How Flannels should be Washed.
Have a tub half full of strong soap suds, in which has been dissolved a tablespoonful of borax. Shake all the dust and lint from the flannels, and then put them into the suds. Wash them by rubbing with the hands and sopping them up and down in the water. Wring them out of this water and put them into a tub of clean hot water. Rinse thoroughly in this water, then in a second tubful. Wring dry, shake well, and hang on the lines. When nearly dry, take them in and fold, rolling them very tightly. Wrap a clean cloth around them, and, if possible, iron the same day. Do not have the irons very hot, but press the flannels well. Have clean suds for the colored flannels. To prevent shrinking, the temperature of the water should be the same in all the tubs.
Never use yellow soap for washing flannel, and never rub any other kind of soap upon the cloth.
To wash blankets, make strong suds with some white soap. To every three gallons of water add a tablespoonful of powdered borax. Have the suds as hot as the hands will bear comfortably. Shake the blankets, and, if the bindings be of colored silk, rip them off. Put the blankets in the hot suds and sop them up and down until the suds show that the dirt has been removed. If there be any stains on the blankets, rub the spots well between the hands, but remember the caution not to rub soap on such goods. Have a tub half full of clear water as hot as the suds. After squeezing the suds from the blankets, put them in the rinsing water. Sop them well in this, and then squeeze out the water; finally rinse in a tub of bluing water, having the temperature still as hot as the suds. Press all the water possible from the blankets and hang them on the lines to dry, shaking out all the wrinkles. When dry, fold smoothly and lay on a clean board. Put another board on top, and on this place some heavy weights. In a day or two the blankets will be pressed.
Wash only two blankets at a time, and select a clear day for this work,—a windy day, if possible.
The Right Way to Wash Silk Undergarments.
To three gallons of warm water add three tablespoonfuls of household ammonia. Let the silk garments soak in this for twenty minutes; then rub soap on the parts which are the most badly soiled, and wash the articles with the hands. Never rub them on a board. Rinse in two waters, wring dry, and hang on the line. When nearly dry, take in and fold, and, if possible, iron within a few hours. Never let an iron come in contact with the silk; lay a piece of cloth over the fabric, and iron on that.
The ammonia may be omitted, and the silk garments be washed in strong suds made with white castile soap and warm water.
How to Launder Washable Curtains.
There are many inexpensive cotton or cotton and silk fabrics used for curtains which launder very well if treated properly. Shake out all the dust. Make weak suds with white castile soap. Wash the curtains in this, and rinse them in two waters; then wring dry. Next dip them in a preparation made as follows: Soak half an ounce of isinglass in one quart of cold water for an hour or more. Steep one ounce of saffron on the fire in two quarts of hot water for two hours. Stir the soaked isinglass and half an ounce of alum into this, and then strain into a bowl. Put one fourth of this mixture into another large bowl, and dip one curtain into it, sopping it well, that the color and stiffening may be equally distributed. Shake out and hang on the line to dry.