WASHING DELICATE CLOTHES

Shannon News, 30 October 1928, Page 4

WASHING DELICATE CLOTHES

The coming summer weather makes laundry bills soar unless w r omen do the washing of delicate fabrics an important part of women's work. The various excellent soap flakes and powders now on the market simplify the washing of summer frocks enormously, and, if the directions for their use are rightly followed, cottons, voiles, silks, and woollens issue triumphantly from the home wash-tub.

Amateur laundresses should be warned not to fall into an almost universal mistake. How few realise the value after washing of rinsing a garment again and again! The rinsing water can hardly be changed too often. Chiffon and georgette and voile will wash beautifully if a good mild white soap and lukewarm water, or soap flakes according to directions, are used and great care is taken with the ironing. All white silks wash more easily if steeped in cold softening water for 30 minutes before washing. Strong heat hardens the silk fibre. This causes it to split. Heat also discolours it. Therefore use warm water only. For ordinary laundry work methylated spirits is used for silk 'in the last rinsing water. Never use this for baby's laundry. It is dangerous for infants. It makes the silk more inflammable, and it ought to be hung in the open air before being ironed with an iron that is not too hot.