Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1916-03-01
HE washing of frocks and mus
lin blouses becomes a serious
item in the laundress' bill dur

In washing u IEOChS anu uuSr
lin blouses becomes a serious
item in the laundress' bill dur
ing the hot weather months,
yet a very little trouble enables the
novice to undertake the blouse wash
ing, and when she becomes proficient
In the art it is but one step more to
undertake the home laundering Of
washing frocks
The saving of the laundress' charges
Is not the only economy. When the
owner washes a blouse she has a pro-
prietary interest in it and treats it
with lighter handling than it receives
from a washing machine.
First with regard to the washing of
the blouses. A warm lather should be
prepared. Shred thinly two ounces OF
CASTLE soap or any pure mild laundry
soap. Pour on the shredded soap
gallon of boiling water and stir it Wig
orousy with a smooth stick. Add
tablespoonful of powdered borax and
two gallons of cold water. This Is suf-
fcient for two or three blouses, but If
the number of blouses is increased
there must be corresponding increase
In the quantity of lather.
| Shake the blouses out of doors and
mmerse them in the lather. Leave
them soaking for half an hour, add an
other quart of boiling water and then
squeeze and knead the blouses until
all traces of dirt have disappeared.
Rub little soap on the parts that are
very soiled. but do not rub the blouses
themselves.
Squeeze the blouses from the wash
ing water and empty the bath. Re
place the blouses and stand the bath
under a running tap until all traces Of
soapiness have disappeared. II treated
In this way blue rinsing water is not
required, but in case of a scarcity of
water little liquid blue should be add
ed to the second rinsing water to over
come the yellow tint which the soap
gives.
Prepare bowl of starch. Mix ia
blespoonful of blue starch to a smooth
paste with little cold water. Pour q
pint of boiling water gradually on the
paste, stirring it all the time until q
thick, clear jelly is formed. Stir In a
teaspoonful Of gum water made by
covering pennyworth of gum arabic
with a pint of water and pouring of
the clear part when the gum Is dis
solved and settled. Cover the bowl
with a plate to prevent skin form
Ing on top Of the starch, and when ii
Is cool enough to be borne by the
| Ill ~ to cy&n vsoE,
J Knead them we'll so that the starch
, penetrates all parts. Wiring them
from the starch and clap them.
: Clapping is the secret of success in
, clear starching. 1t is invariably done
! by French laundresses when they are
getting up fine muslins and laces. The
object is to prevent the starch being
j.. cooked by the hot iron in unsightly
patches between the threads. Take
, the blouses one by one and lay each or
d clean kitchen table. Clap the hands
with a layer of muslin between anG
continue until every part looks clea1
and new.
Hang the blouses out of doors tt
dry. but take care that colored mus
n
exposed to sunshine while they arr
wet. A faded blouse is a pathetic fig
ure. but it can be avoided by setting
the colors. This is done by soaking
the blouse in a quart Of water IL
e which a teaspoonful of alum is dis
{. solved before washing it as described
for white muslin blouses. Further
the colors can be revived by rinsinf
the blouse in a quart of water con
. tanning a teaspoonful Of vinegar. bu
most important of all is to dry thu
& colored blOuses in the shade
8 When dry each blouse should b.
a rolled In a towel which has been light
d ly wrung from cold water. In thi
y they should rest for at least an hOu
$ so as to become equally damped, ant
:. indeed it is good plan to pack thu
i rolled blouses closely together ant
f cave them all night.