keep them full

If they are too small to

size.

White kid boots, or shoes, can be cleaned by dipping a perfectly clean piece

of white flannel in a little ammonia, and rubbing the cloth over a cake of white

soap after which gently rub the kid diligently, until the soiled places are white

;

again.

As the flannel becomes soiled change for a clean one, or a clean place.

White Furs, to Clean or Renovate. —Half fill a stone jar with

white corn meal (for a child's muff and tippet, a 2 gallon jar will be suitable),

place it on the stove and heat the meal as hot as the hand can be borne in it,

from scorching. Put one piece, at a time, in this,

and rub until thoroughly clean; then beat out the meal with a stick. Heat

further, if needed, for other pieces the meal must be hot.

stirring to prevent the meal

—

MISCELLANEOUS.

531

ringer Marks Upon Doors—To Remove.

—Dissolve sal-soda, 1 oz.;

In soft water, 1 pt., and go over the soiled doors or other painted wood-work

with it, using a sponge or cloth, following with a wiping cloth, slightly wrung

out of hot, clean water.

Erasive Compound, or, Soap for Cleaning Clothes.— Sal-soda,

3^ lb. castile soap, 2 ozs. starch 1 oz. borax, 3^ oz. soft water, 1 qt. Directions. Boil the soap in the water till dissolved, then add the other ingredients,

;

;

;

;

—

all pulverized, and stir till all is dissolved,

and pour into a square pan or box, ta

cool, when it can be cut into bars, of suitable pieces to wrap up for sale, if that

Used for removing grease spots, paint, tar, etc., apply with a

wet sponge by rubbing on the soap first, then on the spot till clean.

Remarks. The friend who sent me this for insertion in my "Third and

" It is equal to the "Lightning Eradicators," which

Xiast Receipt Book," says:

are generally sold for 25 cents a cake, and as you will know, is much cheaper.

is the purpose.

—

These cakes of soap sold on the street corners for 25 cents, are only about

wide and J^ inch thick. The same friend also sent

me the following ink, and the remarks connected with it are his also, but they

can be depended upon, except the one I have modified, as to its not being equal

1 or IJ^ inches long by

%

to the best writing fluids.

Ink—Black for School Purposes—A Quart for a Dime.—Extract of logwood,

% oz. bi-chromate of potash, 10 grs. dissolve in a quart of

;

;

hot rain water. When cold, put into a bottle and leave uncorked for one week,

Tvhen it is ready for use. At first it is a steel-blue, but becomes quite black. I

used this ink for a long time while in an office, and considered it equal to the

writing fluid. [This last remark, is all in which I disagree with him.

It does, however, make a good school ink.] Moderate freezing does not hurt it.

laest

Brocade or Broche Shawls— To Clean the White Center

Also Applicable to Pine, "White Lace. — Spread a clean, white cloth

upon the table and sift over it, dry, white corn-meal, as large a spot as the

shawl center, and lay the shawl upon it, and cover the center also, with the

meal; then roll it up closely and put it away for a week, when, by dusting out

the meal, the shawl will be nice and clean," so says " Valentia," of Brockwood,

in the Blade, or, she says:

111.,

2.

Another and Quicker "Way. — Is to take the same kind of

meal, 3^ pt. and coarse

salt,

3^ pt.

;

corn

mixing well, then with a brush, all being

dry, scour, or rather rub well, both sides, this does the work quicker but the first

;

is the best because it saves the rubbing,

which frets out the texture.

the lace would not stand the rubbing of this last plan.

to be used,

it is all

Of course

Understand no water is

done by the dry process.

HINTS FOR THE LAUNDRY.— "Washing All Colors of CaUcos. Percales, Muslins, Brown Linen, etc., and to Remove Paint

and "Wine Stains Prom Silks, "Woolen and Cotton Goods.— Besides

the foregoing receipts on general washings, etc. I deem it best to put in a few

items, or "hints," as the above heading has it, from various sources, which are

,

DB. CEASE'S BECIPE8.

533

generally short, and right to the point for quick work.

