Household Ammonia

(See also Household Formulas.)—Household ammonia is simply diluted ammonia water to which borax and soap have been added. To make it cloudy add potassium nitrate or methylated spirit. The following are good formulas:

I

Ammonia water .... 16 parts

Yellow soap....... 64 parts

Potassium nitrate... 1 part Soft water, sufficient

to make......... 200 parts

Shave up the soap and dissolve it in the water by heating, add the potassium nitrate and dissolve. Cool, strain, skim off any suds or bubbles, add the ammonia, mix, and bottle at once.

II

Yellow soap.......   10 grains

Borax............     1 drachm

Lavender water....   20 minims Stronger ammonia

water...........     6 ounces

Water, enough to

make...........   20 ounces

Dissolve the soap and borax in 5 ounces of boiling water; when cold add the lavender water and ammonia, and make up to a pint with water.

III

Methylated spirit. ..       1 gallon

Soft water.........       1 gallon

Stronger ammonia

water...........       1 gallon

IV

Ammonia water....       5 pints

Distilled water.....       5 pints

Soap.............   100 grains

Olive oil..........       5 drachms

Cut the soap in shavings, boil with the oil and water, cool, add the ammonia water, and bottle. For use in laundries, baths, and for general household purposes add one tablespoonful to one gallon of water.

V

The best quality:

Alcohol, 94 per cent..   4 ounces

Soft water...........   4 gallons

Oil of rosemary......   4 drachms

Oil of citronella......   3 drachms

Dissolve the oils in the alcohol and add to the water. To the mixture add 4 ounces of talc (or fuller's earth will answer), mix thoroughly, strain through canvas, and to the colate add 1, 2, or 3 gallons of ammonia water, according to the strength desired, in which has been dissolved 1, 2, or 3 ounces of white curd, or soft soap.