1 1 26 The Cornell Reading-Courses 



Grass stains: 



1. Soak in alcohol. 



2. Wash with naphtha soap and warm water. 



3. If the fabric has no delicate colors and the stain is fresh, treat with ammonia 

 water. 



4. For colored fabrics, apply molasses or a paste of soap and cooking soda. 

 Let stand over night. 



Grease spots: 



1. Wash thoroughly with naphtha soap and water. 



2. Soften old grease spots with turpentine, oil, or lard before washing the cloth. 



3. Dissolve the grease in benzine, alcohol, chloroform, ether, carbona, or benzol. 



4. For delicate fabrics dissolve grease spots in ether or chloroform. Chloroform 

 and carbona are useful because noninflammable. 



5. Apply a paste of fuller's earth or chalk to absorb grease. 



Indigo: 



Treat as for coffee. 



Ink: 



Ink is often difficult to remove, as it varies greatly in composition. 

 It is well to experiment with a comer of the spot before operating on the 

 whole. 



1 . If the stain is fresh, soak the stained portion of the cloth in milk. Use fresh 

 milk, as the old becomes discolored. 



2. Wet the stain with cold water. Apply a ten per cent solution of oxalic acid 

 to stain, let stand a few minutes, and rinse. Repeat until stain disappears. Rinse 

 in water to which borax or ammonia has been added. (Oxalic acid is a very poison- 

 ous substance.) 



3. Javelle water will remove some ink stains. Apply as for rust stains. 



4. Treat with hydrochloric acid as for iron rust. 



5. Treat with lemon juice and salt, as for iron rust. 



6. Use alcohol for some ink stains. 



Milk is the only reagent given that does not remove color. 



Iodine stains: 



Soak in alcohol, chloroform, or ether. 



Iron rust: 



I . Wet the stained part with borax and water, or ammonia, and spread over a 

 bowl of boiling water. Apply a ten per cent solution of hydrochloric acid, drop 

 by drop, until the stain begins to brighten. Dip at once into alkaline water. If 

 the stain does not disappear add more acid and rinse again. After the stain is 

 removed, rinse at once thoroughly in water to which borax or ammonia has been 

 added. The borax or ammonia is to neutralize any acid that may linger. Less 

 dilute acid may be used if the operator is skillful. 



