FoodNetArchive

The housewife's referee

1898

Page 40 · 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.
Flannels. — Flannels should always be washed with jellied soap, prepared as I have described in machine washing. When flannels have been washed before, half a pound of soap will be sufiicient; but if new, double that quantity must be used. Two tubs of water are necessary ; into one the soap liquid must be poured till the water is a thick lather. Each article should be taken separately, steeped and shaken well in the lather, and rubbed lightly all over ; then each article should be wrung out of the soapy water and rinsed in the other pan filled with hot water, after which it must be taken out and passed through the Avringer, or wrung tightly with the hands, and rolled in a clean cloth ; after which it must be taken from the cloth, shaken well, and hung before the fire to dry, and whilst drying, the flannels should be shaken and stretched occasionally to prevent shrinking. Whenever the water becomes cold or dirty, it should be changed and more soap jelly added, as the good colour of the flannels depends much on this. After drying, the articles should be folded and pressed with a moderately hot iron. Combinations and jerse3^s do not require ironing ; but should be folded straight and passed through the mangle twice. To wash coloured flannels of brilliant shades, a wineglass of vinegar should be added to each water to preserve the colour. Hanging out to dry. — In hanging linen the thickest part of the article should hang down, as it will take the longer to dry ; the pegs should be arranged so that the weight of 60 THE HOUSEWIFE^S REFEKEE the article banging is evenly distributed, otherwise the garment may be torn or pulled out of shape. To Wash Black Silk Stockings. — Wash in strong salt water, then dry them, and wash again in another solution, finishing in clean water. Scorched Linen. — If the scorch is not too bad, dipping the article in soapsuds and hanging it in the sun for some hours will be likely to remove it. Scorched spots that are very bad can be restored by repeated dipping in a saturated solution of borax. The saturated solution consists of as much crystal as the water will dissolve ; if the borax stands undisturbed in the bottom of the bottle, the full- strength solution is there. Repeated dippings and ex- posures to sun or fire-light will generally remove almost Ziopeless cases. Another way is to peel and slice onions and extract the juice by pounding and squeezing ; and add to the juice half an ounce of fine white soap cut small, two ounces of fullers' earth, one half -pint of vinegaOnion Juice Stain Removerr ; boil all together, and when cool spread on the linen and let dry, Wash the articles as usual, boiling well. To Shrink Flannel. — Pour hot (not boiling) water on it, allow it to soak for some time; then take it out of the water to drip. If it can be mangled it should be run through, but it must not be left to get dry without. It should never be wrung out with the hands or ironed. If folded smoothly before pouring the water on it, and care is taken in the hanging of it out, it will not crease at all.