REMOVING STAINS. 311 



been found, however, that even these spots may be 

 discharged, by applying first a solution of an alca- 

 line sulphuret, which must be well washed from 

 the cloth, and afterwards a liquid acid. The sul- 

 phuret, in this case, extracts part of the oxygen 

 from the iron, and renders it soluble in diluted 

 acids. 



To remove the Stains of Fruit and Wine. 



These are best removed by a watery solution of 

 the oxygenated muriatic acid, or by that of oxygen- 

 ated muriate of potash or lime, to which a little 

 sulphuric acid has been added. The stained spots 

 may be steeped in one of these solutions till it is 

 discharged ; but the solution can only be applied 

 with safety to white goods, because the uncombined 

 oxygenated acid discharges all printed and dyed 

 colours. A convenient mode of applying the oxy- 

 genated acid, easily practicable by persons who 

 have not the apparatus for saturating water with 

 the gas, is as follows: Put about a table-spoonful of 

 muriatic acid (spirit of salt) into a tea-cup, and add 

 to it about a tea-spoonful of powdered manganese; 

 then set this cup in a larger one filled with hot 

 water ; moisten the stained spot with water, and 

 expose it to the fumes that arise from the tea-cup. 

 If the exposure be continued a sufficient length of 

 time, the stain will disappear. 



To remove Spots of Grease from Cloth. 



Spots of grease may be removed by a diluted 

 solution of potash ; but this must be cautiously 

 applied, to prevent injury to the cloth. Stains 

 of white wax, which sometimes fall upon the 



