The Colorado statesman., 1910-06-04
LINEN NEEDS CARE
COMPARATIVELY EASY THING TO
SPOIL FINE FABRICS.
Simple Precautions That VIII Add
Life to the Table Drapery and at
the Same Time Greatly I'm
prove Its Appearance.

The housewife who leaves to an
overworked maid Of all work the care
of her linen need not wonder II her
best linen Is ruined soon.
The napkins should always be fold
ed SO the embroidered initial will show
on the outer flap. but this still can
be done and the napkin folded In dif-
ferent ways each time 1t is laundered.
Starch is an abomination In good
table linen; however. If one has a well
worn cloth which seems to have no
body" and thus becomes soiled
quickly, It is wise to add about
quart Of thin. hot made starch" to
half tub of bluing water and wiring
the linen out of this; sufficient body
will be given 1t to make 1t wear much
longer before another washing is nee
essary.
When about to iron table linen pre-
pare some hot borax water, and with
clean whisk broom sprinkle every
inch of the linen thoroughly. roll up
| tightly in a clean towel, and let 1t lie
for half an hour or SO, and then iron.
A small but heavy brush having stff,
fine bristles and short, thick handle,
should be used instead of coarse
comb for fringed linen and doilies.
When there is no room to put the
clot, away with a single fold In the
middle, 1t may be folded first In the
middle and then the selvedge sides
may be turned back, thus folding the
cloth into quarters lengthwise, having
each fold appear on the right side;
there must be no cross folds, however,
nor are these necessary If a cloth Is
we'll ironed and aired, since 1t may be
laid lightly away in the drawer and
carefully smoothed out by hand when
it is laid on the table. Several cloths
may be stored perfectly in small
space by hanging a wooden curtain
pole against the wall of the linen
closet, throwing the cloths over this
pole, one over the other.
1t is unwise to put away piece of
stained linen until the general wash
day, which is always a difficult day in
any household, and then try to re-
move it.
The average servant, when any
thing is spilled on a tablecloth, usual
ly removes it from the table and
thrusts it into bag or hamper, still
damp, along with the rest of the
soiled clothes of household.
Long before wash day arrives whole
families of little creatures are at work
and finally, when the linen is removed
from the basket to be laundered,
there is a greenish spot which cannot
be removed only by the use of a
strong bleaching agent which surely
Injuries the fabric. although the injury
may not be apparent at once. This is
the case even If clean water has been
spilled on the cloth; in the case of tea
or coffee, wine, or fruit juice, If put
into the hamper without first remov-
ing the stain and drying the cloth, not
Only is mildew apt to appear but the
stain becomes set in the fabric so that
1t is well nigh impossible ever to re-
move all trace of 1t without using an
alkali so strong that the fabric is
weakened perceptibly.
Instead of first treating the mildew,
after it has been allowed to form, the
average servant puts the cloth to soak
in strong soapy water-perhaps hot
water-along with the rest of the
soiled linen, and the last state of this
tablecloth when 1t finally emerges
from the laundry is worse than the
| first.