Occasionally, even in the household, it may be necessary to supplement the natural bleaching process accomplished by sunshine, fresh air, and green grass, by the use of chemicals. If a garment has yellowed by age or by being packed away with starch in it, it may be expedient to use a chemical bleach.

The best bleach to use is Javelle water, which should be made as follows:

1 pound washing-soda

1 quart boiling water

1/2 pound chloride of lime

2 quarts cold water.

Put soda in granite pan; add boiling water and stir until dissolved; let cool.

Dissolve chloride of lime in cold water; let settle and pour the clear liquid into the soda; let settle. Pour off clear liquid, bottle, and put away in dark place.

Use, mixed with equal parts or more of water, and do not let the garments stay in over 1/2 hour. Rinse thoroughly in several waters and lastly in dilute ammonia water.

Moisture is necessary if clothes are to be bleached by the action of the sun. After a garment dries, it should be made wet again and hung out. It may be necessary to repeat the wetting operation a number of times before the yellow tinge yields. It is said that clothes are whitened if they are allowed to freeze out of doors on the line. The reason given for the bleaching action is that freezing causes the clothes to retain moisture, hence the time of their bleaching is prolonged.