These first are from

Mrs. E. S. Barrett, of Sing Sing, New York, July 1883, in the New York

Examiner, wherein she says: "Every housekeeper knows how vexatious it is

to have colored fabrics ruined in the process of cleansing.

A few practical

hints about washing calicoes, percales and muslins will therefore be of real ser-

vice to the readers of the Examiner.

1. For Washing Black and White, Stone, Slate, or Maroon

Colored. Cotton Goods. Before washing black and white, stone, slate, or

maroon colored cotton goods dip them in a solution of salt and water, made by

dissolving two cupfuls of salt in 10 quarts of cold water, and hang them in a

When dry, wash in a light sudsshady place to dry. The salt sets the colors.

Calicoes and muslins do not require a hot suds water modin the usual way.

erately warm is best.

Never allow them to soak in the water. Wash quickly,

turn the wrong side out, and dry in the shade. A little salt in the rinsing water

Another way is to mix two cupfuls of wheat bran in cold

is an improvement.

water, making a smooth paste; then stir it into 1 qt. of soft boiling water. Let

—

;

;

it boil

1 hour, then strain into 5 or 6 qts. of soft warm water.

No soap is nec-

own. If there is black in th&

dress, or any other color that is liable to " run," add a tablespoonful of salt.

Rinse thoroughly in one water. For starch, use a little white glue-water, cool

and clean. Always iron on the wrong side with a moderately hot iron.

essary, for bran has cleansing properties of its

—

How

to Fix the Above Colors Permanently. Blue, stone,

2.

and slate-colored articles may be made to retain their color perfectly by adding

sugar of lead to the water in which they are to be washed for the first time.

Dissolve 1 oz. of sugar of lead in a pailful of hot water;

stir

carefully until it

and let the mixture cool. When about milk-warm, put

Hang up to dry before washing.

in the articles and let them remain an hour.

When dry, wash as directed in bran water. The sugar of lead fixes the color

is thoroughly dissolved,

permanently, so that this treatment with it will not need to be repeated. Use'

this preparation with caution; sugar of lead is poisonous, but no danger in this

way of using it.

3. To Wash Brown Linen.— Take enough good timothy hay to fill

a 10-quart kettle two-thirds full when pressed down; cover it with soft water,

and let it boil imtil the water assumes a dark greenish color. Make flour starch

in the usual way, and strain the hay water into it after it becomes cool or tepid;

let the linen soak ten or fifteen minutes

not longer then wash without soap.

I divide the preparation into two parts, using one for rinsing. Linen dressesand dusters washed in this way will look new as long as they last

—

—

4. Fruit or Wine Stains, to Remove from Silk, Woolen, or

Cotton Goods. — Fruit or wine stains can be removed from silk, woolen or

a teaspooncotton goods by sponging them gently with ammonia and alcohol

TheFinish with clear alcohol.

ful of ammonia to a wineglass of alcohol.

—

fumes of a lighted match will remove remnants of stains.

Washing Fine Under Clothing. — The Oermantown Telegraph say»

that a leading firm of that city, importers and retailers of hosiery goods, givea

mSCELLANEOUS.

633

the following directions for washing the above named line of goods, and also

says their own experience enables them to testify to its excellence. Dissolve 1

lb. of nice soap in 4 gallons of warm soft water in which well rinse the articles

to be washed, drawing them repeatedly through the hand press them as dry

as possible, to remove the soap; rinse them again briskly in clean, lukewarm

water; press out or put through a wringer, if you have one, and stretch them

to their proper shape, and dry in the open air if possible. The only effects of

nAbing are to shrink and destroy the material; it should therefore never be

resorted to with these kinds of goods. The material used in manufacturing

silk underwear being an animal product, it is absolutely necessary that nothing

;

but the best quality of soap and warm water should be used.

Washing Flannels of Any Kind, so they Shall Not Turn

Yellow or Shrink. — A lady signing herself " Michigan," says she wants to

tell the ladies of the Blade how to wash flannels of any kind, so they won't

turn yellow, nor shrink up, and that sort of thing. Wash in cold water, using

soap in both suds. Of course you can take the chill off if you are afraid of

taking cold, but not have it a bit hot. Now don't laugh at such an idea and not

^ve it a trial, but this spring you wash your flannel blankets, woolen stockings,

baby's flannel and then report. I learned of a Scotch lady years ago and never

think of using hot water use soft water of course.

