THE HOUSEWIFE^S BEFEREB
the machine (each machine has instructions with it of how
many articles it will hold), strew some of the soap jelly
amongst the clothes, cover with hot water and turn the
machine for about twenty minutes to half-an-hour. Then
the clothes can be taken out and passed through the wringer,
when they are put into the copper and boiled for about
twenty minutes, and then thrown into the rinsing tubs as
in hand- washing.
Soda should not be used for coloured goods, a little salt
should be put into the water with them.
Shirt fronts, collars, cuffs, and skirts should be dipped in
starch whilst dry.
Thin muslins and laces are dipped in starch whilst dry,
and then clapped with the hands till in the right condition
to iron.
Unbleached cottons, etc., follow the white clothes through
the same waters, but must never be washed with them, as
they discharge a portion of their colour, and so discolour the
white clothes.
A spoonful of ox-gall to a gallon of water will set the
colours of most things soaked in it previous to washing.
Vinegar in the rinsing water for pink or green calicoes will
whiten them. Pearlash for purples and blues. Crimson
is the most difficult colour to wash : a good plan is to
put in a little bran in a saucepan and let it come to boiling
point, then pour the water off the bran, and when it is cool
use it to wash the crimson article.
Before the wash begins all the bed linen and underclothing
should be placed by themselves, the table linen and tea
towels put into another pile, the flannels in another, and
all the coloured clothes put aside to wash last.
Ironing. — For this purpose a thick blanket about one
and a half yard square must be laid on a deal table, over
which place a clean calico cloth. Then spread the article
to be ironed very smoothly on the cloth, steady it with the
left hand, and pass the hot iron quickly and firmly over it
without making any creases ; it must be then folded and
hung up on the clothes horse to dry.
A small board covered with flannel should be used for
shirt fronts, and a larger board tapering at one end for
skirts. Embroidery should be ironed on the wrong side in
THE LAUNDRY
55
order that the work may be raised. The irons should be
scrupulously clean, and smooth, and rubbed with beeswax
and salt. They should always be wiped with a handker-
chief before using.
Starching. — Allow a teaspoonful of good starch to each
shirt and collar, use just enough cold water to wet the
starch. Stir till it is free from lumps, and add a little more,
and stir it again. Add for each shirt a piece of sperm or
white wax as big as a pea, and a quarter of a spoonful of
clean salt to three spoonfuls of starch and a teaspoonful of
glycerine, pour on boiling water✪ Starching, stirring slowly all the time,
boil hard for fifteen minutes without scorching, skim and
strain whilst hot ; to do this, dip the strainer in cold water
while the starch is in the bag, and squeeze it immediately,
before it becomes hot. Wet the shirt fronts, collars, and
cuffs in hot water, wring them dry, and starch them whilst
damp ; rub the starch well in and wring in a dry towel and
remove all starch left on the outside, spread out evenly, rub
down with a dry cloth and roll tightly together. Let them
lie two or three hours and then iron, and the shirts will have
a perfect gloss on them.
Page 36 · 1 recipe record on this page
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
THE HOUSEWIFE'S REFEREE
the machine (each machine has instructions with it of how many articles it will hold), strew some of the soap jelly amongst the clothes, cover with hot water and turn the machine for about twenty minutes to half-an-hour. Then the clothes can be taken out and passed through the wringer, when they are put into the copper and boiled for about twenty minutes, and then thrown into the rinsing tubs as in hand- washing.
Soda should not be used for coloured goods, a little salt should be put into the water with them.
Shirt fronts, collars, cuffs, and skirts should be dipped in starch whilst dry.
Thin muslins and laces are dipped in starch whilst dry, and then clapped with the hands till in the right condition to iron.
Unbleached cottons, etc., follow the white clothes through the same waters, but must never be washed with them, as they discharge a portion of their colour, and so discolour the white clothes.
A spoonful of ox-gall to a gallon of water will set the colours of most things soaked in it previous to washing. Vinegar in the rinsing water for pink or green calicoes will whiten them. Pearlash for purples and blues. Crimson is the most difficult colour to wash : a good plan is to put in a little bran in a saucepan and let it come to boiling point, then pour the water off the bran, and when it is cool use it to wash the crimson article.
Before the wash begins all the bed linen and underclothing should be placed by themselves, the table linen and tea towels put into another pile, the flannels in another, and all the coloured clothes put aside to wash last.
Ironing. — For this purpose a thick blanket about one and a half yard square must be laid on a deal table, over which place a clean calico cloth. Then spread the article to be ironed very smoothly on the cloth, steady it with the left hand, and pass the hot iron quickly and firmly over it without making any creases ; it must be then folded and hung up on the clothes horse to dry.
A small board covered with flannel should be used for shirt fronts, and a larger board tapering at one end for skirts. Embroidery should be ironed on the wrong side in
order that the work may be raised. The irons should be scrupulously clean, and smooth, and rubbed with beeswax and salt. They should always be wiped with a handkerchief before using.
Starching. — Allow a teaspoonful of good starch to each shirt and collar, use just enough cold water to wet the starch. Stir till it is free from lumps, and add a little more, and stir it again. Add for each shirt a piece of sperm or white wax as big as a pea, and a quarter of a spoonful of clean salt to three spoonfuls of starch and a teaspoonful of glycerine, pour on boiling water, stirring slowly all the time, boil hard for fifteen minutes without scorching, skim and strain whilst hot ; to do this, dip the strainer in cold water while the starch is in the bag, and squeeze it immediately, before it becomes hot. Wet the shirt fronts, collars, and cuffs in hot water, wring them dry, and starch them whilst damp ; rub the starch well in and wring in a dry towel and remove all starch left on the outside, spread out evenly, rub down with a dry cloth and roll tightly together. Let them lie two or three hours and then iron, and the shirts will have a perfect gloss on them.
Records on this page
Starching