The Washington herald., 1911-12-01
DRY CLEANING MAY
BB DONE AT HOME
Caution and Care Are Needed
in Process.

There are ways of practicing dry clean.
ing at home by those who have more
time than money to spend in making
their garments presentable. The process
In simple enough, although It Is a little
troublesome In that II demands care and
close attention to details
For instance, to cleanse a woolen or
cotton gown, shake and brush II we'll
first to insure its being freed from super
fuous dust.
Then put Il into a tub and rub It with
buckwheat flour which has been slightly
salted. Have plenty Of the meal and
rub the dress in 1t as you would In soapy
water, paying especial attention to the
dirtiest parts and rubbing them we'll be-
tween your hands with the meal
You will be astonished to see how dirty
tthis will be after the rubbing process IL
ended.
Shake out the garment. empty the tub.
put the dress in II again, and rub in
fresh meal. Cover II with this; put
cover on the tub and leave untouched
for three days.
brush II with a clean brush broom until
II is entirely free from the meal.
Furs Cleaned in Meal.
White furs may be cleansed In the
same way, but II cleaning a fine ma
thing more coarse than meal For easily
injured fabrics try block magnesia.
The treatment is a little more tender.
Do not rub the silk between the hands
as the heavier goods. Instead of that,
rub the block magnesia into it gently,
rubbing the application on both sides OF
the goods.
Lay it away carefully where it will be
protected from the dust and leave 1t un-
ma
been we'll shaken and brushed 1t ought
to look as well as Il It had been through
the hands Of the professional cleanser
To return to the dry cleansing. For
rather coarse fabrics cornmeal can BE-
used instead of the buckwheat meal, but
for the more delicate goods those who
feel they cannot afford block magnesia
or borax talcum may try ordinary wheat
flour.
While dry cleaning at home is admir-
able in its results. there are sometimes
delicate waists and the like which can
not be submitted to the required rubbing
without injury. In such cases one who
cannot AFFORD to send her garments to
a professional should try the effects OF
gasoline.
Before putting the article to be
cleaned into the gasoline bath il should
be carefully inspected for grease spots
and stains. These the gasoline is not
pledged TO remove. Apply block mag
nesia or French chalk to grease spots,
sponge stains with alcohol or ammonia.
and, be sure that the spots are gone
before putting the garment into the gaso-
line. .a
Have plenty of gasoline on hand and
conduct operations in a room without a
fire. II you can work out of doors, so
much the better. Such a caution would
seem unnecessary, but the daily papers
furnish too many tales of catastrophes
resulting from the careless use Of gaso-
line to make a warning needless.
Pour your generous supply OF gasoline
into the vessel in which you wish to do
your cleaning and put the soiled articles
into It. Cover and leave it a few minutes
and then souse the article UP and down
In the fluid for several minutes. Never
rub the goods while in the gasoline, but
continue to dip II up and down until
you can see from the dirt gathering in
the bottom Of the vessel that much OF
the soil has been removed. Hang the
garment to dry without wringing or
squeezing II.
II YOU are OF an economical turn you
will pour the gasoline carefully on the
dirty sediment in the bottom and put 1t
away to use as the first rinsing medium
for some delicate articles.
Let It stand for ten minutes or so be-
fore pouring II OF, keeping ii covered
as it evaporates quickly. Put in tightly
corked bottle and set in place away
from the fire.
Feathers may be washed in gasoline
in the same manner as other articles,
but after they are dry they should be
held in the steam of boiling water and
then dried in a hot oven or over a heated
radiator. This process Will restore the
curl to the feathers.