Remarks. Certainly the water being made a little warm will not cause

shrinkage. The suds should be made before putting in the flannels, and not

by rubbing the soap on them.

;

—

For Washing Scarlet Flannels, etc., Without Fading or

Shrinking.

—To prevent scarlet flannels or worsted goods of any kind of this

color, from fading by washing,

it

is

claimed by some washer-women that the

Mix flour, i^ cup, little by little, with cold

water, 1 qt.; then boiling 10 or 15 minutes and mixing with the lukewarm

.«uds, pressing and rinsing, up and down, a number of times, then passing

following plan is perfectly safe:

through the wringer, the goods will not be faded or thickened, as there is to be

no rubbing.

Remarks.—'Q&lXexs make wool, or felt hats, as they are called, by plaiting

out a layer of wool upon a piece of cloth, at first, and dipping it into hot

water, then rolling it with a little roller, re-dipping and rolling till they get the

desired thickness, by the little hooks that are seen by the microscope only,

which are upon the fibers of all good wool, to so take hold upon each other, as

to make as heavy a body as desired. The same is done, to a certain extent,

«very time woolen goods is washed in hot water, by rubbing. Now any one

can see to avoid thickening, "shrinking," as it is called, in washing flannels,

simply avoid hot suds, and do not rub them. (See Washing Fine Under Clothing, etc., above.) Sudsing by an up and down motion, in first and second suds,

is the safest

method.

Colored Silk Handkerchiefs, To Wash.—To wash colored silk

handkerchiefs make a good suds in lukewarm water, in which a little bit of

carbonate of ammonia has been dissolved; rub the handkerchiefs lightly in the

—

DR. CEASE'S RECIPES.

534

hands till all the spots have disappeared. Then rinse them in lukewarm "^ater,

and squeeze them as dry as possible. Take hold of the two corners and shako

and snap each one for a few minutes. Roll in a soft towel lightly, laying the

handkerchief flat on the towel at first, squeeze tightly, and iron at once.

Detroit Fres Press.

Old Silk Dresses, etc.— To Benovate to Look Like New.—A,

"A most satisfactory way to renovate old silks is to boil an old kid-

writer says:

glove in 1 pt. of soft water until the glove shrinks to the size of a 4-years-old

when cold, having brushed out

every particle of dust, sponge the silk thoroughly and smooth wtth a hot iroa

child's hand; the liquor will then be glutinous;

upon the wrong side."

Remarks.

— If a dress,

it

may be well to take it to pieces, if much soiled, as-

recommended with " Silk Cashmere, etc., to Clean," which see.

—

Washing Carpets Without Taking Up. Put a table-spoonful of

ammonia in 1 gal. of moderately warm water, and with sponge or soft broomgo all over the carpet, and you will be astonished to see how brightly it will

look for the little labor and expense. [See " Spirits of Ammonia— Some of ItaUses, etc."]

—

Washing Windows. A writer says: " Have a pail partly filled with

water a little warm and dissolve in it a tea-spoonful of borax [the author thinksit would be better to use a table-spoonful of powdered borax, or else the sam»

amount of spirits of ammonia to 1 gal. of water, as above for washing carpets];

have one chamois (a cloth will do nicely) dipped into the water to wash the windows with, then with a dry chamois rub the window dry and polish. [A chamois skin is best to polish with, as it leaves no lint as a cloth will.] In thisway windows may be cleaned in a very few moments and not wet the carpetsnor tire the person."

Lace Veils and Other Laces— To Wash or Henovate.— Wash.

veils carefully in alcohol and soft water, equal parts, simply squeezing in the

hands in and out of the mixture; then lay a towel on a table and smooth out

the veil and pin the edges to the towel to dry, when, if carefully done, it will

look as good as new. Borax water is also used for the same purpose, drying

the same way.

