WILL IT WASH?

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19799, 21 November 1927, Page 5

WILL IT WASH?

VARIOUS METHODS. It may be said that practically the only materials which cannot be washed successfuly are silk and artificial silk velvets, and certain very brightly printed silk goods. As a general rule, fancy materials should first of all be steeped for five to ten minutes in cold water, in order to take out the acid which is often in the material, and which would work against the soap during washing. Prints and fancy silk articies should be steeped in water containing some salt, for safety's sake, as the salt has a big influence in preventing colours running or washing out. As far as the actual washing is concerned, this should be done using a white flake soap and washing powders should not be used unless they are described by the makers as suitable for fancy silk • materials; they often contain bleaching agents, which are excellent for cotton, but are liable to spoil the colour of the fabric if this is silk or artificial silk. Enough soap should be used to give a good lather. Soda, however, must not be used in any circumstances, but if a garment is very dirty, a little borax may be safely added. The soap should be dissolved in hot water, and then cold water added until you can bear your hand quite comfortably in it. Very hot water dulls art silk a great deal, besides making many colours run. Steep the fabric in this soap bath for a few minutes. Move it about in all directions to loosen the dirt, but do not squeeze more than is absolutely necessary. Lace should not be squeezed at all. Rubbing should be avoided, at all costs, especially with very lustrous or soft fabrics such as satin or crepe de chine. Rubbing causes ugly patches, which show up badly in certain lights. After its lather bath, the fabric should bo rinsed well in two or three changes of warm water, which washes the soap out better than cold. Certain kinds of material require special treatment. Chiffon velvets "come up" quite well if, after washing, they are brushed lightly with a soft brush, the way of the pile, to smooth it out, before thev are quite dry. WTien they are properly dry, they will feel rather stiff, but this stiffness can be removed by further brushing. If they are then ironed on "the wrong side, with an iron which is not very not, they will look almost as good as new. Long-pile goods, such as plushes, in which the pile should not lie fiat., should be shaken as you would shake a rug. This will make the pile stand up straight. Artificial silk goods also require special treatment. They must not be washed in hot water, as already mentioned, because this makes them look dull. In addition, when art silk is wet, it is very tender, and easily damaged. For this reason, never mangle or squeeze it more than is absolutely necessary. It also has a bad habit of, stretching if hung up to dry in the ordinary way, but this can be prevented in one or two ways. Either pin the garment on to clean brown paper, and hang it up on the line like that; or spread it out on a baking or drawing board and dry thus in front of the fire. Silk moracain* often shrinks during washing, but there is no need to worry about it. Pull it out whichever way it has shrunk, when it is almost dry, and then iron it, and it will come out all right. Good cotton prints wash well, hut silk prints with very bright colours, especially bright pinks, should he dry-cleaned.