One of the first questions that
confronts the woman who is going to make a dress is how to cleanse the
material. Many think that they must send
everything of that nature to a cleaner, for they have not sufficient confidence
in their own ability to cleanse it properly.
Of course there are some colors as well as materials which is is much
better to cleanse by the dry process, but in many cases the material can be
washed at home and be made to look like new, which is all that a professional
cleaner can do, and considerable expense is saved. As for the labor involved, it is really
easier to wash the material than it is to pack it up and carry it down-town.
If it is an all-wool material, it may be
thoroughly washed in the tub in lukewarm water in which has been placed a bag
containing soap-bark. Ten cents’ worth
of this bark may be purchased and put in a thin salt-bag and thrown into a pan
of water on the stove. Let it boil until
the water is very soapy, then empty into a tub and add cold water until it is
the right temperature to be comfortable for the hands. Wash the goods thoroughly and rinse quickly
in water of the same temperature, iron on the wrong side before the goods is
entirely dry.
Some have had but meager success in
cleansing spots with gasoline, for there was sure to be a rim which showed just
how far the gasoline had spread, but when the whole garment, whether waist or
skirt, was dipped, the result was entirely satisfactory. A blue foulard which received this treatment
not long ago seemed at first sight to be almost hopeless. There were numerous spots of grease on the
front breadth and the entire appearance showed that the dress had received hard
usage. Two quarts of gasoline were
purchased at the nearest garage and kept tightly covered. When the skirt was ripped apart and brushed
the silk was put into the pail containing the gasoline, the cover put on and
left for five minutes. If material is
left in gasoline too long it will have a tendency to rot it. The work was done on the pack porch and a
clean cloth was placed on a long table, then one gore at a time was taken out
of the pail and the spots thoroughly rubbed with a piece of the goods. By this time the gasoline was evaporated from
the gore and it was dipped again and rubbed on both sides of the silk. If it is not thoroughly cleaned with the
first treatment, the process may be repeated until the spots are entirely
removed.
In using gasoline it is always much
pleasanter to do the work out-of-doors on a windy day, for the odor is so
lasting that it requires several house in a good breeze to get it absolutely
free, and it also avoids any danger from fire.
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