. Fruit stains will sometimes yield to cold water ; cherry stains, for
example. Others require boiling water, and still others some bleaching
agent. The most convenient material is Javelle water, generally kept
by druggists. To make it, dissolve one pound of saleratus in a pint of
water ; mix four ounces of fresh chloride of lime with one pint of water✪ Javelle Water,
stirring to remove the lumps — it will not all dissolve. Pour the two
liquids together, stir or shake thoroughly, set aside, and when the
deposit has settled pour off the perfectly clear liquid, and bottle for use.
Glass or earthern vessels should be used in preparing it. Wet the
stains with this and rinse well, just before washing the articles. It can,
of course, only be used on white articles, as it would bleach colored
ones. Stains from fabrics may be removed by moistening the spot with
a solution of Epsom salts in a few drops of hot water. Rub it well the
first time and then moisten again. Next, fill a tin vessel with boiling
water, and set it on the stained place for a few minutes, and afterwards
wash out in soft water. It is advisable to have articles thus treated
washed immediately. To remove grass stains pour boiling hot water
on the stains before washing the garment.
CLEAR STARCHING.
Dissolve two tablespoonfuls of starch in a little cold water ; when it
is a smooth paste, pour in boiling water slowly, and stir briskly to keep
from lumping. The exact quantity of water will depend on the quality
of starch, a pint to each ounce is a fair average ; add a good teaspoon-
ful of salt, a drop of bluing, and half a teaspoonful of lard. (Mem.
For colored goods put a little alum in the starch.) Boil for twenty
minutes by the clock. A clean bright pan and spoon should be kept
CLEAR STARCHING. 231
purposely for making starch. Strain, if not perfectly smooth when
done, and if it has to stand before using, cover the pan to prevent a
scum forming, and keep it hot. It should be used as hot as the hand
can possibly bear, in order that it may better penetrate the linen ; for
the same reason the starch must not be made too thick. It must be
rubbed in until the linen is completely saturated, and none is left unab-
sorbed on the surface. In mild weather starch the clothes from the
rinsing water ; in cold or windy weather dry them first, as bothywind
and frost snap out the stiffness.
Starch for Collars and Cuffs made in this way is far superior to
white wax, spermaceti and gum arabic, and also less expensive : To
one quart of boiled starch, put a piece of paraffine the size of a hazel
nut ; cook the starch thoroughly, and do not have it but little thicker
than pancake batter. In the winter dry the shirts and collars before
starching, as considerable of the starch will freeze out ; use the starch
scalding hot, dipping it on the bosom with a spoon ; rub in each spoon-
ful with your hands ; when the shirts are dry, dip in cold starch made by
taking a large tablespoonful of starch, and mix smooth in a little cold
water ; then take a piece of borax the size of a Lima bean, dissolve in a
little boiling water and add starch; then add sufficient cold water to just
dip the bosoms in and no more ; rub the starch in well. The cold
starch is much improved by letting it stand over night before using.
Page 204 · 1 recipe record on this page
Presented as published in 1886. 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
. Fruit stains will sometimes yield to cold water ; cherry stains, for example. Others require boiling water, and still others some bleaching agent. The most convenient material is Javelle water, generally kept by druggists. To make it, dissolve one pound of saleratus in a pint of water ; mix four ounces of fresh chloride of lime with one pint of water, stirring to remove the lumps — it will not all dissolve. Pour the two liquids together, stir or shake thoroughly, set aside, and when the deposit has settled pour off the perfectly clear liquid, and bottle for use. Glass or earthern vessels should be used in preparing it. Wet the stains with this and rinse well, just before washing the articles. It can, of course, only be used on white articles, as it would bleach colored ones. Stains from fabrics may be removed by moistening the spot with a solution of Epsom salts in a few drops of hot water. Rub it well the first time and then moisten again. Next, fill a tin vessel with boiling water, and set it on the stained place for a few minutes, and afterwards wash out in soft water. It is advisable to have articles thus treated washed immediately. To remove grass stains pour boiling hot water on the stains before washing the garment.
CLEAR STARCHING.
Dissolve two tablespoonfuls of starch in a little cold water ; when it is a smooth paste, pour in boiling water slowly, and stir briskly to keep from lumping. The exact quantity of water will depend on the quality of starch, a pint to each ounce is a fair average ; add a good teaspoonful of salt, a drop of bluing, and half a teaspoonful of lard. (Mem. For colored goods put a little alum in the starch.) Boil for twenty minutes by the clock. A clean bright pan and spoon should be kept
CLEAR STARCHING. 231
purposely for making starch. Strain, if not perfectly smooth when done, and if it has to stand before using, cover the pan to prevent a scum forming, and keep it hot. It should be used as hot as the hand can possibly bear, in order that it may better penetrate the linen ; for the same reason the starch must not be made too thick. It must be rubbed in until the linen is completely saturated, and none is left unabsorbed on the surface. In mild weather starch the clothes from the rinsing water ; in cold or windy weather dry them first, as both wind and frost snap out the stiffness.
Starch for Collars and Cuffs made in this way is far superior to white wax, spermaceti and gum arabic, and also less expensive : To one quart of boiled starch, put a piece of paraffine the size of a hazel nut ; cook the starch thoroughly, and do not have it but little thicker than pancake batter. In the winter dry the shirts and collars before starching, as considerable of the starch will freeze out ; use the starch scalding hot, dipping it on the bosom with a spoon ; rub in each spoonful with your hands ; when the shirts are dry, dip in cold starch made by taking a large tablespoonful of starch, and mix smooth in a little cold water ; then take a piece of borax the size of a Lima bean, dissolve in a little boiling water and add starch; then add sufficient cold water to just dip the bosoms in and no more ; rub the starch in well. The cold starch is much improved by letting it stand over night before using.
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Javelle Water