Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-03
MODERN CLEANING
Making My Lady's Gown
Look Fresh and Dainty.
PROGRESS IN METHOD
REALLY NOTHING NOW THAT
CANNOT BE MADE LIKE NEW.
Even It is No Longer Necessary to Rip
Dresses Apart to Give,
New Colors.
Copyright, 1922

consequences OF evil cOuIQ De Illustrated
from examples on every side.
Now all that is done away with There
is almost nothing that cannot be made to
look as clean as it was in its first estate.
One does not despair Of the persevering
cleanser discovering chemical process for
restoring stained regulations and bespat-
tered consciences to a condition that would
deceive every one into believing them en-
tirely fresh articles so long as the stitch
mark Of the cleanser was kept concealed
Not very long ago soiled party gown
was something to be thrown away as use
less. Occasionally thrifty soul would
take out the least disfigured parts and
make them into something for smaller
member Of the family, or perhaps, fashion
them into a waist, or wash pieces that
could be used as Innings or facings. But
the gown as a gown had it's day and ceased
to be, and the day was brief.
Even Evening Gowns Can Be Cleaned.
Nowadays the woman who orders herself
an evening frock of delicate tints knows
that when it begins to show signs Of soil
she can pack it off to the cleaners and
have 1t come back to her looking as fresh
as when it first left the hands Of the dress
maker. The material is Of no consequence.
Silk, velvet, wooden, lace, anything, every
thing, can be renovated. Ask competent
cleaner if there is anything which cannot
be cleaned and he will reply with convic-
ton, Nothing"
In those former times the woman who at
tempted to clean a gown did it by ripping 1t
apart and sponging each breadth, or per-
haps even washing them. Then the garment
was laboriously put together again and the
clever one congratulated herself upon nav
ing a fresh gown with no trouble except
that Of taking it apart, cleaning it and re-
making it, Today she does not even rip
the tulle or chiffon from the throat and
wrists but sends the costume as 1t is to her
49, IL fl,11 olv, 1ar,on
it will come back ready to be put on and
worn. ssh
Perhaps the evening gowns seem the most
marvellous in their power of being restored
to newness, because of their frills and fur
bellows their fussiness and fuffiness. But
they are only the beginning. My ladys
opera cloak or cortie du bal, her lace
founced silk petticoats, her feather boas,
her neck and belt ribbons and stocks and
gloves and laces, and even her tailor-made
clothes, can all be cleansed. Everything is
grist that comes to the mill of the cleaner.
Mems Dress Suits Can Be Renovated.
The blessings of this public benefactor are
not reserved for women alone. Mems
clothes, too, are a part of his art. The ordi-
nary everyday tailor may sponge and press
mans coat and trousers, but there are
times when these are the better for a good,
thorough cleaning that they can get from
the same magician who cleanSeS madamS
evening toilets. The mans dress clothes,
his fancy waistcoasts, costly scarfs and
neckerchiefs, even his riding toys and his
hunting pink, may be cleansed of almost
any stain.
To some persons the cleansing of an en-
tire garment seems less remarkable than
the removal of single spot in such mode
that it will leave no trace. Every one ha S
known the havoc that can be wrought upon
new gown by a misdirected spoonful of
ice cream or coffee, or the culver of a hand
that is passing plate of salad. And every
such one, after having cheerfully perjured
herself and declared that the accident was
nothing that could not be remedied by a
sponge and a little water, can remember
the anguish with which half score of de-
tergentS were employed. We know them all
French chalk ammonia, alcohol, benzine,
gasoline, naphtha, chloroform. Generally
the spot stayed where it had been put.
Sometimes it came out and left trace of
it's presence in a well-defined ring, like a
ghost of a departed sin.
The cleaner has changed all that. The
woman's ball gown with a cataract of ice
cream down the front, the mans covert
coat with a spot Of axle grease in the mid
die of the back, can be sent to the cleaners
and, for a consideration, be returned spot
less and as good as before the fall.
Modern Methods Prevent Odors.
The offense has departed from cleaned
articles. There was a time when it was
patent to every one with olfactories when
the wearer of cleaned clothing was any
where in the neighborhood A woman
with cleaned gloves had to keep from
between the wind and every one If she
did not wish to become a stencil in the
nostrils of the community. But the day
of odorless cleaning is here. The garments
gloves come home scentless, and may
be worn with no fear of offense.
There are one two fabrics that are
more difficult to clean than others. Chiffon
ic wei hnr n hot
there are even good cleaners who refuse
to attempt it. 1t will not stand any mois-
ture in the cleansing agent. and sometimes
dry cleaning will not make it take any
thing but a grayish tinge Velvet will
not cleanse well If it is crushed or stained
or faded But these are about the only
fabrics concerning which the cleaner has
to warn of possible disappointment. Most
articles, as 1 have said, come out looking
like new
Lace, of course, can be cleaned perfectly
There are three methods Of doing this
the all new, the half new, and the ordinary.
The last simply does up the lace as any
French woman would launder it. The
second, after cleansing the lace, fastens
it down to dry, pisning one In three of the
little picots or points that make the edge.
The 'all new" process pins down each of
the tiny picots and naturally costs much
more than either of the other methods
Why the Cost of Cleansing is High.
1t is not only the light garments that it
is worth while to cleanse. Every one
who has worn black constantly knows how
dirty it becomes; this, too not in the
simple spots that even the most careful
will sometimes get upon a garment. But
black grows grimy. The dirt that would
show upon color is ground into the very
texture Of the black goods. until it seems
to have a gritty feel and the hands are
soiled, the finger nails stained, from com
ing into contact with it. Then is the time
to send it to the cleaner and have it come
out rid of it's dirt and clean to the touch
as we'll as to the eye.
The cost of cleansing is high in this
country, and yet it is an expense that is
well worth while. To those who have
known the cheapness of nettoagea-sec on
the other side of the water the charges
here seem exorbitant. But labor here is
high, and that which does cleaning must
be skilled.
1t is no light matter to clean delicate
fabric. One application is by no means
all that is required. The garment is cleans.
ed and then left to dry or to air for sew
eral hours. Then it Is inspected. If spot
remains the cleansing must be repeated
Sometimes this is done in one way, some
times in another. For certain materials
the gases only from chemicals are used; for
some the chemicals themselves are applied,
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