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Removal of Spots and Stains: Bleach

To Bleach Raw Linen and Cotton Cloth.-Dissolve 1 pound of chloride of lime in a small quantity of cold water by rubbing with a stick until all lumps have been dissolved. Add sufficient cold water to make 2 gallons, stirring vigorously. Preserve this liquid in an earthen jar as a bleaching fluid.

Prepare a lye by dissolving + pint of caustic potash or caustic soda in 2 gallons of water. (1) Boil the fabric in this lye for three or four hours. (2) Wash thoroughly in soapsuds. (3) Rinse in pure water. (4) Steep three or four hours in 2 gallons of cold water containing 1 quart of bleaching fluid. (5) Steep for one hour in 2 gallons of water containing 2 wineglassfuls of sulphuric acid. (6) Wash in soapsuds. (7) Rinse in pure water. (8) Expose on a green lawn and sprinkle frequently with clear water.

This will illustrate the method of domestic bleaching. This series of operations must be carried on continuously, and may be repeated weekly on the regular wash day when suds are at hand in which to wash out the lye and bleaching fluid. The articles may be exposed during the week and the operations repeated on the following or subsequent wash days until the bleaching has been completed.

By reducing the strength of the lye one half the same series of operations may be carried on, a second or a third time if necessary, without "crofting," or exposure on a lawn. The latter method is, however, to be preferred.

After the final operation rinse the articles in 2 gallons of water containing about 2 ounces of hyposulphite of soda and afterwards rinse in bluing water.

Various methods of bleaching ordinarily recommended and practiced in modification of these processes are of the nature of short cuts to save labor.

Some of these, by employing strong bleaching agents without sufficient care, may tend to weaken the fabrics, and others are not strong enough to do the work well. The above is a standard that will serve to illustrate the principles involved.

To Bleach Brown Sheeting. - This is for an ordinary partly bleached cotton fabric. First wash with other white goods, and afterwards soak over night in strong soapsuds. Dissolve 2 pounds of chloride of lime in a wash boiler containing 2½ pails of boiling water, or about 4 pound of chloride of lime to the gallon. Stir vigorously, and when cold pour through cheese cloth into a tub. Immerse the goods in this, stirring with a clothes stick for half an hour. Rinse thoroughly with cold water containing 1 ounce of hyposulphite of soda to the gallon. Finally rinse in bluing water and hang up to dry. Repeat if necessary. This will take mildew out of cotton or duck cloth, and restore the color of cotton goods that have been stored and yellowed.

These methods are, of course, not suitable for more delicate cotton fabrics.

Bleaching with Sal Soda.-Washing soda tends to bleach garments, but also injures them unless it is thoroughly removed by rinsing. Put no more than one teaspoonful in a boilerful of clothes. Bleaching by Turpentine. - Dissolve 1 teaspoonful of oil of turpentine and 3 teaspoonfuls of alcohol in the last rising water.

Wool. The process of bleaching raw wool requires five stages: (1) It is washed on the sheep to remove sweat and dirt. Among other impurities found in sheep's wool is a substance called "suint," containing potash, which may be preserved and utilized. (2) The wool is scoured by an ammoniacal lye consisting of stale urine dissolved in water, or by immersing in soapsuds or a weak alkaline lye at a temperature of about 130°. This removes a kind of lime soap and other impurities in it. These are the preliminary processes of cleansing, after which the wool is spun into yarn and prepared for bleaching either in the. yarn or cloth. (3) Steeping in a weak lukewarm solution of carbonate of soda and soapsuds. (4) Washing with lukewarm soapsuds. (5) Exposing to the fumes of sulphurous acid.

The last three operations are repeated if necessary. Afterwards the yarn or cloth is rinsed in bluing water. Operations 1 and 2 may be performed on the farm to improve the appearance of wool for the market. Operations 3, 4, and 5 may be performed in the house to bleach yarn or woolen fabrics.

Chlorine in any form, as chloride of lime or bleaching powders, must not be used for woolen articles.

To Bleach Woolen Goods with Sulphur. An inverted barrel, cask, box, or anything that is large enough and tight enough to hold the fumes of sulphur may be employed. Place this out of doors on a still day, or in an outhouse, turned upside down and supported on three or four bricks, to admit a slight draught. Suspend the articles inside by means of hooks, or by passing cord or wire through gimlet holes and tying it about them. Afterwards fill the gimlet holes with rags or wax.

Kindle coke or charcoal, or place other live coals in an iron pan, sprinkle flowers of sulphur or pulverized brimstone on the coals, and set directly beneath. If the receptacle used is not quite tight, cover closely with a wet piece of heavy cloth or old carpet. Care must, of course, be taken not to inhale the fumes of sulphur or to permit the sulphur to blaze and scorch the goods. The articles should be first washed in soapsuds, and wrung out of weak suds without rinsing.