For Other Nice Laces. —Naomi King, in Farm arid Fireside, saysi

"When you have some nice laces to wash put a little borax in warm soap suds

and allow them to soak 1 hour; then shake about in it well and rinse in 2 or 3clear waters, as you see necessary, and to the last water add a little white sugar;

never use starch. Pull out well, and place between white cloths in an old book,

imtil dry."

Remarks.

Indefinite.

— She says a "little " borax and a "

little " sugar,

which is very

A rounding tea-spoonful of powdered borax and the same amount

of sugar would be plenty for 1

pt. of water.

The borax would do good in

washing veils, and I think the sugar would also be good there, as with white or

Other laces.

MISCELLANEOUS.

535

Softening Hard "Water for Washing Clothes, Dishes, or

House Cleaning. — A writer says: " Take 2 lbs. of washing soda (sal soda),

and 1 lb. of common stone lime, and boil in 5 gals, of water for 2 or 3 hours;

then stand away to settle, and dip off the clear water from the top and put into

a jug (pouring off carefully is better). Can be used for washing dishes or cleaning, and 1 teacup in a boiler of clothes, put in after the water is hot, will whiten

the clothes, and soften the water, without injury to the hands, or clothes. I use

an old iron pot to make it in."

Bemarks. Some of these newspaper writers get some most excellent

things, but again, some of them make poor describers as to the best plan of

using; for instance, this woman (for it is undoubtedly a woman), says:

"Boil

in 5 gals, of water," then further on, "put into a jug.

Now, would it not

take a big jug, or two or three small ones? and again, it cannot be to be used

even in 5 gals, of water, without further dilution, for she says: " 1 tea-cupful

—

in a boiler of clothes, put in after the water is hot," etc., then why not boil it ia

say 2 gals, of water? then a 2 gal. jug will hold it, and use a little less to a

boiler of clothes, stirred well into the water when hot, before putting in the

clothes; and half as much more for each additional boiler at the same washing

wUl be plenty; in fact it does make a splendid washing fluid as I have above

suggested, and a table-spoon of it in a dish-pan of water for washing dishes will

help much in cleaning the dishes; and a little of it in a pan of water for housecleaning is, or will be, "just splendid," as the girls say.

A spoonful of

it in a pt.

or a qt. of water for cleaning finger-marks off of doors or other wood-work, is

good, and if kept ready-made, is always handy, although the spirits of ammo«

nia (which see) in like quantities, is good for general house-cleaning, window-

washing, etc. I do not know who this writer was, as it was a slip sent to me hav.

ing no name attached, but I know enough to know it is a grand good thing.

little of this, say 2 table-spoonfuls of it in 2 qts. of hot water, is just the thing

A

and to soften the dead skin about the heels,

and to make a thorough work of cleaning the feet, generally.

to soak feet in, to soften corns

Softening Water

— Clark's Method. —By adding burnt quick-lime

(quick-lime is freshly burned or unslacked lime), to hard water,

which contains

lime (all hard water contains lime, 'tis the lime that makes it hard), it will

become soft. The added lime seizes the carbonic acid gas which held the car-

bonate of lime in solution, and so both the original carbonate of lime and that

formed in the process, fall together as a white sediment.

This method is truly

homcEopathic.

Remarks. This writer is right as to the way it softens, but is tame in not

About 2 or 3

giving the proper amount for a bbl. or some other measure.

—

table-spoonfuls of this stone-lime, just slacked with a little hot water, will be

enough for a barrel, just drawn from the well. Rummage it in thoroughly,

that is stir it with a stick that will reach the bottom till well mixed, and let it

settle over night,

or 3 or 3 hours.

Ammonia, its Various Uses in House Cleaning, Washing, etc.

—"A Farmer's Wife," in the Country Gentleman, saj's of

what a thing will do till you try it.

I

it:

There is no telling

knew ammonia, diluted in water, could

DR. CEASE'S RECIPES.

536

restore rusty silks

and clean coat collars, but when I got a green spot on the

carpet, I tried half a dozen other things before I thought of that, and that is

just what did the work effectually.

I put a tea-spoonful into about a tea-cup

of hot water, took a cloth and wet the spot thoroughly, just rubbing it slightly,

and the ugly spot was gone.

