THE LAUNDRY

The first time black calicoes are washed, pour boiling rainwater over them, let stand about five minutes, then wash, rinse, starch, and hang out. This will set the color and prevent fading. Some treat all calicoes in this manner. Black percales, lawns, etc. , starched in gum arabic water and ironed on the wrong side will. look like new. Do not use soap in washing black or navy blue linens. Take instead two potatoes, wash, peel and grate into tepid soft water, add a tea- spoon ammonia ; wash the linens in this and rinse in cold bluing water. They will need no starch, and should be dried, and ironed on the wrong side. Bran water is nice for brown linens, also for flannel, merino or cashmere. Purple and black calicoes are very much im- proved by dipping them in sweet milk, (with a little water added). * Use this in place of starch, as it not only stiffens, but improves the color of the calico. Calicoes and linens should be hung in the shade to dry; do not let them lie in the water, but wash, rinse, starch, and hang right out. Remember to use soft water, always boiling hot ; use soft soap, and put it in the water, never rub it on the clothes. Use neither wash-board nor wringer, but let the entire work be done with the hands. On no account -suffer flan- nels or calicoes to lie in a. pile after they are wrung out ; it is better to take each piece separately, wash, rinse and hang out ; in the meantime the suds and rinsing waters must be kept boiling hot. When flannels are almost dry bring them in, pull into shape, fold loosely, roll up tightly in a clean towel, and iron after they have been folded a quarter of an hour. Flannels washed and ironed in the above manner will keep white and soft, and will not shrink. Never wash flannels on a stormy day, and never let them freeze. The wash- ing fluids that contain turpentine, alcohol, ammonia, camphor gum, etc. , ought never to be used, since they tend to open the pores of the skin, thus making the person more liable to take cold

354 THE BUCKEYE COOK BOOK.

PROF. LIEBIG'S WASHING FLUID.

The very best known, as it saves in time, labor, clothes and soap. One pound sal-soda, one-half pound stone lime, five quarts soft water ; boil a short time in copper or brass kettle, stirring occasionally, let settle and pour off the clear fluid into a stone jug and cork for use ; soak white clothes over night in simple water, wring out and soap wristbands, collars and dirty or stained places; have boiler half filled with water, and when at scalding heat, put in one com- mon teacup of fluid, stir and put in clothes, and boil half an hour, rub lightly through one suds only, rinsing well in the bluing water as usual, and all is complete. Instead of soaking clothes over night, they may soak in suds for a few hours before beginning wsshing. For each additional boiler of clothes add half a cup only of the fluid, of course, boiling in the same water through the whole washing. If more water is needed in the boiler for the last clothes dip it from the sudsing tub. This fluid brightens instead of fading the colors in calico, and is good for colored flannels. It does not rot clothes, but they must not lie long in the water ; the boiling, sudsing, rinsing and bluing must follow each other in rapid succession, until clothes are hung on the line, which should be by ten o'clock in the morning.