LAUNDRY WORK.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume 1, Issue 8, 14 February 1914, Page 4 (Supplement)

LAUNDRY WORK.

The mere man of the house is still apt to regard the day set apart for the famjjjy wash with some apprehension, for it is associated in his mind with household confusion and cold meals. Yet in these days of labour-saving appliances there is no reason why the nome should be upset, or the housewife become unduly fatigued through her exertions. The laundry of to-day, with its fixed tubs and taps, is a vast improvement on the old wash house, which entailed work in the lifting andcaWySng of water alone. The object of washing is to get rid of the dirt with as little' wear and tear of the material as possible; this can now be accomplished without hand rubbing at all. Soaking the articles overnight and putting them through two or three waters before boiling is 40 doubt an excellent method of cleansing clothes, provided one has plenty of time and spare energy. To use a scrubbing board not only wears out the clothes quickly, but it entails hard labour, yet a scrubbing board is still considered by many women an indispensable accessory to the washing job. Careless and insufficient rinsing is one of the commonest causes of badly coloured linen. It is difficult to tell the exact amount of blue required. To test the colour on some , unimportant i article before putting the clothes in is a good plan. Blue water should be kept well mixed from the bottom of the 1 tub, and the clothes should be quickly ! taken out, or they will become streaky. Wringing is best done by a machine. ; The articles should be folded evenly jbefore being put through the wringer, ; and all buttons must be protected. Avoid putting a strain on the machine through inserting too great a thickness of articles at one time between the rollers. If the wringing is done by hand, it must be done on the selvedge way of the material to prevent stretching the article out of shape. Before hanging out, the clothes' line : should be well rubbed with a clean dus- | ter. This will prevent the soiled; marks which clothes often show after [ a visit to the tub. The revolu*'on that I has taken place in women's garments has had a notable effect on the family wash. The starched petticoats of yesterday vanished with the advent of the starchless figure, and in starch matters there is now one law for men and another for women. But when making boiled starch for household linen or children's clothes, a tablespoonful of parr.Tin should be added to the mixture, as it will prevent the iron from sticking at all. Hang the clothes with a good piece of the material over the line, and with the heaviest part upwards. Small articles should be pinned together, and cuffs and collars strung on a tape or string. If the wash is large a patent clothes' sprinkler is a great boon, and saves the dipping of one's hands in water, also a small mangle considerably reduces labour if the ironing is composed of many pieces. A mangle suitable for household requirements costs £3 15/-, but in the long run this outlay is saved by a reduction in the gas or fuel bills. The shirts and collars undoubtedly present the severest test to the home worker. They must be perfectly dried before being starched. Cold water starch is best made in the following way:—Mix the starch to a smooth cream with cold water, then add borax dissolved in boiling water in the proportion of a dessertspoonful to a teacup of starch. Remember to always i wet the part just beyond where, •fche starch is to go. This will prevent the slarch f 10m spreading. Sprinkle the remainijg dry parts with cold water, then roll the articles in a clean cloth, and lay aside for a time before starting to iron. Clean irons are essential for good results. Rub them first with a piece of beeswax tied in a cloth and afterwards on brown paper strewn coarse salt. Iron the articles first? jpn the right side, pressing heavily,, and then on the wrong side, repeating until dry. Then damp a clean rag, and rub evenly over the side to be polished, a fresh hot iron being necessary to produce the desired shine. Gas or electric irons considerably minimise the labour of ironing, as the heat can be regulated to the workers' requirements.