The Norfolk weekly news-journal. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1900-19??, 1910-09-02

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soap containing very little alknli or
acid Both these chemicals have an
Injurious effect on silk and wool. Sal
soda makes wooden garments yellow,
makes the fber harsh and less elastic.
The tber OF wool is composed Of num-
berless sections. or sheaths. each with
| more or less Jagged edges and each
one growing out of the other. These
sheaths form n tube which. with Its
rugged edges, explains the reason for
shrinking. Diluted acids roughen the
wool fiber; strong acids disintegrate It.
Chloride OF lime Injuries the 6ber even
II cold; used hot, the fiber is destroyed.
Ammonia has the least Injurious ac-
ton on wool. therefore is the most sat
isfactory agent for cleansing 1t.
| SILK is a strong, elastic, lustrous dou-
BILE fiber All akalies act upon 1t, nc
cording TO the kind, strength and tenn
perature OF the solution and the length
OF time the silk is left In the solution.
/ The luster is first lessened, and the
| fiber is finally dissolved. Dilute acids
roughen silk and strong acids ruin it.
Thus It will be seen that all garments
Of silk and wool should be washed
with only the mildest soap. This
should be made into solution by cut
! ting the soap into thin slices. dissoly-
ing in hot water and adding to the
suds In which the garments are to DO
! washed. This method Is much better
than rubbing the soap directly on the
| garment Both silk and wool are in
| jured by dry heat. Silk first stiffens,
| then breaks. so that the water in
which 1t is washed should not be hot.
! Flannels should be washed In water
| Of the same temperature throughout
the process and should be hung to dry
in a temperature the same as the wa
ter. The expansion and contraction OF
| the wool fbers. caused by change In
temperatures. make flannel thick. Tep-
| Id water and a moderate temperature
| for drying and the best white soap
added to the washing water are simple
, rules to observe in washing wooden
garments.
The vegetable fibers, such as cotton
and linen. are Of a woody nature,
! tough. strong and not so easily af-
fected by chemicals. For this reason
cotton and linen materials are not so
soon spoiled by careless washing as
, either silk or wool, and yet too much
soap prolonged boiling in dirty water,
Indifferent rinSing and inattention to
stains soon make the best cotton or
linen dingy and unattractive. One of
the commonest neglects In ordinary
washing is that the water Is not
4La
garment Is washed in water so satu-
rated with dirt that it is impossible to
make It remove any more. This wash
ing is followed by careless rinsing in
only one water which does not begin
to take out all the soap. II the bluinS
follows. as it too often does. this rims
ing in soapy water, the clothes are
very liable to be stained with iron
rust. This will almost certainly be the
case If Prussian blue is used. This
substance is a salt Of iron. and with
an alkali such as there is in soap
changes to iron rust A simple expert
ment to determine whether or not you
are using Prussian blue is to heat a
little of 1t in strong solution of sal
soda. If Prussian blue the mixture
will turn yelowish red. and iron rust
will settle in the bottom of the vessel.
Simple General Directions.
1t is more often neglect of little
things than careessness about big
main points that makes washing an
unsatisfactory task. Attention to these
details may tighten the work for some
women and bring them better results.
Remember to make fresh suds when
ever necessary. 1t is mistake to
think you can make clothes clean in
dirty water
Put the clothes to boil in cold watef
and heat slowly. The best results are
obtained when there is large quaint
ty Of water and the boiler Is but half
full of clothes. Each boilerful of
clothes should be put on in clean, cold
water
Rinsing is very important The
clothes must be free from soap before
bluing Use soft water for first rims
ing. then hard water If color Of soft is
not good.
Hard water may be softened by boil
Ing then cooling before using, or a
solution OF salsoda may be added.
This ought not to be too strong or the
salsoda will injure both the fabric and
the hands.
In bluing shake out each article and
drop 1t into the bluing water rinse
carefully through the water. then
wiring out at once. Do not allow clothes
to stay In bluing water for any length
OF time or they will be streaked.
Thick starch is made by mixing one
half cup of laundry starch and one
quarter cup of cold water, then add
onequarter teaspoonful Of white wax
or lard and one quart OF boiling water.
Pat over the fire and boil for several
minutes, stirring constantly. Uncook-
ed or partly cooked starch will stick.
Thick starch may be diluted. or If a
thin quality is desired use twice as
much water.