THE CHEMAW A
AM ERICAN
5
that is necessary. All stains must be removed before putting the gar
ment in hot, soapy water. Fruit stains yield readily to boiling water,
while ink and mildew may be removed by soaking the material in milk.
Starch is used to stiffen clothes and may be used either raw or cold.
The first step necessary in laundry work is to collect the soiled clothes
and then sort them, separating household linen from body linen, and
woolen and colored clothes from the white ones. If the white clothes
are badly soiled, soak them in soapy water for a few hours, or over
night.
Put the clothes into clean, warm suds and rub them with the hands
or on the board until they are clean. Have cold water and soap in the
boiler and put the clothes in it, let them boil from ten to twenty min
utes. White clothes should be scalded to bleach and sterilize them, but
colored clothes and woolens would be ruined by such treatment. Take
the clothes from the boiler and rinse them first in clear water, then in
blue water. Clothes that require no starching may be hung on the line
at once to dry. Before clothes are hung out to dry they should be
shaken out and hung so that they will not be stretched out of shape.
Clear starch for ordinary purposes may be made according to the fol
lowing directions: Take one tablespoon of starch to a quart of boiling
water. Where thicker starch is desired, as for collars and cuffs, use
more starch to the same quantity of water. ' Mix the starch with cold
water to make smooth, add the boiling water, stirring constantly; let
boil for several minutes.
There are various preparations on the market to add gloss and make
ironing easier, but, good results may be obtained by adding a little borax
or paraffine to the hot starch. Where parts of garments are wanted very
stiff they must be starched with cooked starch and allowed to dry, then
starch in cold starch made as follows: Mix smooth one tablespoon of
starch in a pint of luke-warm water, moisten the parts of the garment
with this starch and let stand at least an hour. When the clothes are
dry take them from the line, fold loosely and put in a clothes-basket.
Several hours before ironing, spread a clean cloth on the table, shake
the clothes out, lay them on the table and sprinkle them evenly and
lightly. Table linen should be very damp. Fold and roll the clothes
tightly and lay aside until ready to iron. Have the ironing-board ready
and irons hot. Have some folded paper and a cloth ready to test the
iron, to see if it is too hot, or not clean; and also the wax for polishing
the iron.
When ready to iron take the waist, shake it out and pull it into shape.
Iron the trimmings, bands, collars and cuffs, next the sleeves, then each
section of the garment. Be sure every part is dry, then fold loosely and
hang on a rack to dry and air
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