Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-08-25
H o U Sc HO Id HIN rs
The growing custom in cities and viii
lagos Of sending the wash out of the house
is RAPIDLY removing the grounds for that

There islno comfort in the house
Upon a washtng day."
and leaving sthe monopoly Of "Blue Mon
day. to the preacher alone.
In many places however-especially in
the country[-where the gentleman of the
queue has not yet set his sandaled foot,
and the Madonna of the tubs is con-
spicuously absent, the burden continues
to fall upon the shoulders Of the house
wife, AS there Is no cOntroverting the
fact that washing is the hardest part of
woman's work, everything that tends to
make 1t easier should be given a thorough
trial. If one is not SO fortunate as to have
a laundry supplied with all the modern
conveniences, do not try to wash in the
hot kitchen, If you can find a shady corner
on the back porch or under some shelter
ing tree. If you can have the of a
sheet iron camp stove an old cook
stove-for heating the water, boiling the
clothes and making the starch-so much
the better. Sort the Globes, putting the
hannes together, the calicoes, the bed linen
and table linen, and keeping the body linen
by itself. In the summer begin with the
fine peces-the baby dresses, delicate
handkerchiefs ties and mems shirts. Do
not pour boiling water over them, which
cooks the dirt in, but use luke warm water
and rub until thoroughly clean. Have the
boiler half filled with cold water, in which
should be put fine shavings of good laun-
dry soap. These may be loose or tied up
in small CLOTH Put in the fine clothes
and just bring to a scald, pressing down
into the water with a stick.
If there Is any suspicion of germs as in
cases of illness any skin disease, the
clothes may be boiled for a few moments
to thoroughly sterilize. otherwise never
boil, as it yellows the clothes. In cases
when the water is very hard and scum
rises to the top in boiling it saves trouble
to have several cheesecloth bags with rum
ming strings into which clothing may be
loosely packed during the scalding process
While the first tubful of clothes is scalding
rub out the second and continue with the
third. When the first boilerful is scalded
take out and put in a tub of cold water
Rinse from this into a second tub of clear
water. tossing the clothes up and down
we'll to get the soap out, so that no parti-
Gle may be left to combine with the blue
and form ironruSt.
Many people sincerely believe that 1t is
impossible to wash ail-wool unGergarments
without their shrinking. This is popular
error. With an abundance of soft water,
keeping every water through which the
fiannelS pass of the same temperature,
with pure white soap and careful drying,
there need be no shrnkage. To soften the
hard water obtained from the rivers and
springs from which most cities get their
water supply use tablespoonful of household
ammonia to a gallon of water. If the water
Is exceptionally hard more ammonia will be
required Hard, muddy water like the Mis-
sissppi the ditch water used in Ari-
IONA, can be softened and cleansed for
laundry purposes by the addition of two
ounces of powdered % per cent caustc soda
to every eight gallons of water The lime
precipitated by the soda will carry down
the mud with it, after which the clear
water may be poured off Having ready
the softened water. heat as hot as the hand
can bear comfortably and pour into two
tubs. Make one with strong soapsuds,
using borax soap-never a resinous brown
soap.
Shake all dust and lint out of the fannels
and examine for any parts especially soil
ed. Put the flannelS in the suds and wash
by sopping UP and down instead Of rubbing.
If there are any parts especially soiled lay
on board and scrub with small sof.
scrubbng brush, then the entire gar
ment. Squeeze from the suds into the
ond tub whose water must be- of the same
temperature If you like a little blue this
may be added to a third tub, still keeping
the water Of the same temperature. Put
through the wringer and dry in the open
air. excepting in freezing weather, when
they must be dried indoors. Take them from
the line while. still a little damp. pull out
and iron on the wrong side with a moder-
ately warm iron. Some people never iron
their fiannels, but others think they feel
better to the skin If ironed. For colored
fannels have fresh, hot suds.
Heavy damask table linen will not need
starch, but for thin sleazy linen a little
French have a way of making even an
inferior quality of table linen look we'll
without the aid of starch. After the nap
kins are washed and dried and ready to be
ironed they are dipped into boiling water
and wrung dry possible between
cloths. They are then rapidly ironed with
as hot fatiron can be used without
scorching. Treated in this manner they be-
come beautifully glossy and stiff. Table
cloths for ordinary use may be ironed with
one fold and then folded loosely, but fine
cloths for special occasions are ironed with
out any crease, then loosely folded down
the center and rolled on large roll until
needed. When the cloth is laid the single
fold may be pressed out by slipping skirt
board under the fold and going over 1t
with a warm iron.
Napkins should be ironed with the warp
straight up and down to prevent Scal.Op-
ing. They should be ironed on both sides,
then folded loosely by hand, no creases be:
ing pressed in. Fold the monogram outside.
Fancy foldings. like the princes feather,
lotus leaf and the like, are considered in
elegant here. although the English papers
advertise paper patterns for showing how
to fold them.
Colored calicoes should be washed in
warm not hot, water. Blues and greens
are strengthened by the of vinegar in
the rinsing or bluing water allowing one
tablespoon of vinegar to quart of water.
With other calicoes or cambrics salt may
be used to set the color. Miss Parlos de-
colors, dark sateens or mourning goods is
not to SOAP at ALL but the following
starch mixture. which cleanSes and Stiffens
at the same time: For two dresses make
one gallon of starch by mixing one cupful
of flour with one pint of cold water. Stir
until all the Jumps dissolved and pour
over it three and one-half quarts of boiling
water Cook until clear and smooth, then
strain through cheesecoth. Pour half the
mixture In tub containing four gallons of
warm water Wash one of the dresses in
this, rubbing the fabric the same as if
soap were used Rinse in two clear waters
and hang out to dry. when they will be
found to be about as stiff as when new.
Sprinkle only an hour or so before IRON
ing. Calicoes should all be ironed on the
wrong side.
Clothespins and clothesbaSkets should be
washed frequently, as nothing is more try
ing than to get smudges upon clothes other
wise spotess Unscrew the wringer and
wipe it carefully before putting away.
Wooden tubs should be kept in the cellar
or some place where they will not get too
dry. A corner closet in the kitchen even
woodShed is easily constructed and will be
found convenient place for keeping the
galvanized tubs, wringer, washboard, line
pins, starch, fsoap, etc. A high shelf out of
reach of the children will be a good place
to keep the apxalfc acid, javelle water, am
monia and other chemicals, useful in re-
moving obstiaate7Stains
The bluing preferred by the best laun-