383. To Extract Mildew

383.    To Extract Mildew. Mix soft soap with powdered starch, half as much salt, and the juice of a lemon, and lay on with a brush. Let it lay on the grass day and night till the stain is gone. This is a good receipt. Or, take 2 ounces chloride of lime, pour on it a quart of boiling water, then add 3 quarts of cold water; steep the linen 10 or 12 hours, when every spot will be extracted.

Mix oxalic acid, citric acid, and milk, together; rub into the linen; repeat as it dries; wash, and bleach on the grass.

384. To Remove Common Ink Stains

384.    To Remove Common Ink Stains. Ink stains may be readily removed from white articles by means of a little salt of lemons, diluted muriatic acid, oxalic acid, or tartaric acid, and hot water; or by means of a little solution of chlorine or chloride of lime. When the stain is caused by ink manufactured with logwood, a red mark remains, which may be removed by the application of a little chloride of lime. All strong acids and alkalies tend to injure the fabric; therefore, immediately the stains are removed, the spots should be well rinsed, and repeatedly, in cold water.

385. To Remove Stains made by Hair Dye, or Indelible Ink

385.     To Remove Stains made by Hair Dye, or Indelible Ink. The staining principle of common indelible ink is nitrate of silver. It may be removed by first soaking in a solution of common salt, which produces chloride of silver, and afterwards washing with ammonia, which dissolves the chloride. Nitrate of silver, or hair dye stains can be removed by a solution of 10 grains of cyanide of potassium, and 5 grains of iodine to 1 ounce of water; or a solution of 8 parts of perchloride of mercury and muriate of ammonia in 125 parts of water. (See Nos. 129 (To Remove Indelible-Ink Marks) and 387.)

386. To Remove Marking-Ink from Linen

386.    To Remove Marking-Ink from Linen. Dip the garment in a solution of 1 ounce cyanide of potassium in. 4 ounces of water. After a few hours the stain will be obliterated. This is very effectual, but the mixture is highly poisonous, and should be carefully removed.

387. To Remove Silver Stains from the Hands

387.    To Remove Silver Stains from the Hands. Put 1/2 pound glauber salts, 1/4 pound of the chloride of lime, and 8 ounces of water, into a little wide-mouthed bottle, and when required for use pour some of the thick sediment into a saucer, and rub it well over the hands with pumice stone or a nailbrush, and it will clean the fingers quite equal to cyanide, but without any danger. This will do to use over again until exhausted, and should be kept corked up. The disagreeable smell may be entirely avoided by the liberal use of lemon juice, which not only entirely removes the smell, but whitens the hands.

388. To Remove Stains from the Hands

388.     To Remove Stains from the Hands. Ink stains, dye stains, fruit stains, etc., can be immediately removed by dipping the fingers in warm water and then rubbing on the stain a small portion of oxalic acid powder and cream of tartar, mixed together in equal quantities, and kept in a box. When the stain disappears, wash the hands with fine soap. This mixture, being poisonous, must be kept out of the reach of children. A few drops of oil of vitriol (sulphuric acid) will also remove most stains from the hands without injuring them. Care must, however, be taken not to drop it upon the clothes. It will remove the color from woolen, and eat holes in cotton fabrics. The juice of ripe tomatoes will remove the stain of walnuts from the hands, without injury to the skin.