HOUSEHOLD LINEN

Dominion, Volume 19, Issue 155, 27 March 1926, Page 16

HOUSEHOLD LINEN

PRESERVING ITS BEAUTY Every house-proud woman takes a delight in her linen, but too often it is badly treated by lack of realisation of the care and protective measures it requires. Many people blame the fabric when it begins to show signs of early wear. Generally speaking, the cause is to be sought in the laundering, and most likely it will be found that strong soap, soda, or soap powder has been used. Soda has the effect of dissolving the gum which binds together the fibres of the flax, and, naturally, the linen wears badly. Rinsing, too, is of the utmost importance, for if .soap is left in after washing the subsequent ironing causes a chemical action between the soap and the gum, and a change in colour takes place which! no amount of boiling will afterwards restore. From a famous Irish linen mill comes the statement that the following mixture for stiffening linen is infinitely to be preferred to starch. Dissolve one ounce of gum arabic in half a pint of warm water. For use, add one tabicspoonful of this solution to a quart of water. This mixture may be kept in stock. If the household soap is suspected of containing free alkali which will spoil the colour ®f the linen give it a test with litmus paper. Dissolve the soap in water and in it dip a piece of red litmus. If the paper changes to blue, then free alkali is 11 But’ careful laundering is not enough. The linen cupboard must be beyond reproach, too. Extremes are bad for linen. A damp atmosphere will surely bring mildew, while the heat of a cupboard that contains a hot-water tank will tuin it yellow and give it a tendency to become dry and brittle. Choose the* happy mean and store linen in a cool room and in a chest or cupboard to which no ray of light can penetrate. Onlv so will it keep its snowy colour. If linen is used only occasionally, it is a mistake to put it away with starch in it, for this will rot it and cause mildew. The treatment of stains needs very careful consideration, for strong chemicals destroy the material. Tea, coffee, fruit, and wine stains ' most frequently disfigure table-linen. All of them should be treated with affimonia and hydrogen peroxide. After washing, the stained ■parts should be rubbed with ordinary ammonia. Obtain hydrogen peroxide from the chemist and dilute it one part to 100 par.ts of water. Rinse well afterwards to remove all traces. ■ ; Whilst on the subject of stains, it is as well to remind women that the big linen firms have research departments, and if stains have proved obstinate and immovable advice may be obtained from the departments upon application. Another service not too weir known is the needlework laundry, which is intended for the first washing of elaborate hand work. It is handled by an expert at very reasonable cost, and the result is well worth'the bother ; of'dispatch.

German schoolgirls will receive special instruction in the art of using the lipstick, rouge-pad and powderpuff. Meanwhile the boys should be taught how to smoke cigarettes, and the grandffiothers to suck egp. Nowadays, for the flapper, there’s only a slip ’twixt the frock and the hip.