It is splendid for

cleaning your silver;

it

makes

things as bright as new without any expenditure of strength; and for looking

glasses

and windows it is best of all; and one day when I was tired and my

dish cloths looked rather gray, I turned a few drops of the ammonia into the

water and rubbed them out, and I found it acted like a charm, and I shall be

I suppose housewives have a perfect right to

sure to do so again some day.

experiment and see what results they can produce; and if they are not on as

large a scale as the farmers try, they are just as important to us, and they make

our work light and brighter too. Now, I do not believe in luxuriating in a

good thing all alone, and I hope all the housekeepers will send and get a 10

cent bottle of spirits of ammonia and commence a series of chemical experiments and see what they can accomplish with it. Take the boys' jackets, the

girls' dresses, and when you have cleaned everything else, put a few drops in

some soft water and wash the little folks' heads, and report results.

—

Remarks. These items are valuable in giving new thoughts to those who

have few opportunities for observation, or reading the literature of the day: but

they would be more valuable if they gave the proportions for each class of

work to be done. This lady speaks of restoring rusty silk, how strong? For

cleaning greasy clothing, use it strong, say a table-spoonful to 1 cup of warm,

soft water, washing off with pure water directly; for silks, alpacas, etc., the

same strength ammonia will be strong enough, brushing off soon with pure

water; for looking glasses a little put on a cloth, clear, and folding some of

tlie dry cloth on the back of the wet part, to keep it off the fingers, is best, as

it takes but a

ful of

it

moment to take off fly specks, or dirt; for windows a table-spoon-

in 1 pt. of

water will be plenty, vripiug off nicely with a dry news-

paper, as it leaves no lint like a cloth does; one-fourth

ammonia for cleaning

boys' coat collars, and greasy clothing; for cleaning silver, 1 table-spoonful to 1

pt.

,

or a

little less

of water, is enough, and, as she says, it is splendid for this

and all other similar work; and as it is cheap, it makes a great saving.

—

For Bee and Wasp Stings. A little ammonia put upon bee and

wasp stings, bites of spiders and all other poisonous insect bites, will neutralize

But mind, it only needs a very

the poison, preventing soreness and swelling.

little put on, and wash off soon, to prevent its making a sore.

Borax, for Roaches, Washing, and as a Dentifrice and Catarrh Snufif.

—Although

I have given an item on its uses, yet as I

have an-

other short item upon it, I will give it, to corroborate the other, and to show in

a few words, what some people know of its value. This writer says One-half

pound of it powdered, and sprinkled around their haunts, will drive the

roaches out of any house. A large handful of the powder to 10 gallons of

water will effect a saving of 50 per cent, (one-half) in soap. It is an excellent

:

dentifrice,

and the best material for cleaning the scalp.

(See the author's

MISCELLANEOUS.

637

remarks upon it, following the other recipe.) A recent medical writer also

claims powdered borax to be valuable as a catarrh snuff.

—

Iron Rust, to Remove from Clothing. Get J^ oz. of oxalic acid,

in small pieces, in a vial and keep corked. When a spot of iron rust shows

tea-spoonful of the

on white table cloths, or other white clotliing, dissolve

acid by pouring upon it 2 or 3 table-spoonfuls of hot water, and dip the spot in

%

or wet it with a sponge, or bit of rag, and as soon as the rust is bleached out

wash right out with clean water, so the acid will not hurt the goods. Lemon

juice and a little salt is also good for the same purpose, laying out in the sun to

bleach;

if

one application does not wholly remove it, do the same again.

Or,

instead of putting out in the sun, wet with lemon juice, and hold the spot over

a steaming hot tea-kettle will do it very quickly.

Or, the cream of tartar plan,

as given below, for removing fruit stains, will also remove rust.

Fruit Stains, Recent, or Old, to Remove.

— "Aunt Sophia," in

the Blade, tells us recent fruit stains may be removed by holding the linen

tightly across the tub and pouring hot water through them, before any soap is

put on; if old, tie up a little cream of tartar in the places, put into cold water

and bring to a boil.

