Evening star., 1900-09-29
TO CLEAN NSPOTSAND STAINS
GOOD SEASON FOR REMOVING SUM
MER INJURIES TO CLOTHES.
Nothing Should he Put Away Untn
Cotton and Wool.
Written for The Evening Star.

To war successfully with spots and stains
one needs a simple armament and a little
knowledge.
This is some part of the knowledge: Fruit
| stains of every sort will do no harm to
| things washable IL they are wet through
| and through with alcohol before going in
/ the wash. Very big stains. as those OF wine
| upon table linen. will come out IL they
are first wet with cold water and then have
stream Of boiling water poured through
4 them for two or three minutes Stains
Upon SILK or stuff. or a fancy frock beyond
laundry possibilities. may be got rid Of
| thus: Fold a cheese cloth square thickly
| and lay IT smooth upon the board Over
| that stretch the stained stuff smoothly
| right side down. II there IA a lining rip
1 II so as to get at the under side. But first
| brush not only the stain. but the whole
garment thoroughly, so as to remove all
| the invisible dust and prevent the cleansing
from leaving an ugly circle worse than
| the spot itself. Pour little alcohol
| through the spot and dab the place hard
| with soft, clean rag. Shift the spot over
| a fresh place on the cheese cloth. and pour
/ on more alcohol using just enough to
! drench the spot itself without spreading
| DO this two or three times, then look
/ the right side.
An acid stain has most likely taken out
| the color Most times 1t may be brought
| back by sponging the right side very deli
cately with ammonia spirit. But Ii Is well
TO try the ammonia first on a scrap of the
stun, as 1t may change the unspotted sur
| face and thus do more harm than good.
Greens in wash stuff may be renewed with
weak alum water. but here. with the
ammonia, try it first upon a scrap.
Cleaning Wool.
Greasy and resinous spots. as those Of
| machine oil. wagon grease, tar, pine and
! cedar resins, ought to be also cleaned right
side down on the folded cloth. Wet them
| first with the alcohol, next very plentifully
/ with turpentine and last of all with benzine.
Between each wetting shift the spots over
clean place. Pour everything in a very
| small but steady stream, so Ii shall go
right throught the spot. but not much out
| side It, After wetting rub hard minute
with soft rag. When the cloth under
! meath shows white. turn the spot over and
wipe the right side quickly with a clean
rag wet in alcohol. Dry quickly. in the sun
IL possible; let the garment air for six
hours. then cover the spots upon the wrong
side with damp. not a wet CLOTH and
press with very hot iron If the spots
want stifening dip tooth brush lightly In
the gum arabic hold it six inches above
the wrong side of the cloth and pass the
hnger across 1t, so as to Spatter the gum in
fine spray where it will do most good. then
let the garment lie few minutes before
ironing.
Spots on silk.
Grease spots, pure and simple. upon deli
cately colored silks are best treated with
either French chalk or corn starch. Pow
der the chalk fine and fill two little cheese
cloth bags loosely with it. Lay one bag
upon the board, stretch the grease spot,
right side down, over it, and cover the
spot with the second bag, patting IL out
fiat. The chalk ought to be only quarter
of an inch thick. Set heavy hot iron
upon top of the upper bag, and leave 1t
there for several minutes-of course. TAX
does ScDrch
covered silk. Remove the iron and the
chalk bags, then if the spot has not wholly
disappeared, shake UP the bags, to
bring fresh chalk to the surface, and re-
peat the whole process until the last speck
of grease has vanished.
For SCOT smears and the marks of dust.
tie UP handful of absorbent cotton in
cheese cloth square. and dip the swab so
formed in powdered corn starch or French
chalk. then rub it over the whole surface
of the. garment. making long, steady
strokes. always in one direction. Never
mind the white streaks left-a GOOD shak-
ing will end them If the swab gets dirty.
throw away the cloth and put on another
Mixing a little orris root in powder through
the chalk gives delicate freshness To the
garment. In folds or gathers where the
swab cannot go, sprinkle the powder thick
ly. and brush off half an hour later. Ice
cream stains, which are troublesome in
deed, can he taken out by pouring alcohol
through from the wrong side, but commonly
leave a mark. Many times this mark will
vanish If Ii is covered with the powdered
chalk and left to lie a day two In
taking spots out of cloth, always rub with
the nap never across or against 1t.
Ugly Stains.
Keep grass stains wet with alcohol for
half an hour by pouring on very little at
time before attempting to wash them
out. They are harder to get rid of than
ink stains and once through the wash, or
half cleaned, indellible. After soaking
with the alcohol, wash them very quickly.
using soft tepid water. white soap and a
small stif-bristled brush. First wet the
brush and rub ii back and forth with a
sort of scooping motion, then rinse the
bristles well, and rub on a little soap.
Brush hard for minute, then turn the
stain wrong side up and brush, usihg clear
water plentifully, but keeping the stain
pressed down in the folded cloth, so the
water will not spread
When wine ink is spilled, never try
to sop 1t up with a dry cloth; use one
wrung out hard instead A dry cloth will
smear and spread 1t, the wet one soak it
up. Boiling water poured through takes
fresh ink stains out of CLOTH From paper
they are best dissolved with alcohol. laying
the stained leaf over many thicknesses of
blotting paper Alcohol further takes Ink
stains off the fingers also berry stains and
those made by peeling fruit in quantity.
Vinegar has much the same property. So
has the peel of a sour apple or the half OF
a green tomato.
Light party frocks, as tarletane. organdie
silk null may have their youth renewed
by careful brushing, particularly in the
frils and Fuckers spraying with dissolved
gum and pressing with moderately hot
irons. For dark, thin frocks or black lace
use. in place of the gum, stale beer. Dusty.
rusty black lace may be dipped in It. layed,
but not squeezed. shaken out, and clapped
and pulled until almost dry. Press with
warm, not hot irons, and hang to air for
twelve hours. The beer restores the color
and gives just the right stiffness for lace.
Silk may be sponged with it, but should be
sponged afterward with clear water. and
smoothed by rolling up when almost dry in
place of ironing Either undiluted beer or
pressing with irons makes IT hard and
papery.
Outing Gowns.
From Harper's Bazaar.