1 1 38 The Cornell Reading-Courses 



dependence on natural agents has been obviated by the ability to procure 

 similar results from the use of chemicals. 



In the home laundry, we still use natural agents to whiten and purify 

 household linen. That is the greatest advantage which the home laundry 

 has over the commercial laundry; in the latter, in a majority of cases, 

 clothes are dried in steam closets, and some chemical must replace the 

 sun's rays to bleach a garment left yellow by washing. The action of the 

 sun and air is not merely to bleach but to disinfect, and clothes thus dried 

 have a freshness and sweetness that cannot be duplicated by any other 

 method. 



Occasionally, even in the household, it may be necessary to supplement 

 the natural bleaching process by the use of chemicals. If a garment has 

 yellowed by age or by being packed away with starch in it, it may be 

 expedient to use a chemical bleach. 



The best bleach to use is javelle water, which should be made as follows: 



I pound washing soda 

 5 pound chlorid of lime 



1 quart boiling water 



2 quarts cold water 



Put soda in granite pan; add boiling water and stir until dissolved; let cool. 



Dissolve chlorid of lime in cold water; let settle and pour the clear liquid into 

 the soda; let settle. Pour ofif clear liquid, bottle, and put away in dark place. 



Use, mixed with equal parts or more of water, and do not let the garments 

 stay in over f hour. Rinse thoroughly in several waters and lastly in dilute 

 ammonia water. 



Moisture is necessary if clothes are to be bleached by the action of the 

 sun. After a garment dries, it should be made wet again and hung out. 

 It may be necessary to repeat the wetting operation a number of times 

 before the yellow tinge yields. It is said that clothes are whitened if 

 they are allowed to freeze out of doors on the line. The reason given for 

 the bleaching action is that freezing causes the clothes to retain moisture, 

 hence the time of their bleaching is prolonged. 



IRONING 



While a knowledge of conditions aids greatly in ironing as in other 

 operations, experience and skill are necessary to accomplish good results. 

 Ease of ironing and the quality of the product depend on the skill of the 

 operator, on the care that has been used in starching, drying, sprinkling, 

 and folding the clothes to be ironed, and on the kind and condition of the 

 irons. If the garments have been poorly and carelessly starched, the work 

 of ironing is greatly increased. Starchy lumps cook on the iron and damage 

 its smoothness, even when the lumps are immediately removed. The 



