall to a pail of warm wa
ter; use less gall in the rinsing water,
and do the task quickly, drying the
goods in the shade and ironing when
nearly dry. Use warm, not hot, irons,
and try the washing liquid on a small
piece first. When soft water cannot
be had, soften that used with a little
borax.
Colored silks are the most difficult
to attempt improving. but grease spots
are removed with French chalk, or
rub over the stain a piece of wet mag
nesia: let it dry, and dust off. Ether
is also used on colored silk. Never rub
silk vigorously. japanese. China, In
dia and pongee silks are freshened by
washing in lukewarm soapsuds, rims
ing quickly and drying in the shade
In fact. this renovating must not lag;
the sooner the goods are on the line |
drying the better they will look 1t is |
no work for laZybones, but if well done |
the result is most satisfactory
Keep white silk wrapped up in blue |
tissue paper. and it is not likely TO |
yellow, but if it does use il cream col |
ored, as trying 10 bleach it is simply |
ruinous. Ammonia restores the color |
destroyed by fruit stains. but in turn /
often leaves a ring stain. which may /
be removed with napIha or chalk,
though the writer's personal expert
ence is not encouraging when med
ding with cOlored silks. 1t is one of
the things in lie that the more expe-
rience YOU have with it the less you
think you know Of it. AS wettins
goods often draws the edges, it is well |
to snip the selvedge here and there
before beginning operations.
Black silk is one of the easiest things
to clean, and amply repays the laborer
for all she does. To refinish black
satin dip each piece in bath of naph-
tia and hang out doors, remembering
that naphtha is very explosive Silk |
may be allowed to drip dry while
hanging on a line, but it is more like
a new piece if ironed on the wrong !
side when partly dry; use thin ma
.erial. black or white. between the iron |
and silk. crinoline being excellent fol
The purpose.
If your silk can be turned sponge
what will be the right side when made
Ip and iron on what will be the inner
part. The cleaning fluid may be stale
peer, cold coffee we'll strained or kid
glove water: the latter is black glace
Kid glove boiled in a pint of water
lown to half pint 1t may be drop
bed into naphtha, but in this case do
lot iron ii.
Do not fold pieces of silk. Use a
lean, smooth table to sponge the fab
les on. Another renovating fluid for
black silk is little rock ammonia and
piece of common soda, put into bot
lie and dissolved in one-half pint of
polling water. Sponge with this and
ron: this is also good for re storing rus
y-looking black woolen goods. A
French recipe says to clean black silk
" sponging on both sides with spirits
# wine and ironing on the wrong side.
Che sponging with coffee removes all
# a greasy appearance that especial
v affects groS grain silks.
Black ribbons are cleaned like black
iIks. and there are also several recipes |
or ribbons only. as washing colored
mes in suds made of fine soap and !
roning with a muslin cloth between
he iron and ribbon. Ribbons that are
soiled may be freshened with
tablespoonful each of soft soap. mo-
asses and brandy: mix well and then
pply with a soft brush to the ribbon;
inse in cold water, roll up in a cloth
ntil nearly dry and IRON Dip colored
ibbons into bowl of naphtha to clean ;
uickly: also silk throws or scarfs and ,
~~lSties are renewed in the same man ,