Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-12-24


called lanolin. This fat is removed
from woolens If you use an alkali, or
even a soap that has too much alkall
in 1t, when washing woollen articles III
you use hot water. action takes pace
which results in the extraction OF too
much of the natural animal 1at. ana
the result of your work Will ne nara,
badly shaped garment instead OF
soft and fluffy article. II you wish 10
keep woolens soft and woOlly, which,
of course. YOU do, it will be necessary
to leave the fat in the fiber, and per-
haps to replace it with a little more
fat The following method is excel
lent for washing woolens:
In the first place, use mlld white
soap, or any of the prepared soap
flakes. These flakes have saved many
a fine wooden garment from SHRINK
ing. because of the ease with which
thew can be used in solution. If you
do not use flakes, shave a bar or the
SOAP very thin, SO that it can he
quickly dissolved in hot water. Soap
must never be rubbed directly onto
wooden garment. Start with water
hot enough to dissolve the soap
quickly. then add cold water until
you reach a lukewarm temperature,
then whip your solution into strong
suds. Wash the garment by squeez-
ing. never by rubbing. Carry on a
sort of kneading operation unoer tne
water This motion will allow the
suds to thoroughly penetrate the
fibers of the material. When the gar
ment is clean, pat out the EXCESS
suds gently, then make second soap
solution. using about one-fourth the
ouantity used In the first solution,
and repeat the motions used In the
first washing operation. do TINS untl
the amount of suds is reduced and is
n,re white instead of dirty. Do not
use a clear rinsing water without
some soap added to It, BY leaving
a little of the suds in the garment
at the last rinsing. you VIII guaIo
against a. loss of the animal tat IN
the fiber.
To dry wooden articles. 1t is pest
not to hang them up. Place the ar
ticle on a fiat surface on a sheet or
towel and shape it into its original
form. Leave until thoroughly dry
and do not place near strong neat.
If 1t is necessary to hang piankets,
place them evenly on a line or over
two lines, with onehalf their weigh.
on either side, with the corners ana
sides matching. Shrunken wooden
garments have even been restored TO
their original size by strictly follow
ing these directions. and after three
washings they have become SOFT ana
fluffy. This method of laundering
should he used on fine wooden under
wear, baby flannels, sweaters, WOODEN
blankets and other wooden artlcles.
If f1annels are too large and you
wish to shrink them. fold the gar
ment, place it in a tub. cover with
boiling water, and allow the garment
TO remain until the water cools. Hang
straight on a line and when partly
dry press on the wrong SIDE.
Table Linens and Handkerchiefs.
Household linens, handkerchief
and fine underwear are often worn
out before their time on account OF
bad laundry methods, when nttie
care and attention would prevent the
weakening. of certain parts of the
fabric subjected to hard usage, which
finally produces thin place ana then
a hole. Folding the articles after
they are dried is almost as importaht
as the washing and ironing OF inc
clothes. vet few housewives give this
part of the work any thought. The |
clothes, when taken from the line. are |
usually tumbled, hit or miss into a |
basket, and when dampened down |
preparatory to ironing, the chief idea
seems to be to get each arucle
sprinkled and rolled into a hard wac:
Proper folding is the beginning or
the science of ironing. and this should
be followed by the correct arrange
ment Of the folded articles.
The first principle to be observed
after the washing has been taken
from the line is doubling the articles
the way of the strong threads. THESE
are easy to determine by means OF
the selvage. All garments made with
any semblance to right method have
the selvage going from the top to
fret g.
membered in folding them is. fold by
the selvage. This means simply lay
ing the seams carefully together. II
the folding is reversed and the way
of the weak threads folded first, they
will give way much sooner and the
linen, cotton, cambria or lawn will
wear, out in considerably less time.
The Srticle to be ironed is also more
easily pulled out of shape.
Table cloths, bedspreads and sheets
should be folded in exactly the same
manner. Each should be well pulled
out at the corners. The two long
sides should then be placed together
so as to halve the article. The fold
ing is repeated lengthwise. thus quar-
tering it by the long way. Next the
cross-folding is done. the top end
being placed to the bottom. This also
Is repeated, thus folding twice across,
method applies to all fiat artiC~ss,
large or small.
The up and down coarse thread fold
ing also applies to wearing apparel
Small articles of clothing need only
two foldings, once lengthwise and
then across. The seams Of garments
should be put together and the sleeves
carefully folded before the cross-fold-
ing is done.
=
first the way of the selvage, they will
iron badly, their corners stretching
into long angles, thus making an even
square an impossibility. The same
Is also true of table napkins. On
wash days throw a good-sized piece
of orris root in the water where hand
kerchiefs are boiling, then after iron
Ing they will have a delicate fra
GRANGE. Violet and orris scent to-
gether produce a genuine violet odor.
JudiciOus Use Of Starch.
The art of starching is usually
what makes the difference between
a garment that has been washed and
one that looks just like new. Almost
all new fabrics have a certain amount
of dressing, so applied that 1t does not
easily come out with ordinary wear.
The function of starch is to replace
this dressing, while keeping the fabric
as pliable and soft as when new
There are different kinds Of starch
which may be used in laundry work,
so that a choice may be made when
a delicate fabric or dainty dress is to
be made fresh and ready for use
again.
There are corn, wheat, and rice
starches. The blended starches are
combinations OF two or all of the
others, with perhaps some boraX and
paraffin included. This is what you