When the clothes are washed, the mistress likes to have them hang out of doors where the air and sunshine can dry them. She is glad when the white articles can be spread on the grass, knowing that they will be made whiter by Nature's bleaching agent. The sunlight is the chief agent in this bleaching and the articles are laid flat on the grass so that the rays of light will strike in a more perpendicular direction. There are also other devices for bleaching, among which are the fumes of burning sulphur, chloride of lime (bleaching powder) and Javelle water.

Originally- all bleaching of linen and cotton was done out of doors by the action of oxygen, water, and sunlight. In these days of great factories, this process is impossible for lack of space; but various artificial bleaching stuffs have been discovered whose action is satisfactory if skilfully used.

Chlorine is a gas which has remarkable readiness to combine with other bodies. It is even more energetic than oxygen. By its action upon them, chlorine destroys the greater number of coloring substances. Because of its harmful action upon the human body, chlorine gas itself cannot be used in factories or in the household, but the compound which chlorine forms with lime (oxide of calcium) known as chloride of lime or bleaching powder, is safe and effective.

The principal coloring matters are composed chiefly of the elements carbon and hydrogen and some of the metals, If a substance which makes new combination with the elements present is brought in contact with these colors, the new compounds thus produced may be colorless. The element chlorine does just this. It can be set free from chloride of lime by weak acids, and will dissolve very readily in water when so set free. By dipping colored cloth into a weak solution of chloride of lime and acid, many colors and stains are at once destroyed. But the energy of the chlorine is not stopped by this process. Having destroyed the color, the bleaching powder attacks the fibres of the goods, unless: the cloth is at once placed in some solution which can neutralize the bleaching powder. There are several such easily obtained and used. The use of bleaching powder in the household is frequently of dubious success for lack of this precaution. Ammonia water will perform this action satisfactorily, since the harmless soluble salt, ammonium chloride, is formed; hypo-sulphite of soda is also effective.

Chloride of lime loses strength rapidly if exposed in an open vessel. It absorbs water and carbon dioxide from the air, grows damp and the chlorine gas escapes.

In using bleaching powder, mix one or two tea-spoonfuls with a pint of cold water in an earthenware dish. The effective part of the powder will be dissolved, so let the mixture settle, or strain off the liquid through a cloth. Add a little vinegar or a few drops of acetic acid to the nearly clear solution and use at once.

Javelle water is also used as a bleaching agent. It is very like bleaching powder, except that soda replaces the lime. It is prepared by dissolving one pound of washing soda in a quart of hot water and adding one quarter of a pound of chloride of lime also dissolved in a quart of hot water. Let the mixture settle, pour off the clear liquid and bottle it for use. It will keep for some time. The dregs may be used to scour the kitchen floor or to disinfect waste pipes. This is very useful in removing stains on white cloth, but the addition of some solution to neutralize the action is always necessary, just as with bleaching powder. The best substance to use for this is hypo-sulphite of soda, the "hypo" used in photography, which is quite harmless to the cloth.

Chlorine cannot be used in bleaching fabrics of animal fibre such as wool and silk; it leaves them yellow rather than white. For these the fumes of burning sulphur, or these fumes dissolved in water must be used. No special means of destroying the excess of sulphur fumes is required. These fumes are a compound of sulphur and the oxygen of the air and familiar to every one, in the acid fumes from a burning "sulphur match." The article to be bleached must be wet, and then hung in some enclosed space above a piece of burning sulphur. The sulphur candles, to be had at any druggist's, are convenient for this use. Fig. 20. The fumes have great affinity for oxygen, that is, unite with it easily, and take it from the coloring stuffs, converting them into colorless ones. This method of bleaching is sometimes not permanent.

These fumes of sulphur are often used to disinfect rooms where there has been sickness. Its power in this respect is far less than is generally supposed however, and much larger quantities of the gas are required for thorough work than are commonly used. Chlorine gas is an excellent disinfectant, but is dangerous to use because of its irritating effect upon the throat and lungs. The use of "chloride of lime" as a disinfectant depends upon the fact that chlorine slowly escapes from this substance when it is exposed to the air.

Fig. 10. Removing Iron Rust Stain

Another bleaching agent of growing importance is peroxide of hydrogen. Water is a compound made up of one-third oxygen and two-thirds hydrogen. Under certain conditions, a compound half oxygen and half hydrogen may be prepared. This is not very permanent as the extra oxygen slowly escapes. This extra oxygen has great power as a decolorizer. The peroxide is a liquid much like water in appearance and is used in bleaching hair, feathers, and ivory. It is the safest bleaching agent for the housekeeper to work with and may be used on wool and silk as well as cotton and linen.