342. To Remove Wax Spots from Cloth

342.    To Remove Wax Spots from Cloth. Remove, by scraping with a knife, as much of the wax as you can without injury to the fabric; drop benzine on the spot, then with a sponge rub it gently; repeat it till the spot disappears.

343. To Remove Spermaceti, or Stearine Stains

343.      To Remove Spermaceti, or Stearine Stains. To remove spots of spermaceti, scrape off as much as you can with a knife, then lay a thin, soft, white blotting paper upon the spots, and press it with a warm iron. By repeating this you will draw out the spermaceti. Afterwards rub the cloth where the spots have been, with some very soft brownish paper.

344. To Remove Grease Spots

344.    To Remove Grease Spots. To do this without injury to the color of the fabric, is sometimes easy, frequently most difficult, and often impossible. Much may depend upon skillful and persevering manipulation ; and although various agents are oftentimes valuable, yet good soap, after all, is the chief reliance. Grease spots may generally be removed by the patient application of soap and soft water, but other means are also employed. Ox-gall is an excellent and delicate cleansing agent. It is a liquid soda soap. It removes grease, and is said to fix and brighten colors, though it has a greenish tinge, which is bad for the purity of white articles. Aqua ammonia is also good for removing grease spots from any fabric. Use the ammonia nearly pure, and then lay white blotting paper over the spot and iron it lightly. (See also No. 126.)

345. To Remove Grease and Dirt from Cloth and Woolen Articles

345.    To Remove Grease and Dirt from Cloth and Woolen Articles. Place a cotton or woolen cloth, or a piece of blotting paper, under the article to be cleansed, then rub upon the spots some pure benzine, and the grease or dirt will disappear as if by magic.

Be sure to place a cloth under the garment to be operated upon, otherwise a circular stain will remain, which cannot be removed. The benzine drives the grease through the article to be cleaned, and is absorbed by the cloth placed under it. After the spot is removed, continue to rub with a dry cloth until the benzine is evaporated; this also is done to avoid a stain.

346. Cautions about Benzine

346.    Cautions about Benzine. From the facility with which it removes grease spots from fabrics, this substance has come to be regarded almost as a household indispensable. But few persons, however, realize the explosive character of benzine or the dangers attending the careless handling of the liquid. Being one of the most volatile and inflammable products resulting from the distillation of petroleum, it vaporizes with great rapidity, so that the contents of a 4 ounce vial, if overturned, would render the air of a moderate sized room highly explosive. The greatest care should be exercised in handling this substance, in proximity to fire, and it is important to remember that the vapor escaping from an uncorked bottle will cause a flame to leap over a space of several feet.