Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1911-12-27
''D0ING UP" CURTAINS
WORK MAY BE DONE At HOME IN
SATISFACTORY MANNER.
Common Sense and Little Care Make
Task Comparatively simple-Too
Important to Be Entrusted to
Every Laundress.

1t is the aim of every good house
wife to have her house cleaning all
completed and her house in apple pie
order for Thanksgiving day. It is not
every laundress who should be en-
trusted with the doing up Of the lace
curtains, for in many cases strong
acids are used to remove the dirt and
dust quickly and the curtains are thus
injured beyond repair. With little
mon sense this work may be done
at home in quite as satisfactory a man
ner as when it is given out. even to
the most efficient workers.
Put the curtains, one at time In
warm, not hot water; rub them very
lightly with some good naphtha soap
and let them remain In the suds for
20 minutes to half an hour. Remove
from this water, which will be al
black as coal dust; wrinse in fresh wa
ter Of the same temperature; rub more
soap on the curtain and rub and
squeeze gently between your hands.
Again take fresh water and so con-
tinue to do until the curtains are per
fectly clean.
With sash curtains the work is COM
paratively easy, but with the longer
curtains suitable for full-length win
dow, the curtains are more difficult
to handle. If these are in the least
tender, they should be placed In an
old pillow case and patted and press
ed until you can Judge by the color Of
the water that all the dirt has been
removed. Hang the pillow case or bag
on the line with the curtains in 1t un.
til the curtains are dry. Make very
thin starch, boiling 1t until it is clear
and runs from the spoon like molten
silver. Starch the curtains and let
them remain on the platter for half an
hour or longer. covered with dry
cloth.
II you are not already the owner Of
set OF curtain stretchers, purchase
set; and in putting them up be
careful that you get them perfectly
straight. Stretch firmly enough to re-
move all wrinkles, but not hard
enough to tear them; let them remain
on the stretchers for "a hours or
longer, II necessary, until they are per-
fectly dry, even in the thickest parts.
In placing them in the stretchers
place each pair together, with the Dor
ders face to face Be careful to have
each scallop point to point, so that
they will be perfectly straight when
hung. You can put four curtains In
the frame or stretchers at one time, so
that the work does not require time
to do. When you remove them. lay
one pair on the floor after spreading
sheet and pinning it tightly down:
then measure the exact height of the
window from the pole to the floor. Al
low two inches in length for the turn
in. Basic in the Sold; then turn the
other curtain in exactly the same way
and by the same measurement.
If they are sash curtains, run in a
double row Of sewing, three-quarters
OF an inch apart, into which you can
run small brass rods.
II for long windows, curtain pins
should be placed about three inches
apart, SO that they may be hung on
the rings, or. If preferred. they can be
run on rods also. especially If there
is heavy curtain to go over them.
After you have done the first pair
or two you will not mind in the least
doing the work, and you will be many
dollars In pocket at the end Of the
curtain washing season.