Oxalic acid is poisonous and should be use<:l carefully; the
bottle in w^hich it is kept must be marked "Poison*' and kept
out of the reach of children. To prepare a solution of oxalic
acid for use, as many of the crystals of the acid as possiljle
should be dissolved in a pint of lukewarm w^ater. This should
be put into a bottle, stoppered tightly, and used as needed. This
solution may be applied to the stain with a medicine-dropper
or glass rod and after allowing it to remain for a few minutes
the garment should be rinsed thoroughly in clean water.
Hydrogen peroxide, as obtained for medicinal puiposes, usu-
ally ifl made aUghtly acidi to give it better keeping quality.
STAIN REMOVAL
For use in removing stains a srnaJl amount of the pemxide should
be made slightly alkaline with ammonia. Sinee hydrogen per-
oxide affects the fiber also, in the ease of cotton and Hnen ma-
terials, it must be followed by very careful rinsing. It may be
applied to the slain with a medicine-dropper, a glass rod, or
a clean cork, or the stain sponged with it* The methcxl of
using it in neutralizing potassium permanganate is described
above.
SPECIFIC METHODS FOR INDIVIDUAL STAINS
In case^ in which the nature of the stain is not known, it
should be attacked first by sponging with cold watex, prowded,
however, that the fabric would not l>c injured by water* If the
stain is not removed by cold or w^arm water, chemicals should
then be apphed* Often the beha\ior of a stain, when treatefl
with cold w^ater, w^ill give some indication of its nature; for
ejtaraple, a grease spot will not absorb water. Hot water should
be avoided in treating unknown stains until after other sub-
stances have been tried, since hot water will set many stains
and make their removal more diflScuIt,
Arifh.
With the exception of nitric acid^ acids do not generally produce stains
upoEL whit*! falmca but often change or destroy the color of dyed mat^riala*
However; cotton uml linen fihera are destroyed readily liy some acids,
especially by those of pjreater concentration or strength. Dijute acids
do not att4ick wool and silk fibers to any great extent unless they are
allowed to dry on the cloth and b(*eorae ooncentrated, but they do some*
timea affect the color of the fibers. It is essential, therefore, that acid
0|}OU on textiles be neutnilizcd at once by some alkaline solution. For
thi« p«rf>*'«** ^^y ^^^^ *'f t^"' following should give good results:
L Water, liinse the spot several times in a large volume of water.
This treatment Sierves to stop any further action of the acid on the fabric,
but usually has no effect on any discoloration due to the acid.
2. An alkaline aubstance, such as washing-^mla, ammonia, or borax.
Apply an alkali to the acid epot. The alkali forms a salt with the acid
and this must IjKi rt^moved later liy rinsing or .sponging with water. The
add should l>e neutrali/-<>d completely with the alkali or the di^scolo ration
may reappear after a while. Either of the following alkalis may be used:
(a) Ammonia. If the sixit is slight, neutraliase it by hiilcimK it in the fumea
from an open Iwttlc of strong ammonia. (5) Sodium bicarbonate (baking
8oda}. Sprmkle this on the stain — on both sides, if poeaible^ — ^molsten
I
288
A MANUAL OF HOME-MAKING
4
Page 156
Presented as published in 1919. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
A modernized reading is not available for this page yet. You are seeing the original text.
Oxalic acid is poisonous and should be use<:l carefully; the
bottle in w^hich it is kept must be marked "Poison*' and kept
out of the reach of children. To prepare a solution of oxalic
acid for use, as many of the crystals of the acid as possiljle
should be dissolved in a pint of lukewarm w^ater. This should
be put into a bottle, stoppered tightly, and used as needed. This
solution may be applied to the stain with a medicine-dropper
or glass rod and after allowing it to remain for a few minutes
the garment should be rinsed thoroughly in clean water.
Hydrogen peroxide, as obtained for medicinal puiposes, usu-
ally ifl made aUghtly acidi to give it better keeping quality.
STAIN REMOVAL
For use in removing stains a srnaJl amount of the pemxide should
be made slightly alkaline with ammonia. Sinee hydrogen per-
oxide affects the fiber also, in the ease of cotton and Hnen ma-
terials, it must be followed by very careful rinsing. It may be
applied to the slain with a medicine-dropper, a glass rod, or
a clean cork, or the stain sponged with it* The methcxl of
using it in neutralizing potassium permanganate is described
above.
SPECIFIC METHODS FOR INDIVIDUAL STAINS
In case^ in which the nature of the stain is not known, it
should be attacked first by sponging with cold watex, prowded,
however, that the fabric would not l>c injured by water* If the
stain is not removed by cold or w^arm water, chemicals should
then be apphed* Often the beha\ior of a stain, when treatefl
with cold w^ater, w^ill give some indication of its nature; for
ejtaraple, a grease spot will not absorb water. Hot water should
be avoided in treating unknown stains until after other sub-
stances have been tried, since hot water will set many stains
and make their removal more diflScuIt,
Arifh.
With the exception of nitric acid^ acids do not generally produce stains
upoEL whit*! falmca but often change or destroy the color of dyed mat^riala*
However; cotton uml linen fihera are destroyed readily liy some acids,
especially by those of pjreater concentration or strength. Dijute acids
do not att4ick wool and silk fibers to any great extent unless they are
allowed to dry on the cloth and b(*eorae ooncentrated, but they do some*
timea affect the color of the fibers. It is essential, therefore, that acid
0|}OU on textiles be neutnilizcd at once by some alkaline solution. For
thi« p«rf>*'«** ^^y ^^^^ *'f t^"' following should give good results:
L Water, liinse the spot several times in a large volume of water.
This treatment Sierves to stop any further action of the acid on the fabric,
but usually has no effect on any discoloration due to the acid.
2. An alkaline aubstance, such as washing-^mla, ammonia, or borax.
Apply an alkali to the acid epot. The alkali forms a salt with the acid
and this must IjKi rt^moved later liy rinsing or .sponging with water. The
add should l>e neutrali/-<>d completely with the alkali or the di^scolo ration
may reappear after a while. Either of the following alkalis may be used:
(a) Ammonia. If the sixit is slight, neutraliase it by hiilcimK it in the fumea
from an open Iwttlc of strong ammonia. (5) Sodium bicarbonate (baking
8oda}. Sprmkle this on the stain — on both sides, if poeaible^ — ^molsten
I
288
A MANUAL OF HOME-MAKING
4