FoodNet

Girl's home manual of cookery, home management, home nursing and laundry

1913

Page 101

Presented as published in 1913. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
When clothes are put in the boiler, this should be half full of warm soft water with a little dissolved soap and a tablespoonful of soda solution. Bring the clothes to the boil and boil for fifteen minutes. Press them down with the end LAUNDRY WORK 17] of a rounded stick to keep clothes under water. Clothes are boiled to keep them a good colour and to purify them. They should be boiled at least once a month, even if they are washed with Naptha soap at other times. Remove clothes from boiler with boiler stick, a few at a time; hold a pan or tub close to boiler to receive them. General Rules for Drying (1.) Dry in the open air if possible, as it whitens and purifies the clothes. (2.) Wipe clothes line with a damp cloth and see that the pegs are clean. Pegs need to be scrubbed occasionally. (3.) Keep the clothes turned wrong side out. (4.) Hang the thickest parts uppermost. (5.) Hang the clothes to catch the wind. (6.) Hang coloured garments in the shade. Pegging Out. (a) Peg nightdresses and chemises by the shoulders or bottom hem. (b) Sheets and tablecloths hang double, yet so as to catch the wind. Peg four inches in from the selvage on either side. (c) Stockings should be pegged by the feet. (d) Collars and cuffs should be strung on a tape. (e) Peg handkerchiefs three together. How to Dampen Clothes (1.) Dampen clothes some hours before ironing, so that the moisture may spread evenly. (2.) Sprinkle clothes evenly all over, using warm water for starched things. Use the tips of the fingers or a clean whisk. The clothes must not be made too wet. (3.) Pull out frills, remove creases and fold the clothes length-wise, as evenly as possible; roll those clothes to be ironed, each article separately, frills and sleeves inside. Table napkins, handkerchiefs, and small ‘towels, fold in half and roll up in half dozens. (4.) Pack the clothes in a basket lined with a damp cloth, cover with another damp cloth, and leave in a cool place until ready to iron or mangle. N.B.—It saves time in dampening if the clothes are taken off the line before quite dry, and folded and rolled up ready to iron or mangle. ‘Clothes put through stiff starch are an exception, and need thorough drying to prevent the iron from sticking. Mangling. This takes the place of the iron for flat work. See that the mangle rollers are perfectly clean, screw them down tightly. Clothes for mangling should be slightly damp. Fold by the seams without creases as evenly as possible. Make the article into a long narrow even strip, double in half smoothly before mangling. Tablecloths, napkins, sheets, towels and handkerchiefs fold in four length- wise, selvage to selvage first, then double the long strip thus formed by table- cloths and sheets into two. The hems must not be brought close together, as they would be too thick for the mangle. As clothes are ready to be taken from the mangle others should be ready to go in before the last are entirely out, as this prevents injury to the rollers. “Turn the rollers slowly and keep the clothes even. Air well all clothes after mangling. 172 GIRLS’ HOME MANUAL CHAPTER VIII. THE WASHING AND FINISHING OF WOOLLENS Materials. . Warm soft water, soap jelly, ammonia or borax. If the water is not soft,. add one tablespoonful of borax to each gallon. One part boiling water to one and one-half parts cold makes a good heat for woollens. Processes. Wash the cleanest and lightest in colour first. (1.) Shake to free from dust. (2.) Wash by squeezing in warm soapy water on the right side. The soap. lather must not be too strong, or it will injure the flannels. Squeeze woollens. out of this water, turn on the wrong side. (3.) Wash by squeezing in a second warm soapy water, on the wrong side.. (4.) Rinse until free from soap in clear warm water. (5.) White woollens and flannels may be slightly blued.