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Wash Day: Woolen

Soap Jelly for Woolen Goods.-To avoid preparing suds by shaving soap and boiling each time, it is convenient to prepare in advance a soap jelly, as follows: shave any amount of neutral white or yellow soap in the proportion of pound of soap to 1 quart of boiling water and simmer until dissolved. When cold it will jell. Use this jelly in the proportion of 1 heaping tablespoonful to gallon of warm water to prepare suds for washing all flannel or woolen goods. This saves the time required to bring the water to a boil.

To Wash Colored Flannel and Woolen Goods-Other Methods.-In addition to soapsuds, flannel and woolen goods may be washed in bran, flour starch, or rice. To use flour starch, take a teacupful of flour and rub it smooth with a little water to form a fine paste. Add boiling water slowly, stirring vigorously to make a smooth starch. Boil five or ten minutes and strain through cheese cloth into half a tubful of warm water, stirring vigorously. This will make good suds without soap.

To Wash Dress Goods with Rice.- Boil 2 pounds of rice in 12 quarts of water for 2 or 3 hours. Pour half of this into a tub, and when cool enough to bear the hands put the garments in and wash them with the soft boiled rice the same as with soap.

Strain the other half through cheese cloth. Put the solid part into another tub of warm water and wash the garments once in this. Rinse in clear warm water, and a second time in warm water in which the clear rice water that was reserved for this purpose has been added. This will take the place of starch. No soap or starch need be used. The rice should be boiled a day or two in advance and kept in readiness, so that garments may be washed early in the morning and done up the same day.

Woolen Fancy Work-Crochet, etc. -Small and delicate woolen articles may be put into a cotton bag or tied up in a pillowcase and washed the same as other woolen articles. The suds and rinsing water should be plentiful. The articles need not be taken out of the bag while washing, and they may be hung up in it on the line to dry.

Woolen Table Covers. - First remove all stains and grease spots; next soak thirty minutes in strong salt water. Prepare suds, wash, rinse, and dry same as other colored woolen goods. If much soiled, apply soap and water with a scrubbing brush, laying the cloth on the washboard placed crosswise upon the tub.