Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-10

HOLD
lINTS

cold" or in finding sheets torn to ribbons,
corners Of the tablecloths bitten out by a
controversy between the wind and the con-
filming pin, or the f1annels shrinking out Of
all semblance to the frame they once pro-
tected.
With chapped hands, neuralgia twings in
arms and shoulders. draggled skirts and
wet feet, what wonder that blue Monday"
takes on additional blumers at this season?
But is there no balm in Gilead,' nothing
that can be done to alleviate the winter of
the laundress' discomfort? In the first
place, the washing should be made as easy
and as light as possible. To do this it is
not necessary to wear the underclothing
two weeks, to stint in the matter Of stock
ings or to use blankets-that is, sleep be-
tween thenl-the whole winter without
washing, as some people do. If one is care
fui however, a great many pieces may be
saved during the week. In the matter of
bedding, for instance, sheets are big, I'M
wieldly things to manage on line. Many
people now are using blankets of fannelette
with great satisfaction to themselves They
are not expensive Casually 81 per pair);
they are warm and fleecy and not as hard
to wash as muslin. Cut them apart, bind
the raw edges. and If you change one only
every two or three weeks during the coolest
weather it will make quite a reduction in
the wash. The same thing is true regard
Ing night dresses. Outing flannel is Doth
warmer TO wear ana easier TO wash
Colored spreads, which of late years have
been more fashionable than the white, also
save washing; while underwear Of colored
all-wool or f1eeced jersey and knitted under
skirts which come in all colors, wash easily
and require no ironing. All the woolens in
freezing weather should be dried about the
fire, turning occasionally, pulling and
stretching to keep them soft and prevent
shrinking.
When there is large family and conse-
quently many f1annels, 1t is sometimes ex-
pedient to have a separate day for their
washing. If, however, the washing is done
in one day, 1t is wiser to attend to them
first, that they may be drying 1t is in
hanging out the clothes that heavy colds
are often taken. The change OF tempera-
ture from the steamy kitchen to the freez-
ing air outside Is most dangerous. No one
should hang out clothes without being es-
pecially dressed for it. Running in and out
with few pieces at a time, bare-armed and
bare-headed. is inviting pneumonia Get
the clothes all ready sorted in the basket
so that no time will be lost in handling
them over out of doors. Then put on warm
overshoes and a thick Jacket that will pro-
tect the arms, tie up the head and put on
pair of knitted, coarse white cotton gloves,
kept expressly for the purpose. Thus pro-
tected one suffers very little from the ex-
posture.
A great convenience in taking down the
clothes at all times, but especially in cold
weather, Is a large stout bag OF heavy
unbleached muslin made like pillow case.
Run wide tape through the hem, joining
the ends of the tape together, but leaving
an opening down one side Of the bag large
enough to admit the various garments,
large and small. Now fasten this bag on
the clothes line, pinning it by the tapes
and as fast as the clothes are taken down
slip into the bag. This saves the STOPPING
to put the things in basket or soiling bas-
ket and clothes If the ground Is muddy.
A clothes-pin bag becomes primal neces-
sity after using one a few times. A good
material is the common blue and white
ticking. Make it Of quite good size-plenty
large enough to get the hand full of pins
out without crowding and run piece or
galvanized wire through the hem at the
top, twisting the ends together. Have an
like a pot hook at either end (S). Hook the
upper curve over the line and the lower
one into the wire run through the hem.
This will slip along over the line, ready to
take the pins out or drop them IN as rast
as needed.
In case Of high wind or extreme cold 1t
| is best not to starch the clothes before put
ting out to dry, while it is also saving of
| time and cold hands to hang tile things,
such as bibs, napkins. handkerchiefs, etc.
over the clotheshorse near the fire. If the
weather is not proptious for the drying OF
large pieces, leave them in clear rinsing
water until a fine day. still frosty night
does not hurt clothes but tends to whlten
the fabric
Regarding the moot question whether to
use washing fluids or not, 1t all depends
upon the faithfulness Of the laundress. AS
usual thing 1t is hardly safe to counte-
nance their use unless the mistress LOOKS
after the matter personally. Poor Rich
ards maxim
'He who by the pillow would thrive,
Must either hold himself or drive"
applies with equal force to the work Of
the house.
The free hand" that distinguishes the
ordinary domestic when using materials
she does not have to pay for is ruination
indeed when 1t comes to chemicals.
Properly applied, never used in excess,
and thoroughly rinsed, there is NO doubt
but that they make washing easier and
are not as destructive as much Of the
strenuous rubbing that demolishes both
fiber and fabric All soap powders and
bleachers should be thoroughly dissolved
and we'll mixed with plenty Of water before
coming into contact with the clothes.
1t goes without saying that no washing
fluid should ever be used with colored
clothes, as they are all intended to act as
bleach.
Borax and turpentine are the mildest Of
the chemicals Borax is used extensively
in Holland and Belgium and the Dutch
Iaundresses are among the best in the
world. Half a pound OF borax Will soften
two gallons Of very hard water. If soft.
a quarter Of a pound will suffice. Shake
out the soiled clothes loosely, rub some
good soap on the worst soiled spots. then
lay in the borax water over night. In the
morning lift out the pieces one by one, rub
lightly, and throw into boiler of cold wa
ter, in which a half pound of dissolved soap
has been stirred. Bring to a scald, but
never allow them to boil; take out, rinse,
blue and they are ready to hang out. Many
expert laundresses also add q teaspoonful
Of borax to each gallon Of water used in
the rinsing.
The crowning triumph of a laundress'
skill is to wash f1annels so that they re-
main soft and do not shrink. The secret
lies in using soft water. keeping the wash
Ing and the rinsing water at the same tenn
perature and In not rubbing or wringing
| the garment, which causes the wool f1bers
| to knot The structure of wool is 80 diff
| ferent from that Of cotton or linen that its
| treatment must also be radically different.
Have ready two tubs Of soft water, warm
| enough to bear the hands in comfortably.
To one put enough dissolved soap to make
| good lather-always using white soap,
| and not a brown. resinous soap, which
| gums the WOOL and tablespoonful of am
| monia or borax, which has been dissolved
| in boiling water. In the second put enough
| dissolved soap to make light suds. Shake
| the dust from the garments to be washed,
| ard look them over to locate any specially
| soiled spots. These may be spread upon
| smooth board and scrubbed with a soft
| brush and soap, or lukewarm water, ac-
L, ~A,,~N "a H. &osy, y.