A manual of home-making

A liquid for washing delicate fabrics and mlom may be umle from laundry starch, grated potatoes, rice, flour, and the lil;e. The water in which rice has boiled may be saved and utilized for the same purpose. The cleansing liquid after cook- ing should be as thick as cream aiid should be diluted from one to four times, according to the amount of dirt in the clothing. tlothing should be rinsed in a more dilute solution, which may be blued for white clothes. 6TABCH There is a twofold reason for the use of starch in laundry operations: (1) the glared surface of a starched garment keeps vkan longer than an unglazed, or unstarched, surface; (2) the increase in body of the starched garment gives it increased re- sistance to moisture and some garments are considered corre- spondingly more attractive in appearance. In the commercial laundry and in those industries in which the finishing of fabrics k a consideration, use is made, not of one kind of starch, but of several, according to the nature of the work to be donST The American housekeeper uses, as a rule, only cornstarch, because of its cheapness and a lack of knowledge of the char- acteristics of the other starches* The several varieti^ of starch vary considerably in their ability to penetrate fabrics. The reason for the use of rice starch with finer fabrics by those con- sidered to do a superior grade of laundry work, is t^ause of its penetrative quality. It is said to penetrate the pores of a fabric more completely than does any other starch and to give a finer, smoother finish. Next to rice starch in penetrability comes wheat starch. Cornstarch is the poorest of the three starches; it has a tendency to lump and show starch spots after ironing. i "M 256 A MANUAL OF HOME-MAKING turpentine, paraffin, fuller's earth. In the caee of the ^^ powders a ^'filler" is used, that is, a substance giving to the powder and very properly considered an adulterant, best powders contain large amounts of soap and only amounts of alkali. A report is made of one of the poorer ' ties of washing powder containing only 10 per cent of T Enough has been said in connection with the effect of aD and their use to guide the housekeeper in her purchase and of these powders. There may be occasions when a powder is desirable, but indiscriminate use of th^e strong ( ing agents is inadvisable and should not be generally indi] Directions and formvXas, Home-made aoap: 1 pound can lye dissolved in 3 pints cold water 5 pounds fat melted, 1)4 tablespoons borax, 14 cup ammonift When lye mi^cture h&a cooled add it to fat^ stii- until aa thick ] pour into wooden or pasteboard boxes lined with oiled or eet away to harden. Soap-bark: 1 pound Boap-bark equals 2 pounds soft aoap. Use in place of i Bran: 1 cup bran 1 quart water BoO M hour. Btrain, boil bran in a second quart water H hour needed, reduce with warm water. PokUo water: Grate two Isjge'-sized potatoes into 1 pint clean, eleaff soli fittain into 1 gaOon water, let liquid settle. Poor o£f and use. Soap eeiidion for iDOBkmQ colored go<xU: yi pound mild or medium soap to 1 gallon water* Soap soluiion for ordinary purposes: 1 bar ordinary washing soap 2 to 3 quarts water Bhave eoap and put into saucepan with cold water. Heat until soap Ib dissolved (about 1 hour). Soap soltUion for soaking dothes: 1 bar ordinary soap