Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-11-09
Washing Household Linens

Half the housemaids and washer.
women who pose as being beautiful
washers and ironers num- don't know
anything about taking care OF ilne or any
other kind Of liners.
Tablecloths and napkins should never
have touch of starch In them. yet serv.
ant after servant will add a little to ge,
an imita Ion shine in place of the bur
nish that nothing but careful ironing car
bring out.
Damask should be sprinkled until 1t is
just little damp all over. and then
ironed until it is perfectly dry. going over
and over 1t with the iron until not a sus-
picion of moisture is left in it.
But irons must be hot-not scorching hot
and clean. For nothing makes a table
cloth look worse than an ugly smudge
dragged on by the IRON
If such smudge does get on while you
are ironing. however lin spite of your care
cold water and rub gently until the
smudge disappears. ard then iron over
again
Alter you've ironed the whole cloth.
ironing board to catch the cloth as ii
works over fold it carefully. so that tho
edges meet and the c. ease is exactly down
the middle. ard ironing rs lou CfeaS. IT..
so that no little. illeg TINA to cr"ases may
find their way in H. the folding
Then lay the cloth on 4 table or some
where where it VIII air 2 little before
Treat napkins the sane way and car
ver's doilies-everything that is made Of
damask or table linens. Where initials
are embroidered On iron the corner en-
hrodered on thick piece Of flannel. so
as not to crush down the padding and
make the initial sink into the general sur
face. 1t should stand out boldly.
Centerpieces and doilies that are en-
broi Tered in colors or made of drawn
work should never he allowed to get very
soiled before washing. not only because
everything that belongs to a table should
be kept spotlessly clean but because they
are perishable sort of affairs and should
spots out.
a soap lather is best for washing en-
broidered pieces. as soap should never be
rubbed directly on them. Make a thick
lather of soap and lay a centerpiece In II.
washing it carefully. but patiing instead
OF rubbing as much as possible. Squeeze
In drying without wringing. IL you can
get the kpack Of getting all the water out
that way and iron dry. Wash the colored
embroidery pieces one at time. spread
Ing them. Won wash them. out on tow
els to keep the colnrs from coming aea,nss
piece that the colors will run In anu
every piece may bear its mark II you
wash them all together. -
tie less care for soap not only may. bu'
should he. rubbed directly in the piece.
and II one piece Is little yellow. u
Ray he washed out well and laid out In
the air to bleach with the suds still IN
IL; II the weather f. below freezing point.
soar the piece well and lay on towel
in a window where the sun can yet AZ "
freely anr you'll find your piece clean
and white at tire end Of o day.
Trcn dampsn II and iron.
Both drawn work and emlroih. r.
should be ironed on heavy flannel covered
with y thin muslin on linen cloth that II
fastened down smoothly
For the embroidery should stand ont.
and the little fine stitches of drawn work
should be allowed TO stretch and show on
their beauty IN rs free a way as poss Bile.
Rut press heavily on the wrong siie-that
viii press the stitches through and out or
the right side 80 much better.
Renaissance Is hard to do up. and Is.
perhaps, better pulled into shape. with the
iron allowed to touch only the linen cen
ter. But another way Is To pull the iar"
out while u Is vet and pin IL down 70
a beard lover which towel has been
laid). pulling II into shape and leaving II
there until II Is perfectly dry. Then the
center is campened and ironed. and the
dry lace gone over with q moderately
heated iron. just giving IL thorough
pressing.
And every bit OF linen should be care