6411. To Clean Furniture

6411.    To Clean Furniture. Mix together 1 pint cold drawn linseed oil, 1 pint best vinegar, and 1/2 pint spirits of wine. Dip a soft cloth into the mixture and rub over the furniture, and then wipe thoroughly with a clean soft cloth. Always shake the mixture before using. We do not know any article for cleaning furniture equal to this. (Trent.)

6412. To Wash Ladies' Summer Suits

6412.      To Wash Ladies' Summer Suits. Summer suits are nearly all made of white or buff linen, piqué, cambric or muslin, and the art of preserving the new appearance after washing is a matter of the greatest importance. In the first place, the water should be tepid, the soap should not be allowed to touch the fabric; it should be washed and rinsed quickly, turned upon the wrong side, and hung in the shade to dry, and when starched (in thin-boiled, but not boiling starch) should be folded in sheets or towels, and ironed upon the wrong side, as soon as possible. Linen should be washed in water in which hay or a quart-bag of bran has been boiled. This last will be found to answer for starch as well, and is excellent for print dresses of all kinds; a handful of salt is also very useful to set the colors of light cambrics and dotted lawns; and a little beefs gall will not only set, but brighten, yellow and purple tints, and has a good effect upon green. No soda, or other washing compound should on any account be used.

6413. To Dissolve Wool Out of Mixed Fabrics

6413.      To Dissolve Wool Out of Mixed Fabrics. Boil the rags in a mixture of 1 part nitric acid and 10 water, or a little stronger. The cotton fibre, after drying, can be shaken out as dust in a willowing machine, leaving the wool behind ready for dyeing. This is the plan adopted in England and Germany for making "extract," and is used for mixing with wool in many manufactures. This prepared wool, however, will be found to have lost, to a great extent, its felting property.

6414. Javelle Water

6414.    Javelle Water. Many persons keep on hand a supply of Javelle water, small quantities of which are sufficient to render the most soiled linen perfectly white. It is prepared by taking 4 pounds sal-sod a to 1 pound chloride of lime in 1 gallon water. Put the sal-soda into a vessel over the fire, add 1 gallon boiling water; let it boil for 10 or 15 minutes, then add the chloride of lime by throwing it, free from lumps, into the soda water. When cold, pour into a jug or large bottle and cork tightly. "Where it is desirable to have a larger quantity, the following mixture can be taken: Stir 5 pounds chloride of lime into 2 pails warm water; dissolve 10 pounds glauber salt (sulphate of soda) in 1 pail water; also 4 pounds sal-soda in 1 pail water. The contents of the 4 pails can be poured together and kept in any suitable tight vessel. Such a quantity as the above ought to last a long time, as a dipperful of it would bleach a large quantity of linen or other goods. The materials are cheap, and the mixture easily made. (See No. 4787 (Solution of Chloride of Potash).)