FoodNetArchive

Around-the-world cook book

1913

Page 103 · 2 recipe records on this page

Presented as published in 1913. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
Sometimes the application of soap, ammonia, or gasoline to fabrics that have been soiled seems only to make the stains more prominent. This is partly because the cleaning agent was not suitable to the material. No matter whether it is silk, wool, or cotton, there should always be a fresh piece of cloth placed underneath, to absorb the soiled fluid that soaks through, otherwise the cleaning- fluid, laden with dirt, has no place to go, and simply spreads over the original place. Several layers of some absorbent ma- terial should be used; layers of cheese-cloth are very good for this purpose. It is also important that the fabric to be cleaned be spread out smoothly, so that it may be seen that no dirty ring is formed outside the stained portion. To prevent the forma- tion of such a ring, the stained portion should be surrounded with cornstarch, which will prevent the cleaning-fluid from spreading. If there should be a ring formed outside the cleaned portion, it may in some cases be removed by holding it over the spout of a boiling tea-kettle. The absorbent cloth should also be large enough to admit of moving the stained spot to a different place, so as not to rub in again, the old washed-out dirt. Use a piece of old, but clean flannel for wetting and for 306 AROUND-THE-WORLD COOK BOOK rubbing; and also have another clean piece for use in drying the spot as nearly as possible. GREASE SPOTS ON LINEN OR COTTON To remove grease spots from linen or cotton, use soap or weak lyes, and rub well with glycerin, and wash them out in warm water. TO REMOVE GREASE SPOTS FROM WOOLENS To remove grease spots from woolen goods use soapsuds, or ammonia. TO REMOVE GREASE SPOTS FROM SILKS To remove grease spots from silks, use benzine, ether, mag- nesia, chalk, or ammonia. TWEED AND SERGE GARMENTS For cleaning tweed and serge garments, a mixture of pure alcohol and salt is very useful. As much coarse common salt should be used as the alcohol will absorb, and the liquid should be applied as evenly as possible over the whole spot to be cleaned, using a brush to apply it. TO REMOVE MILDEW FROM LINEN To remove mildew from linen rub the linen well with soap, and then add a scraping of fine chalk. Cover well with the soap and chalk, and rub it well into the fabric. Put it in the air, and as it dries keep moistening it again. After two or three applications of the chalk and soap, the mildew will disappear. Another method of removing mildew is by using chlorid of lime. For strong fabrics dissolve 4 tablespoons of dry chlorid 307 AROUND-THE-WORLD COOK BOOK of lime in half a pint of water, and let the mildewed article lie in this for 15 minutes ; then wring it out gently, and put it into weak muriatic acid solution Oxalic Acid Solution made of 1 part of muriatic acid and 4 parts of water. For delicate fabrics the above solution of chlorid would be too strong, therefore the solution should be made of only 1 part of chlorid of lime to 12 parts of water, and furthermore the fabric should not be allowed to remain in the solution longer than 5 minutes. IRON-RTJST STAINS Iron-rust stains are removed by using cream of tartar. If this be sprinkled on the stain and the damaged fabric be allowed to remain in the sun for a little while, the spot will disappear. If the first application is not entirely successful, a second will almost surely remove the stain.