Home › Removal of Spots and Stains › Removal of Spots and Stains: Javelle

Removal of Spots and Stains: Javelle

To Make and Use Javelle Water.- Chloride of lime or Javelle water is a colorless liquid that may be prepared from bleaching powder. It is much used for taking fruit and other stains from white textile fabrics and for bleaching wood and straw. For fruit stains dissolve 1 pound of chloride of lime in 2 quarts of boiling water.

Add to this 1 pound of sal soda. Dissolve, settle, and pour off the clear liquid. This is Javelle water. Apply with a brush, rinse in clear water, and dip in ammonia water to neutralize the acid.

Or dissolve 2 ounces of chloride of lime in 1 quart of boiling water. Immerse the fabric in this for 5 minutes. Remove, add 4 quarts of cold water, and soak the article for 3 to 12 hours, depending upon the strength of the fabric. This is heroic treatment, and should only be used on coarser articles, as duck, canvas, and the like, as it tends to rot the fabric. Afterwards immerse in a solution of 4 ounces of hyposulphite of soda to 1 gallon of water to neutralize the acid. Rinse in clear water and wash in soapsuds.