Original White House Cookbook

The back of the shirt should be ironed first by doubling it lengthwise through the centre, the wristbands may be ironed next, and both sides of the sleeves, then the collar band ; now place a bosom board under the bosom and with a fresh clean napkin dampened a little, rub the bosom from the top towards the bottom, arranging and smoothing each plait neatly ; then with a smooth, moderately-hot fiat-iron, begin ironing from the top downward, pressing hard until the bosom becomes smooth, dry and glossy. Remove the bosom board and iron the front, fold both sides of the shirt towards the centre of the back, fold together below the bosom and hang on the bars to air. CLEANING OIL-CLOTHS. A DINGY oil-cloth may be brightened by washing it with clear water with a little borax dissolved in it ; wipe it with a flannel cloth that you have dipped into milk and then wring as dry as possible. TO CLEAN BLACK LACE. No. 1. A TEASPOONFUL of gum arabic dissolved in one teacupful of boiling water ; when cool, add half a teaspoonful of black ink ; dip the lace and spread smoothly between the folds of a newspaper and press dry with book or the like. Lace shawls can be dressed over in this way, by pinning a sheet to the carpet and stretching the shawl upon that ; or black lace can be cleaned the same as ribbon and silk. Take an old kid glove (black preferable), no matter how old, and boil it in a pint of water for a short time ; then let it cool until the leather can be taken in the hand without burning; use the glove to sponge off the ribbon; if the ribbon is very dirty, dip it into water and draw through the fingers a few times before sponging. After cleaning, lay a piece of paper over the ribbon and iron ; paper is better than cloth. The ribbon will look like new. TO CLEAN BLACK LACE. No. 2. Black laces of all kinds may be cleaned by alcohol. Throw them boldly into the liquid ; churn them up and down till they foam ; if very dusty, use the second dose of alcohol; squeeze them out, “spat” them, pull out the edges, lay them between brown paper, smooth and straight ; leave under a heavy weight till dry ; do not iron. TO WASH WHITE LACE. No. 1. First, the soiled laces should be carefully removed from the garment and folded a number of times, keeping the edges evenly together, then basted with a coarse thread without a knot in the end. Now put them in a basin of luke-warm suds. After soaking a half hour, rub them carefully between the hands, renewing the suds several times ; then, after soaping them well, place them in cold water and let them come to a scald. Take them from this and rinse them thoroughly in luke-warm water, blued a very little, then dip them into a very thin, clear starch, allowing a teaspoonful of starch to a pint of water, so thin that it will be scarcely perceptible. Now roll them in a clean, fresh towel without taking out the bastings ; let them lie for an hour or more ; iron over several thicknesses of flannel, taking out the bastings of one piece at a time, and ironing on the wrong side, with a moderately-hot iron; the laces should be nearly dry, and the edges and points pulled gently with the Angers into shape, before ironing. TO WASH WHITE THREAD LACE. No. 2.