WASHING BY STEAM.
It may interest many housewives to know that dirty clothes can be thoroughly and effectively washed by means of steam, with a much less expenditure of time and trouble than by the old way of boiling and rubbing. Anything that lessens the labour and discomfort of washing-day will be welcomed as a boon by every housewife. Numerous washing-machines have been before the public for many years, and have been used with more or less success, and we venture to describe one constructed on this principle which has given satisfaction to ourselves. The chief merits of the Steam-washers made by Fletcher of Warrington, and Fingland, Leeds, &c. are—rubbing and boiling of clothes are done away with, and with their method, no servant or housewife need spend more than three hours over a fair fortnight’s washing. Fingland’s Washer (Morton’s patent) consists of a fluted copper cylinder, made to revolve in a strong polished copper case or box. Into the cistern-shaped box, water is put to a depth of three inches, then caused to boil by means of a gas-fire below. The construction of the Washer is based upon the fact of the expansion of the water into steam. The water is continually throwing off a large quantity of steam, which forces its way through all parts of the clothes in the cylinder, and in so doing slackens and carries away the dirt. The articles, duly soaked in water overnight, are put into the cylinder; a few finely cut pieces of soap are laid between each layer; then the lids of cylinder and box are closed, and the handle is turned once or twice. It now stands until the water is boiling, when the handle may be slowly turned for ten or fifteen minutes, reversing the motion occasionally. The steam having permeated the clothes in the cylinder, they may be taken out and rinsed first in cold, and afterwards in blued cold water. The water in the cistern needs to be changed every fourth or fifth boiling. Prints, flannels, and woollens require slightly different treatment. The clothes come out pure and clean after rinsing, and an ordinary washing can be accomplished in one-third of the usual time, and at less expense. Attachment with an india-rubber tube to an ordinary gas-pipe will usually give sufficient gas; but sometimes it is better to have a thicker pipe than usual with a special connection.