THE LADIES’ WORLD.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2565, 28 July 1909, Page 3

THE LADIES’ WORLD.

HOW TO LAUNDER COLLARS AND CUFFS. f (By W. Murray in tho “Ladies’ Home Journal.”) First, some suggestions about washing the linen. As cold-water starch is difficult to remove from linen, and as its removal is necessary if good results are to be obtained, the greatest care must be taken in washing. If coJars and cuffs are not well washed and boiled to start with they will never look well when ironed. In order to - soften the starch and dirt to insure their complete removal the linen must first bo soaked. Put it into a basin of cold water, rub soap on each article 'and allow it to soak there for from twelve to twentyfour hours. Rub the linen in this water and wring it out thoroughly. Then prepare a basin of lukewarm water. Place the linen in this and rub enough soap on each article to produce a lather. Never have the first water hotter than lukewarm, because, instead of removing the dirt, hot water serves rather to harden it into the fabric. It saves both time and soap,jf before starting to wash you rub sufficient soap on the garments to produce a lather. The harder the water the more soap there is required; therefore, if possible, use rain-water. Now, having produced a lather, wash each collar or cuff separately by rubbing in the hands, and when as clean as possible in this prepare a second water, which may be as hot as the hands can comfortably bear. Wring the linen from the first water, and wash again in a similar fashion.. AVash until it is quite clean. AVring tightly from the second water, and put loosely into the boiler, cover with water, put on the lid. bring to a boil, and boil not longer than twentyfive minutes.

.—To Make Sure of Having tlie Linen AYhite.— Thorough rinsing to remove all the soap must follow. Prepare a basin of warm water and rub tlie linen in this until tho soap is removed. Then rinse in plenty of cold water to clear the color, and, if possible, lay the linen in the sun. on the grass to bleach. To counteract tho effect of any yellowness still remaining in the linen it must be blued. However, only a tinge of blue suffices, and to those'who think that- an extra squeeze of blue “whitens” b'adly-colored linen I would say that this is a great mistake, as it makes it a muddy-gray color instead. So, whether the linen is a good or a bad color, have the water only pale-blue. Pass the linen quickly through this. If allowed to remain for a length of time in the blue water the blue, being insoluble, settles in specks on tho linen. After bluing pass through the wringer and put to dry.

AVliether the linen is being dried indoors or out, to insure its being kept from- line marks, or being otherwise discolored, it is a good plan to string the cuffs and collars by one buttonhole on a piece of tape . Then tie the ends of tho tape to tho line. Allow them to remain until'bone-dry. The linen must then be quite soft—each ply of the cuff or collar should bo easily separated. In other words, it should be quite free frbm sfarcli. If any old starch remains there will be less space for the new, and the linen will be limp. Gold-water starch is used only for cuffs, collars and shirt fronts, boiled starch being used for all other purposes in laundry work. The starch should be of a good quality by a reliable maker, and should be ‘prepared thus: two ounces and a half of white starch, three gills or a glassful and a -half of water barely lukewarm, rock borax the size of a pea, a small teaspoonful of pure turpentine and a few shreds of curd soap.

—All Utensils Must bo Scrupulously Clean.— Have overy utensil used scrupulously clean and free from dust, as the least thing spoils tho appearance of the linen. The saucepan in which the borax is dissolved should be lined if possible; a small enamel one will serve the purpose very well. Put the starch into a clean, dry basin. Into the saucepan put the rock borax and a few shavings of curd soap. To these add two or three tablespoonfuls of the water, and dissolve over the fire. Break the starch with the remainder of the water, having the water merely slightly heated, not even lukewarm, Cold water is excellent, but the starch softens more readily if the water is slightly warm. AVlion the starch is blended add the dissolved soap and borax, also the turpentine.' Strain through ivet muslin into a-, clean basin; this removes the dust. Cover with a plate, and leave for an hour at least; this softens the starch grains, and it is more readily cooked in the linen afterward. • It may be made the day before being required J r;tie convenient. The soap' is added to make the iron glide more easily over tho linen. The borax helps to make'tho starch more soluble and to whiten tie linen, j b , . 1 'V _ Rub the collars lo cotton them, if necessary. Then squeeze thoroughly in the starch, and,wring out very tightly, using the hands and not the, trnger for this purpose. Each collar and cuff must be rubbed separately until there is no sign of the starch on the surface of the linen. The starch being rubbed into the inner folds insures smoothness and stiffness. Roll up in a towel and lay aside for one hour before ironing.

: ——Always Use a Very ,plot Iron. — . Remove the collars ono at a time from the towel, stretch each way, and place on the ifdning-table wrong- side up. Have ready a hot iron, and iron the wrong side very lightly to set the starch. Iron over it only once, then lift the collar and stretch to remove the wrinkles from the right side, and'place this side‘up on the table with the button holes away from ( you, and iron lightly, ironing any fullness -toward the buttonholes. s _ ■ ■ _ ■ ,>v. After removing wrinkles and'disposing of. any fullness, before, lifting the collar iron it heavily on the right side; then lift it, and dry the cloth underneath with the iron, and iron right and wrong side till dry and stiff. It must then be turned to; the shape of the neck, and- put to air, In ironing linen remember that the iron actually cooks the starch in the; fabric, and that is why collars, etc. , can bo made so stiff; but’ a very hot iron is necessary for this.