HOUSEHOLD HINTS.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XIV, Issue I, 5 January 1895, Page 18

HOUSEHOLD HINTS.

TO WASH LACE. Fold the lace in lengths, say four or five inches long, and tack these together with fine cotton (lace two inches wide r equires three or four rows of tacking, and proportionately according to width); this is a precautionary measure against tearing. Boil some of the best white curd soap, let it cool, when it will be a jelly ; put a large tableapoonful of this jelly into a pint of very hot water, mix it well, when it

should make a good lather ; if it does not, add a little more soap. When the lather has somewhat cooled, put in the lace, let it soak twelve hours; squeeze it out, but on no account rub it, and again put it to coak in a fresh lather of the soap and water. Thia second soaking ought to be sufficient, if not, give it a third, until clean. Then take tepid water ana rinse well, never rubbing it, only lifting it up and down; change this rinsing water until the water never becomes cloudy, the last water should be cold. Roll, or better still fold, your lace in a scrupulously clean piece of linen, press it well (that will take the worst of the wet off the lace). Hang it in the air, leaving the tacking threads in ;it will quickly dry. When it is so. take out tacking threads, not by dragging the cotton, bnt by cutting almost every stitch ; by this means not one thread of your fine lace will be broken. Instead of starch of any kind, dissolve a few pieces of lump sugar, say, in half a pint of cold water; gently press the lace in this (of course, the quantity must be in proportion, so that the lace is thoroughly saturated); dry partially by folding as before in a clean cloth. Have a thick pad of many folds of flannel; on this lay an old pocket handkerchief or soft linen. Spread an inch or two of your lace at a time on this pad, and take the round bone top of a very large wooden knitting needle, and with this round top rub your lace. You need not, or rather, must not iron laee. Some people press it out flat on a marble-topped table, and leave till dry. This makes it look like new. Others run it lightly through a rubber wringer.

TO WASH WOOLLEN STOCKINGS. Wash clean in one quantity of water, and wring out, then have a second soapy water, wash again and turn outside in and wash on wrong side, wring, fold, and clap, and hang up to dry at once. TO RENEW BLACK LACE. Squeeze in tea neither very weak nor very strong, squeeze several times with one hand, then squeeze dry in the folds of a towel. Have a large pot of boiling water, hold the lace over it with both hands, drawing it out until it is nearly dry. It may be pressed under a weight or with a cool iron pressed on the wrong side to smooth it.