This section is from the book "The Progress Meatless Cook Book", by Carlotta Lake. Also available from Amazon: The Progress Meatless Cook Book.
"Wash ribbons" washed in warm soapy water, squeezed as dry as possible, smoothed, placed on an ironing board and held down with a warm flat iron in one hand while the other hand pulls the ribbon quickly under the iron till it is dry, will be like new.
This is good for cleaning ribbons. Dip in lukewarm water, spread on a table and scrub with a brush rubbed in Ivory soap. Rinse in clean warm water and press between folds of thin cloth.
Immerse in salt and water, and dissolve shavings of Ivory soap in boiling water till like jelly when cooled slightly. To a little of this jelly, add warm water to form a good suds, add a pinch of borax, put the ribbon in and squeeze back and forth through the hands till clean. Then rinse in warm, then in cold water, roll smoothly in a towel and in about two hours, press between paper.
Gasoline is fine for cleaning ribbons. Do not use gasoline indoors.
Ribbons and silk may be scrubbed with Ivory soap and gasoline, rinsing in clean gasoline.
Put a teaspoonful of sugar in a cupful of water and rinse ribbons, and when pressed between paper, they are like new.
 
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