318.—Cleaning Fine Fabrics.—In cleaning fabrics great care should be taken not to rub them roughly between the hands. The gentle rubbing on of the solvent with a fresh cloth is sufficient.
319. To Wash White Woolen Blankets.—To wash white woolen blankets, dissolve four tablespoonfuls of good washing powder in a dipperful of boiling water and pour into a tub of warm water. Open the blanket out wide and put it in the tub and let it soak all over for a half an hour. Then rub it all over between the hands, and if there are any stains left, rub them with soap. Rinse in clear water of the same temperature as the wash water. If you do this your blankets will be soft and will not shrink. Do not rub blankets on a washboard, as it makes them hard, and blueing added makes them a dull gray color.
320. To Take Out Wagon Grease.—To take out wagon grease, which is of two kinds, that made from coal tar may be removed from cloth by an application of petroleum; the other, made from animal fat, responds to a sponging of ether.
321. Old Perspiration Stains.—Old perspiration stains may be removed by applying oxalic acid and water in solution, one part of the former to twenty parts of the latter.
322. Eyelet Embroidery.—Eyelet embroidery is one of the daintiest as well as the simplest of embroideries, and, best of all, with a little practice the work can be accomplished quite rapidly. Eyelet embroidery is equally effective done on sheer or heavy material; and neat sewing is all that is required to gain good results.
323. A Convenience for the Household.—A convenience for the household, that will be appreciated by men as well as women, is a wire rack to hang in the closet. It has a series of projecting arms upon which coat hangers may be placed without interfering with each other. This greatly augments the closet room. This rack may be slipped over an ordinary closet hook, and will accommodate five coat hangers.
324. To Turn the Hems of the Table Linen Easily and Accurately.—To turn the hems of the table linen easily and accurately, remove the needle from your sewing machine, adjust the hemmer to the desired width and pass the goods through. They are then ready for hemming by hand. You will find this saves a great deal of time, and gives you a straight, even hem.
325. Soft Wood Floors to Paint.—If a soft wood floor is glue sized, before painting, it will take less paint.
[890 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
326. Hanging Out Quilts.—When hanging out quilts and pillows, pound and brush them the first thing, and let the fresh air get into them all day. Most people do this just before taking them in. Consequently the beds did not get the proper airings.