474 STANDARD RECEIPTS. 



TO REMOVE STAINS AND GREASE SPOTS. 



Ink Stains. There are two kinds of ink stains, aniline and gall- 

 nut. Many inks made now are aniline, so it is always best to treat all 

 ink stains first with diluted tartaric acid, increasing its strength until 

 the spot begins to disappear. Should this acid, however, have no effect 

 then treat for ink made from nut-galls. The cloth containing the spot 

 is spread out tightly over a bright, hot, tin plate and rubbed with a hot 

 solution of oxalic acid , using a piece of iron to rub with, such as an iron 

 key. It often happens that in silk goods nothing can be done to remove 

 the stain. 



Ink Stains on Table lyinen. The best way to take ink out of 

 table linen is to soak the spots in sour milk. Put the cloth in the fresh 

 milk and set it where it will turn sour. The process of souring seems 

 to assist in drawing out the stains. Rub the spots after they have been 

 soaking twenty-four hours in the milk, (provided it has curdled in that ' 

 time), just as you would wash any spot in water. They will finally be- 

 come very faint and may now be washed out in water, and the first time 

 they are put through the weekly washing the probability is that all 

 traces of the ink stains will have disappeared. 



Grass Stains. These are very readily removed by moistening with 

 Stannous chloride and rinsing well in water. 



Fruit Stains. Fruit stains in white goods must be bleached out 

 with Javelle water, (see directions how to make), and well rinsed in 

 clear water. Do not try soap except as a last resort, as it sometimes 

 has the effect of setting the color and rendering the stain difficult to re- 

 move. For colored silks use warm water, Castile soap suds, and ammo- 

 nia. This applies in general to all vegetable stains, including red wine 

 and to red ink stains. 



An old fashioned way of removing fruit stains is to pour boiling water 

 upon them. This is best done by spreading the section of cloth contain- 

 ing the spot out firmly over a bowl or pan and pouring boiling water 

 upon it from the spout of a tea-kettle. 



Fruit stains are easily removed fron table-linen by wetting the spots 

 with spirits of camphor befcre being washed. If camphor is not at hand 

 whisky will answer. 



Acid Stains. Excepting those from nitric acid which are perma- 

 nent, acid stains can be neutralized by the action of an alkali, strong 

 ammonia usually being the most effective. If the stain is fresh and of 



