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Removal of Spots and Stains (II)

SOLVENTS FOR SPOTS AND STAINS KINDS OF SPOTS AND STAINS -STAINS ON WHITE LINEN OR COTTON-TO REMOVE STAINS FROM VEGETABLE FIBERS--TO REMOVE STAINS FROM ANIMAL FIBERS-TO CLEAN COLORED GOODS-TO DRY-CLEAN MEN'S GARMENTS-TO DRY-CLEAN WOMEN'S GARMENTS-CLEANING AND CARE OF GLOVES-TO CLEAN FEATHERS, FURS, AND STRAW-BLEACHING VEGETABLE AND ANIMAL FIBERS SOLVENTS FOR SPOTS AND STAINS How to Erase Stains. -The commonest stains that have to be removed from textile fabrics are ink, grass green, iron rust, mildew, grease spots, paint, and tar. These require treatment according to the nature of the stain and the fabric. The principal chemicals that should be kept on hand in the laundry closet to remove stains are certain acids, especially oxalic, tartaric, and muriatic acid; together with ammonia and hyposulphite of soda to neutralize the effect of the acid after the stain has been removed; aqua ammonia for the same purpose; various substances that have the power of cutting or dissolving gums and resins, as alcohol, chloroform, and oil of turpentine; and certain absorbents, as chalk, French chalk, pipe clay, fuller's earth, and the like. Other useful articles-as fresh milk, sour milk, buttermilk, cream of tartar, lemon juice, salt, raw potato, etc.. will usually be at hand.

Treatment of Spots and Stains.- Treatment for stains in general should be progressive, beginning with the milder remedies and reserving the more powerful ones to the last.

Fresh stains are much more easily soluble than those that are allowed to remain until various chemical changes have taken place. Hence prompt treatment is always advisable. When stains are fresh, immediate application of any dry absorbent powder, as common salt, common starch, chalk, pipe clay, etc., will take up much of the staining fluid. Dipping at once into boiling water for some stains and into milk for others will assist in dissolving the stain, and various other agents may then be applied while the fabric is wet. If the stains have been suffered to dry they must usually be wet by soaking to swell the fibers of the fabric, and allow the cleansing substance to be absorbed.

The Laundry Closet.-It will be found very convenient to provide a special receptacle in the kitchen or laundry for the various articles for removing stains, and for the soaps, washing compounds, bluing, starch, and other things used in the laundry.

A complete list will include hard bar soap, both white and yellow, naphtha soap, sal soda, bluing, wheat and corn starch, borax, aqua ammonia, sugar of lead, oxalic, muriatic, and tartaric acids, bleaching powder (chloride of lime), caustic potash, turpentine, benzine, ana gasoline, besides various cleansing mixtures. This closet should have a strong lock or padlock, and the key should be kept beyond the reach of children. Every bottle and package of poisonous substances should be plainly labeled and should bear the word "POISON."

REMOVAL OF SPOTS AND STAINS Utensils for Stains or Spots.-The laundry closet should also contain a number of small sponges, which can be bought for ten cents a dozen, for applying various substances to stained fabrics; likewise several sizes of small camel's-hair paint brushes, such as ORAYI MUBIA LIMA AMMON BENZINE SAL SUD "The Laundry Closet." are used for water colors. The stiff fibrous sponges called "loofah," which cost about ten cents apiece, are especially useful for grease stains or spots. If the goods is rough these can be used to scrape with vigorously.

They can also be used with a lighter touch on delicate fabrics. They leave no lint and are easily washed and dried. When removing spots stains, first hold the garment to the light, and if the stain is on the surface scrape off as much of it as possible with a sharp knife before wetting the fabric or applying chemicals. or Acids to Remove Stains. - The laundry cupboard should be furnished with a 4- or 6-ounce vial of oxalic and of tartaric acid and a 2-ounce vial of muriatic acid. These will be found easy to apply, and prove much more effective than many of the ordinary methods that often must be employed if they are not kept at hand.

Cautions in Use of Acids. These acids are all poisonous and must be labeled "POISON," and locked up out of the reach of children. They must not be used on colored fabrics, and must be quickly and thoroughly rinsed out as soon as the stain has been removed. When possible, they should be followed by the use of hyposulphite of soda, ammonia, or other chemical that will neutralize the acid.