494. To Shrink Flannel

494.     To Shrink Flannel. Flannel should be soaked in cold hard water before making, and hung up to drain and dry without any squeezing or handling in the water. After this it will not shrink in washing. Fill a tub with spring water, place the flannel in it, and take out as soon as it sinks to the bottom. It does not lose the appearance of new flannel when dry.

495. To Wash Red Flannel

495.    To Wash Red Flannel. To wash red or scarlet flannel when soiled, mix a handful of flour in a quart of cold water, and boil ten minutes. Add this to some warm suds, and wash the flannel gently; rinsing rather than rubbing it (see No. 493 (To Wash Flannels or other Woolen Articles)), rinse it in three or four warm waters, and the brightest scarlet will never lose its color. Soft soap or olive soap should be used for woolen goods in preference to bar soap.

496. Scotch Method of Washing Woolen Shawls

496.      Scotch Method of Washing Woolen Shawls. Scrape 1 pound soap, boil it down in sufficient water. When cooling, beat it with the hand; it will be a sort of jelly. Add 3 table-spoonfuls spirit of turpentine, and 1 of spirit of hartshorn. Wash the articles well in it, then rinse in cold water until all the soap is taken off, then in salt and water. Fold between two sheets, taking care not to allow two folds of the article washed to lie together. Iron with a very cool iron. Shawls done in this way look like new. Only use the salt where there are delicate colors that may run.

497. To Make Starch for Linen, Cotton, etc.

497.    To Make Starch for Linen, Cotton, etc.. To 1 ounce of the best starch add just enough soft cold water to make it (by rubbing and stirring) into a thick paste, carefully breaking all the lumps and particles. When rubbed perfectly smooth, add nearly or quite a pint of boiling water (with bluing to suit the taste), and boil for at least half an hour, taking care to stir it well all the time, to prevent its burning. When not stirring, keep it covered, so as to protect it from dust, etc. Also keep it covered when removed from the fire, to prevent a scum from rising upon it. To give the linen a fine, smooth, glossy appearance, and prevent the iron from sticking, add a little spermaceti (a piece as large as a nutmeg) to the starch, when boiling, and 1/2 a tea-spoonful of the finest table-salt. If you have no spermaceti, take a piece of the purest, whitest hog's lard, or tallow (mutton is the best), about as large as a nutmeg, or twice this quantity of the best refined loaf sugar, and boil with the starch. In ironing linen collars, shirt bosoms, etc., their appearance will be much improved by rubbing them, before ironing, with a clean white towel, dampened in soft water. The bosom of a shirt should be the last part ironed, as this will prevent its being soiled. All starch, should be strained before using.

498. Gum Arabic Starch for Making Shirt-Bosoms Glossy

498.    Gum Arabic Starch for Making Shirt-Bosoms Glossy. Procure 2 ounces of fine white gum arabic, and pound it to powder. Next put it into a pitcher, and pour on it a pint or more of boiling water, according to the degree of strength you desire, and then, having covered it, let it set all night. In the morning, pour it carefully from the dregs into a clean bottle, cork it, and keep it for use. A table-spoonful of gum water stirred into a pint of starch that has been made in the usual manner, will give a beautiful gloss to shirt-bosoms, and to lawns (either white or printed) a look of newness to which nothing else can restore them after washing. It is also good (much diluted) for thin white muslin and bobbinet.