Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-04-20
I IOUSE=
HOLD
| LINTS


time for washing and packing away winter
| blankets. Dry cleaning is not nearly
| satisfactory a process that of thorough
ly washing and drying in the sun and air.
| These are natures best disinfectants.
| Blankets should be washed in lukewarm
| water and plenty of it, then rinsed in
| water of the same temperature There Is
| a scientific reason for this. If you should
| examine the fiber of wool through a
| microscope you would discover a series
| of tiny irregular sheaths with serrated
| edges all running in the same direction.
| With heat, these microscopic sheaths ex-
pand and reach out over one another; but
| with sudden exposure to a lower change
! of temperature they contract. suddenly
catching and knotting and pu!liug-each
other producing the effect known as full
| ing. Twisting. &ringing rubbing fan
| mel too vigorously also tends to entangle
| these little scales and gives to the article
so ma!treated an unpleasantly diversified
| surface Soap rubbed directly on the fabric
| also thickens 1t, and should be used there
| fore in the form of r solution. The kind
| of soap is also matter of moment For
| hanne!S. always use white soap that does
not contain rosin.
In washing blankets select bright sum
shiny day for the work. that the drying
! may be done as quickly as possible though
| the drying should be done in the shade not
/ thoroughly. then look over to If there
| are any particularly soiled places. If there
| Is. outline them with long stitches of con-
| trasting color that you may give them par
| ticular attention in the washing. Now put
: the blankets to soak for an hour in q warm
| soap solution. allowing a tablespoonful of
; boraX TO every galloon of water. Cover
over SO as to retain the same temperature
| Meantime prepare a second tub of warm
SudS. allowing one-half pound soap shaved
! ana boiled In four gallons of water. This
| Is the allowance for each blanket. Trans
| Ter the blanket from the first water to the
clean suds. let 1t stand ten minutes then
| sOuse up and down. but do not rub. 1t is
| the soaking that brings out the dirt. If
| any spot is particularly dirty rub with a
| brush. Put through a wringer into a tub
! OF clear water OF the same temperature
| rinse thoroughly, squeezing and pressing
with the hands. then wiring out. Now
! let two persons standing opposite each
other pull into shape, then hang straight
! on a perfectly clean line. where a gentle
| breeze will assist in the rapid driving When
quite dry. rub with a soft flannel to get up
| the nap. Now II the blankets need re-
! binding attend to 1t. Both white and COL
| ored SILK bindings may be purchased by
! the piece. And here is a Suggestion for
| keeping the edges of the blankets that
come next to the face clean. 1t is an Eng
fish custom and a very excellent one Face
| both sides of the ends with strips Of soft
| white cheesecioth. putting ii by hand so
| that 1t can be readily removed for wash
ing. blanket protected in this way keeps
| clean far longer and does not get yellowed
! with perspiration. Now with the blankets
| sweet and Clean. fold smoothly and pack
away with Lavender between their folds
and wrapped so as to exclude moths.
To Wash Flannels.
Flannels that have become badly yell
lowed through neglect may be whitened in
this way. Boil four tablespoonfuls flour in
four quarts Of water. stirring free from
Jumps. Pour one-half this mixture over
the fiannels. cover and let them stand a
half hour. Rub with the hands, but use no
soap. Rinse the flarnels in clear water of
the same temperature. then heat the re-
mainder of the liquid and pour over the
flannel again. Proceed as before, rinse
thoroughly then hang out to drain and
dry Never hang flannels in cold or frosty
air as that always shrinks them.
To Wash Shawls.
Wash in warm suds. allowing a table
spoonful liquid ammonia to gallon OF
water. Let the article soak about twenty
minutes. then squeeze and sop carefully
until clean. Rinse in clear water of the
same temperature. and do not stretch too
much by ironing pulling. Very soft
fluffy sha wis and ''fascinators'' are often
dried by laying on a platter and setting
in a warming oven, watching and shaking
frequently to insure even drying.
To Wash Silk Underwear.
Soak twenty minutes in warm suds and
ammonia water, allowing one tablespoon
full ammonia to a gallon of water Rub
gently with the hands. squeezing. pressing.
but never scrubbing. and do not be too
lavish in the use OF soap. Never rub soap
directly on a garment, but use the soap
in solution.
Rinse through two clear waters of the
same temperature the first suds adding
to the last water a trifle of the ultra
marine blue and a teaspoonful of liquid
gum arabic. Smooth out and hang as
carefully possible to avoid the
wrinkles hard to iron out of silk with
out injury to the fabric. When nearly dry
press under muslin.
To Wash Stockings.
We all know the ordinary laundress'
most 'ornery" way of washing stockings,
using the rinsing water left after the
white clothes, which gives them a coating
of white lint, both hoary and disreputable.
These things ought not to be.
The first essential in washing stockings
is to have~an absolutely clear, clean soap
solution In tepid water. Shake the stock |
ings to remove all the dust possible put
in right side out. rub well. turn and rub
on the wrong side II the color is at all
delicate, rub the feet first, then the legs,
30 as not to leave long in the water Rinse |