The wringer is of great assistance to good work. It should be a
good machine having hard rubber rollers, ball-bearing action, and
strong springs at the side. It must be cleaned after using, dried,
the pressure loosened, and the whole kept covered.
The drier. — If clothesline or heavy wire is used, this must be of
good quality, and well cared for. The clothesline should' be taken
in after each using. A revolving drier is convenient, and may even
LAUNDERING AND DRY CLEANSING 373
be used in apartment houses. The steam drier has a rack on which
clothes are himg, and economizes space and time.
Irons. — The hand iron is heated in several different ways.
The old-fashioned iron heated on the stove, and the electric iron are
the most satisfactory. In buying hand irons, select those of good
weight, for this makes the work easier. Three or four will suffice
for ordinary work, and they should weigh from 4 or 5 to 7 pounds.
A small pointed iron is necessary for fine work, and for sleeves there
is a special, narrow iron. The irons must be kept clean, and per-
fectly dry when not in use. Wax tied in a cloth is a good cleaner,
and should be at hand during the ironing process. A stand is nec-
essary on which the iron may rest, and paper or cloth on which
to rub the iron when it comes from the stove.
Electric irons are proving very satisfactory, and although the
first cost is high, they should be used wherever possible.
The mangle. — Small mangles, used either cold or heated, are
now made for family use, and are great labor savers in flat work.
Towels and small flat pieces may even be put through the wringer,
while they are still damp, with very good effect.
The ironing board. — This should be firm, well padded, and
covered with clean cloth. The cover may be made to tie on so
that it can be easily changed. Ironing boards should be placed
in a good light. Boards may be attached to the wall, and these
have firm support. In a small room, the board can be made to
turn up.
Other apparatus. — A hamper or bag for soiled clothes, a basket
for clean, pail and dipper, a clothes stick, a large pan, a small and a
large saucepan, a teakettle for boiling water, a knife, wooden si)oon,
common spoons and measures, a sprinkler or brush for sprinkling
clothes, a clotheshorse, clothes hangers for waists and dresses.
The soiled clothes bag should be washed weekly, and the hamper
should have a removable lining' also for weekly washing.
Monday and Tuesday are the traditional days for washing
and ironing, but the woman who does her own work, or per-
haps has a helper, or one maid, may find it a good plan to do
no more on Monday than the mending, removing of stains,
and sorting. This gives time to make the house orderly,
after Sunday, and to prepare food, some of which may last
374 FOODS AND HOUSEHOLD MANAGEMENT
over the next two days. Some of the clothes may then be
soaked overnight.
Order of work. — Mending, sorting the clothes, removing
stains, soaking, washing, boiling, rinsing, bluing, starching,
drying, sprinkling and rolling, ironing, folding, airing,
sorting, and distributing.
Methods. — Mending and removing spots from fabrics
are discussed in ''Shelter and Clothing." A few common
stains are removed as follows :
Page 236
Presented as published in 1914. 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 wringer is of great assistance to good work. It should be a good machine having hard rubber rollers, ball-bearing action, and strong springs at the side. It must be cleaned after using, dried, the pressure loosened, and the whole kept covered.
The drier. — If clothesline or heavy wire is used, this must be of good quality, and well cared for. The clothesline should be taken in after each using. A revolving drier is convenient, and may even
be used in apartment houses. The steam drier has a rack on which clothes are himg, and economizes space and time.
Irons. — The hand iron is heated in several different ways. The old-fashioned iron heated on the stove, and the electric iron are the most satisfactory. In buying hand irons, select those of good weight, for this makes the work easier. Three or four will suffice for ordinary work, and they should weigh from 4 or 5 to 7 pounds. A small pointed iron is necessary for fine work, and for sleeves there is a special, narrow iron. The irons must be kept clean, and perfectly dry when not in use. Wax tied in a cloth is a good cleaner, and should be at hand during the ironing process. A stand is necessary on which the iron may rest, and paper or cloth on which to rub the iron when it comes from the stove.
Electric irons are proving very satisfactory, and although the first cost is high, they should be used wherever possible.
The mangle. — Small mangles, used either cold or heated, are now made for family use, and are great labor savers in flat work. Towels and small flat pieces may even be put through the wringer, while they are still damp, with very good effect.
The ironing board. — This should be firm, well padded, and covered with clean cloth. The cover may be made to tie on so that it can be easily changed. Ironing boards should be placed in a good light. Boards may be attached to the wall, and these have firm support. In a small room, the board can be made to turn up.
Other apparatus. — A hamper or bag for soiled clothes, a basket for clean, pail and dipper, a clothes stick, a large pan, a small and a large saucepan, a teakettle for boiling water, a knife, wooden spoon, common spoons and measures, a sprinkler or brush for sprinkling clothes, a clotheshorse, clothes hangers for waists and dresses. The soiled clothes bag should be washed weekly, and the hamper should have a removable lining' also for weekly washing.
Monday and Tuesday are the traditional days for washing and ironing, but the woman who does her own work, or perhaps has a helper, or one maid, may find it a good plan to do no more on Monday than the mending, removing of stains, and sorting. This gives time to make the house orderly, after Sunday, and to prepare food, some of which may last
over the next two days. Some of the clothes may then be soaked overnight.
Order of work. — Mending, sorting the clothes, removing stains, soaking, washing, boiling, rinsing, bluing, starching, drying, sprinkling and rolling, ironing, folding, airing, sorting, and distributing.
Methods. — Mending and removing spots from fabrics are discussed in ''Shelter and Clothing." A few common stains are removed as follows :