Page:Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management.djvu/2011

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HOUSEHOLD RECIPES
1807

A piece of linen, moistened with turpentine and put into the wardrobe or drawers for a single day, 2 or 3 times a year, is also a sufficient preservative against moths.

TO CLEAN CLOTH

Mix dry fuller's-earth moistened with lemon-juice, and a small quantity of pulverised pearlash into balls with sufficient lemon-juice to moisten. Scour the cloth with the balls.

TO CLEAN CLOTHES FROM GREASE AND OTHER STAINS

Take 1 peck of new lime; pour over it as much water as will leave about 2 gallons of clear liquid after it has been well stirred and has settled. In about 2 hours pour off the clear liquid into another vessel; then add to it 6 ozs. of pearlash; stir well, and when settled bottle for use. With this liquid wash the clothes, using a coarse piece of sponge for the purpose. If the clothes are of very fine fabric and delicate colour, the liquid must be diluted with clear, soft water.

TO CLEAN FURS

Moisten some bran with hot water, rub the fur with it, and dry with a flannel. Then rub with a piece of muslin and some dry bran.

TO REMOVE SPOTS AND STAINS FROM DRESSES

To remove grease-spots from cotton or woollen materials, absorbent pastes, purified bullock's blood, and even common soap, are used, applied to the spot when dry. When the colours are not fast, place a layer of fuller's-earth or pulverised potter's clay over the spot, and with a very hot iron. For silks, moires, and plain or brocaded satins, pour two drops of rectified spirits of wine over the spot, cover with a linen cloth, and press with a hot iron, changing the linen instantly. The spot will look tarnished, for a portion of the grease still remains; this will be removed entirely by a little sulphuric ether dropped on the spot, and a very little rubbing. If neatly done, no perceptible mark or circle will remain; nor will the lustre of the richest silk be changed, the union of the two liquids operating with no injurious effects from rubbing. Eau-de-Cologne will also remove grease from cloth and silk. Fruit-spots are removed from white and fast-coloured cottons by the use of chloride of soda. Commence by cold-soaping the article, then touch the spot with a hair-pencil or feather dipped in the chloride, and dip immediately into cold water, to prevent the texture of the article being injured. Fresh ink-spots are removed by a few drops of hot water being poured on immediately after applying the chloride of soda. By the same process, iron-mould in linen or calico may be removed, dipping immediately in cold water to prevent injury to the fabric. Wax dropped on a shawl, table-cover, or cloth dress, is easily discharged by applying spirits of wine; syrups or preserved fruits, by