Fire Alarm. — There is a first-rate patented alarm for
use in bedrooms in case of fire, or for any other place in
which it is desired that an alarm shall be given when a
certain temperature is exceeded. The alarm is arranged to
ring when the temperature reaches a certain point. The
apparatus requires no adjustment, and to set it in action it
has only to be wound up, by means of the fly winder over
the bell.
THE LAUNDRY
Where washing is done at home it is quite necessary that
the mistress of the house should understand all that is
required, for laundry maids are apt to put in all kinds of
cleansing powders, which are most deleterious ; and if
ladies would take the trouble to superintend their home
laundries, no doubt they would reap the benefit of having
their washing better done, and the things would last much
longer.
Washing by hand is now rarely done, as machines are
so generally used, and save so much time and labour.
Where machines are not used, the clothes are steeped over
night, and in washing there are four essential rules to
THE LAUNDRY
53
remember — good water, good soap, good air, and good
rubbing.
To steep the clothes, the tub should be half filled with
water in which should be put a handful of soda and a little
soap. Each garment being put in separately, any very dirty
bit or stains should be soaped. Starched things should
be steeped in plain, cold water. If the clothes are soaked
over night, a tablespoonful of pure ammonia in each tub of
water will much diminish the labour of washing.
The next morning all the clothes should be wrung out
and put into fresh hot water, with plenty of soap to make
a good lather. Each garment should have a thorough
rubbing in order, if possible, to remove all stains. The
clothes are next put into the copper with cold water and
a little soap, and all boiled for about ten minutes, except
dusters, pantry cloths, etc. Two rinsings are necessary ; the
second rinsing must have a little blue in before the clothes
are put in, but they must be thoroughly wrung out before
they are put into the rinsing tub with cold water.
To bleach, put the articles through tepid water after
boiling them, and then lay them on grass and let them lie
all day, and water them with tepid water whenever they
become dry. In the evening turn them over and lay them
on their other side all night and part of next day.
A small quantity of starch for all cottons and linens should
be put in the water, but when they are intended to be
really stiff, a little more starch should be mixed in the water.
It is very important that no garment, etc., should go into
the rinsing tub before it imperfectly clean. Boiling once in
three or four weeks is quite enough for ordinary garments,
but all kitchen cloths, servants' clothes, etc., require boiling
every week; a little Hudson's soap put into the water
cleanses these thoroughly.
Where machines are used, the soap has always to be
prepared beforehand, by cutting it up into small pieces
the day before and putting them into a large earthenware jar.
Pour over the pieces of soap a quart of water to a pound of
soap ; then put this into the oven, and stir occasionally till
it is melted ; leave it all night and in the morning it will
be jellified.
The clothes are soaked in the same way as for hand
washing — the day before. Next morning put the linen into
54
Page 35
Presented as published in 1898. 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
Fire Alarm. — There is a first-rate patented alarm for use in bedrooms in case of fire, or for any other place in which it is desired that an alarm shall be given when a certain temperature is exceeded. The alarm is arranged to ring when the temperature reaches a certain point. The apparatus requires no adjustment, and to set it in action it has only to be wound up, by means of the fly winder over the bell.
Where washing is done at home it is quite necessary that the mistress of the house should understand all that is required, for laundry maids are apt to put in all kinds of cleansing powders, which are most deleterious ; and if ladies would take the trouble to superintend their home laundries, no doubt they would reap the benefit of having their washing better done, and the things would last much longer.
Washing by hand is now rarely done, as machines are so generally used, and save so much time and labour. Where machines are not used, the clothes are steeped over night, and in washing there are four essential rules to
remember — good water, good soap, good air, and good rubbing.
To steep the clothes, the tub should be half filled with water in which should be put a handful of soda and a little soap. Each garment being put in separately, any very dirty bit or stains should be soaped. Starched things should be steeped in plain, cold water. If the clothes are soaked over night, a tablespoonful of pure ammonia in each tub of water will much diminish the labour of washing.
The next morning all the clothes should be wrung out and put into fresh hot water, with plenty of soap to make a good lather. Each garment should have a thorough rubbing in order, if possible, to remove all stains. The clothes are next put into the copper with cold water and a little soap, and all boiled for about ten minutes, except dusters, pantry cloths, etc. Two rinsings are necessary ; the second rinsing must have a little blue in before the clothes are put in, but they must be thoroughly wrung out before they are put into the rinsing tub with cold water.
To bleach, put the articles through tepid water after boiling them, and then lay them on grass and let them lie all day, and water them with tepid water whenever they become dry. In the evening turn them over and lay them on their other side all night and part of next day.
A small quantity of starch for all cottons and linens should be put in the water, but when they are intended to be really stiff, a little more starch should be mixed in the water.
It is very important that no garment, etc., should go into the rinsing tub before is not imperfectly clean. Boiling once in three or four weeks is quite enough for ordinary garments, but all kitchen cloths, servants' clothes, etc., require boiling every week; a little Hudson's soap put into the water cleanses these thoroughly.
Where machines are used, the soap has always to be prepared beforehand, by cutting it up into small pieces the day before and putting them into a large earthenware jar. Pour over the pieces of soap a quart of water to a pound of soap ; then put this into the oven, and stir occasionally till it is melted ; leave it all night and in the morning it will be jellified.
The clothes are soaked in the same way as for hand washing — the day before. Next morning put the linen into