IAPALOAL-L Archives

From: "Cathy Joynt Labath" <>
Subject: [IAPALOAL] How to Wash Clothes- 1897
Date: Wed, 26 Dec 2001 16:28:32 -0600

I collect old cookbooks (amongst many other things) and love reading through
them and often times use the recipes. This particular book also gives lots
of tips on household chores. I think I actually remember a wringer washer
being used by my mother when I was very small. (I was b. 1952). Anyway, glad
I don't have to make my own laundry soap and then do the laundry this
way....


>From Poetry in Cookery
Containing Choice Recipes and Many Economical, Dainty and Practical Dishes
By Lillie W. Eliel
Printed by J.W. Franks & Sons, Printers and Binders; Peoria, Illinois; 1897

To Every Woman of The Land, whose conscience prompts her to believe that
home-making is the noblest and holiest occupation of every wife and mother,
this volume is sincerely dedicated by the author.


THE LAUNDRY
HOW TO WASH

Always assort the clothes before soaking them and never soak anything that
has any color in it, place the plain clothes and those most soiled in the
bottom of the tub, the finer and cleaner ones on top. Soak the clothes the
evening before or any time the day previous to their being washed if more
convenient, adding 1 tablespoonful of the Washing Fluid No. 1210 to every
gallon of hot water. Wring them all with a wringer, being careful to prvent
the buttons from being wrung off, which always causes unnecessary work after
a careless washing. Again select the cleanest and finest clothes, put them
through the washing machine with plenty of hot water and soap. Soft soap No.
1242, if not too strong, is best for the white clothes, hard white soap for
colored fabrics and washing powder or wool soap especially put up for
flannels and all woolen articles. All delicately tinted fabrics should only
be washed on the board (not in the machine), with as little rubbing as
possible, immediately rinsed and hung in a shady place to dry.

Flannels should not be rubbed on the board at all, unless absolutely
necessary, rinsed in lukewarm, or cold water, if wool soap is used, wrung as
dry as possible, shaken well and immediately hung up to dry. Avoid hanging
where they will freeze, do not sprinkle and iron as little as possible,
stretching them instead, to keep the texture from matting and becoming close
and hard.

When the washing in the machine is completed wring again with the wringer.
This is essential in order to free clothes from as much of the dirty water
as possible, nor rubbing them on the board, only in places where it is
necessary.

The common mistake in washing is that the garments receive a general
rubbing, regardless of the results achieved, and therefore often come from
the laundry possibly a few shades lighter and a little fresher in general,
but with all the former spots and stains.

After being washed on the board, wring and soap them and put into the boiler
with plenty of water and a little soap, boil at least 15 minutes, stirring
occasionally and changing the water when it begins to be soiled. Do not pack
the clothes too tightly in the boiler, there is no benefit derived from it,
and only makes the work of taking them out harder. From the boiler put them
into a tub of cold rain water (use only rain water for washing if it can
possibly be had, and well or hard water for rinsing teh second time), rinse
them well and wring them into a tub full of cold hard water to which a
little bluing has previously been added. Wring again and all are ready for
the line, with the exception of the clothes that are to be starched in
cooked starch.

The one thing to be remembered is: Use plenty of water (soft water), and
have it clean, which means change it often, also wring the clothes well
every time they are put from one water to another. This is the chief secret
of the wise laundress. Thick soap suds that barely cover the clothes in the
tub are not the agent to accomplish the work that the shiftless workers
think they will. In this as in all things certain rules must be followed to
gain the proper results. Thought and care must be exercised in all things,
no matter how trivial. The practical worker, well aware of this, shrinks fro
m the haphazard fashion the careless ones adopt.

Weh nthe clothes are dry sprinkle uniformly (starched clothes and linens
require more moisture), fold evenly, roll up tightly and pack closely into a
basket, cover this well to keep the top clothes from becoming dry. The
garments that are to be starched in the raw electric starch need not be
sprinkled. if starched and rolled up tightly 20-30 minutes before ironing
they will be just right.

Never attempt to do your ironing on a narrow ironing board; this will answer
nicely for skirts, gowns, etc, but for the other clothes cover a medium
sized table with a cover (made of a blanket and cotton cloth), that can be
removed. Use hot irons, scour them occasionally with coarse salt and clean
with wax tied in a clean cloth, to prevent the starch from sticking.

After the clothes are ironed they must be hung up on a clothes frame until
perfectly dry before packing them away.

If clothes are laundered in this way it will be found exceedingly simple
when once accustomed to it, and their snowy whiteness will give proof of the
superiority of the method employed.

WASHING FLUID NO 1210
Sal soda 4 pounds, borax 2 ounces, sal tartar 1 ounce, water of ammonia 1/2
pint, spirits of camphor 2 ounces, oil of turpentine 1 ounce, hot water 6
pints. Dissolve the salts in the hot water and add the liquids in
succession, mix well and bottle. Add 1 tablespoonful of this to each gallon
of water used for soaking the clothes before washing and a little may be
used in the washing water if necessary.

SOFT SOAP NO 1242
For to five pounds of tallow, box of Lewis lye, 3 pints cold water.
Put the tallow in an iron pot and dissolve by gentle heat, then remove from
the fire, (it must be merely lukewarm). Dissolve the lye in three pints of
cold water and add to the tallow, stirring it until it gets white and thick.
Cover closely with a heavy cloth and stand it away until the next day, then
cut up the soap, which has become hard, add hot water and keep stirring
until all is dissolved; do not heat it again; pour it into a 5 gallon jar
and add enough water to fill it, then set aside for further use. Excellent
for washing all things that have to be laundered, especiall nice for machine
use.
Note.- Take 1 quart of the above soap, dissolve it in hot water, add 1 box
of Lewis lye, when this is dissolved add enough water to make it 4 gallons.
This soap is unsurpassed for scrubbings, sinks, tables and floors. When
wanted, dilute som of it in boiling water and use in place of hard soap.



Cathy Joynt Labath
The Irish in Iowa
http://www.celticcousins.net/irishiniowa/
Scott Co, IA USGenWeb Project
http://www.celticcousins.net/scott/
Palo Alto Co, IA USGenWeb Project
http://www.celticcousins.net/paloalto/

This thread:

• [IAPALOAL] How to Wash Clothes- 1897 by "Cathy Joynt Labath" <>