REPAIRING PARTY DAMAGES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17831, 27 April 1926, Page 11

REPAIRING PARTY DAMAGES.

THE SPOILT FROCK. Stained frocks and stained table linen often take the gilt off the party-night gingerbread. But with a little trouble and knowledge it is easy to restore the gilt. All manner of stains can lie removed without damaging fabrics if the proper treatment is followed. Accidents with coffee, dhocolate, wine, pickles, and so forth, in the case of white materials, are quite simple to deal with. If the colouring substance in the stain is not amenable to washing with water, use a solvent stich as petrol, benzol, or methylated spirit; or work the destruction of the colour—of which more anon—with a chemical that will have no harmful effect on the material. It is always preferable to remove a stain with washing, if . possible. The stain should be sponged for a few minutes with hot water. If still obdurate, then add to the hot water a small proportion (one part in forty parts of water) of ammonia, or washing soda. Cotton, linen, silk, and wool will not be harmed by the treatment, but on no account should the chemicals Vie allowed to dry in the fabric. They should be removed ef . fectually by sponging with water immediately the stain disappeared.

To remove stains from coloured fabrics demands special care, to avoid removing, the dye with the stain. We must not forget our good friend petrol in such an emergency. Alost dyes are not removed (or only very, very slightly) by petrol-sponging. Benzine or methylated spirits are similarly useful without being drastic. Water, on the other hand, makes dyes "bleed'’ freely, unless the water be first tho-

roughly impregnated with common salt. By treatment with these liquids, many stains on coloured fabrics may be removed. Grease stains on materials of all kinds can be removed without the least trouble by sponging with petrol, benzine, or methylated spirit.