If got

upon table linen, rub on some salt, at once, then

pour on the hot water.

Bleaching Muslin. — Mrs.

" S. M. B." sends the Blade the following

directions, which she has practiced for 13 years without injuring the cloth.

She

says: " Into 8 qts. of warm soft water put 1 lb. of chloride of lime; stir with

a stick a few minutes, then strain through a bag of coarse muslin, working it

with the hands [the author says with the stick] to dissolve thoroughly. Add

to this, in a tub, 5 buckets of warm water, stir in the chloride water thoroughly

and put in the muslin. [The muslin ought to be thoroughly wet first in plain

water, so it shall take the lime water evenly.] Let it remain in 1 hour, turning

When

it over occasionally, that every part may get thoroughly bleached.

taken out, wash well in two waters, to remove the lime, rinse and dry. This

quantity will bleach 25 yds. of yard-wide muslin. The muslin will bleach

more evenly and quickly if it has been thoroughly wet and dried before

bleaching."

—

Remarks. This lady makes a " mighty sight " of work, more than is necShe wants it wet and dried before putting into the bleaching water,

when simply wetting is sufficient, and one good washing and rinsing after the

bleaching is enough all you want is to get rid of specks of the lime, and this

has been done largely by straining off the water from the lime sediment at the

essary.

—

beginning.

Spreading on the grass is a good way to dry it.

Mildew, to Remove from Clothing. — Take common soft soap and

of salt, so the soap crumbles or grains, as it were, and rub on

the spot and lay out over night, and if not effaced by morning wet it occasion-

stir in quite a bit

The chloride solution above is also good to remove milOr, to put about }4 a cup of chloride of lime into 2 qts. of hot water,

wetting the mildewed articles first in cold water, then put into the lime water

ally during the day.

dew.

until the mildew is bleached out, then rinse well in plenty of

the lime.

water to remove

—

DR. CHASE'S RECIPES.

538

GLOSSY LINEN— How

it is Done.— To give starched linen tha

1.

appearance so much desired put a small bit of paraffine (size of a small pea for

each bosom, or its equivalent of cuffs) into the hot starch, and when it comes

to ironing use a small iron having a rounded point that is very smooth, and rub

with great pressure and for a considerable time.

A great deal of "elbow*

grease " is absolutely necessary.

2. Scorched Linen in Ironing, To Whiten.— If a linen shirt

bosom, or any other article, has been scorched in ironing lay it in the bright

sunshine, which will remove it entirely.

Plat-Irons, To Clean from Rust or Starch.—Flat-irons often have

starch stick to them, and occasionally a spot of rust from a drop of water

shows upon them, and I have often seen directions for cleaning them with salt,

but the following plan is the only sensible way of doing it that I have seen;

Have a piece of yellow beeswax in a coarse cloth; when the iron is almost hot

enough to use, but not quite, rub it quickly with the beeswax cloth and theu

with a coarse cloth.

—

Oil-Cloth— To Keep Bright. Oil-cloths should never be scrubbed

with suds, but carefully swept with a soft hair brush and washed with a cloth

dipped into milk and water, half-and-half, but no soap, and dry and polish with

an old soft cloth. In this way they will keep their original color a long time.

Color of Plants and Flowers, to Retain, in Drying for Herbariums. Botanists who are grieved at the rapid loss of color in the plants and

—

flowers of their herbariums will be pleased to learn, says a Vienna journal,

that

if

plants or flowers be dipped in a warm mixture of 1 part of hydro-

chloric acid to 600 of alcohol before being placed between the driers they will

not only retain their natural colors, but will also dry with greater quickness.

Harper's Weekly.

Remarks.

— This

is in the proportion of 1 dr. of

the acid to 9 ozs. and 3 drs.

of alcohol, and must prove very satisfactory.

2.

Another Way. — Another new way for preserving the color of

autumn leaves is given as follows: "Iron them fresh with a warm (not hot)

iron, on which some spermaceti has been lightly rubbed.

This method preserves perfectly their lovely tints, and gives a wavy gloss which no other one

The process is very rapid and very agreeable, and no lady who has

secures.

ever tried the