Milford chronicle., 1910-11-18

/ good naphtha soap or washing pow
/ der has been added little or no rubbing
will he necessary before putting the
clothes in the boiler. Kerosene used
/ IN small quantity in the cold water in
which clothes are soaked makes the
washing easier The success of laun-
dering also depends ON the kind and
amount of soap used. For wool and
silk articles use only a good white
soap containing very little alkali or
acid. Both these chemicals have an
injurious effect on silk and wool. Sal
soda makes wooden garments yellow.
makes the fiber harsh and less elastic.
The fiber 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 a tube which, with its
ragged edges, explains the reason for
shrinking. Diluted acids roughen the
wool fiber; strong acids dislntegrate it,
Chloride of lime Injuries the fiber even
If 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 it.
silk is a strong, elastic, lustrous dOu-
BILE fiber All alkalies act upon it. ac-
cording to the kind, strength and tenn
perauure 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. dissolv-
ing in hot water and adding to the
suds in which the garments are to be
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 it is washed should not be hot
Flannels should be washed I'm 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 fibers. 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 woolen
garments.
The vegetable 6bers. such as cotton
ana linen. are of 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 OF
linen dingy and unattractive. One OF
the commOnest neglectS in ordinary
washing is that the water is not
changed often enough Garment after
garment is washed in water so satu-
rated with dirt that it is impossible to
make 1t remove any more, This wash
ing Is followed by careless rinsing in
only one water. which does not begin
to take ont all the soap. II the blHing
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 il Prussian blue is used. This
substance is a salt Of iron. and with
an alkal 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 it in a strong solution Of sal
soda. II Prussian blue the mixture
will turn yellowish red. and iron rust
will settle in the bottom of the vessel
Simple General Directions.
1t is more often neglect Of little
things than carelessuess 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 a mistake to
think you can make clothes clean in
dirty water
Put the clothes to boil in cold water
and heat slowly. The best results are
obtained when there is a large quanti-
ty Of water and the boiler is but half
full Of clothes. Each boierful 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 Y
solution Of sslsOda 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 it into the bluing water. rinse
carefully through the water then }
wiring out at once. Do not allow clothes
10 stay in bluing water for any length
II time or they will be streaked.