Making the Best Use of the Household Water Supply

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 84, Issue 3, 15 March 1952, Page 247

Making the Best Use of the Household Water Supply

By

EVELYN E.

MOORE, Rural Sociologist, Department of Agriculture, Palmerston North

TREATMENT of hard water was described in the first part of this article on making the best use of household water supplies, which appeared in last month's "Journal". This concluding portion deals with the treatment of other sources of trouble in spring and well —corrosive and rust-producing defectsand with household laundry materials.

OFTEN after a water supply has been connected and been in use for a period trouble is experienced with rust stains on enamel or porcelain baths, basins, and sinks and on household linen and clothing and with a brownish deposit in kettles and boilers. In some cases the water also has an objectionable flavour, especially when used for making tea. Sometimes the water may be clear and sparkling when freshly obtained, but, if left standing for two or three hours, it will become cloudy, a fine whitish or pale brown sediment finally settling on the bottom of the container. . This is one easy test for the presence of iron in water. ■ Corrosive waters do not always contain iron, however, so that it is advisable, if such properties are suspected, to have the water checked by an analyst. Presence of Carbon Dioxide These stains and brown deposits are caused by the presence in the water of dissolved carbon dioxide, a gas with which most people are familiar, as it is responsible for the “gasiness” of aerated beverages and beer. It is produced also by the decay of vegetable material in swamps and underground peaty areas; underground streams dissolve the gas, the amount present varying according to the source of supply. Water containing dissolved carbon dioxide is slightly acid and like other acid solutions can attack or corrode various materials. Consequently if in its passage underground it passes through limestone, some limestone is dissolved, the salts causing the temporary hardness discussed in the previous article being produced. If on the other hand it passes through iron-bearing materials, some of the iron is dissolved. Such water will also attack concrete or iron tanks and iron pipes, boilers, and other equipment used in transport and storage and cause considerable consequent trouble in its use in the home, even though the water is iron free at its source. In addition under most circumstances it corrodes pipes; rust is deposited and an internal scale is built up, so that the pipes gradually become blocked, the flow of water and pressure being correspondingly impaired. Copper piping is also attacked, with subsequent blue or green staining of laundry and baths. When this water has been stored in concrete tanks, the minerals dissolved will be deposited later as a hard scale in kettles, boilers, and on heating elements.

Water containing carbon dioxide is also troublesome in laundering, as the addition of soap or soda facilitates the formation of rust stains on clothing, with, of course, the consequent waste of cleaning materials; nor can ironcontaining water be used with a

zeolite water-softening plant, as the iron permanently neutralises’ the zeolite. Treatment of Acid-containing Water Treatment of acid-containing water, whether or not it also contains iron at its source, is the same, as the removal of the trouble-causing carbon dioxide also results in the removal of the dissolved iron bicarbonate. It consists first in the removal of as much dissolved carbon dioxide as possible by aeration. Various methods such as spraying the water through fine nozzles under pressure (the most satisfactory method) or by passing it down a chute with baffles are used. The remainder of the carbon dioxide is then removed by treatment with limestone, usually by passing the water through a filter bed of crushed limestone about 3ft. thick. If the water contains iron, the treatment will also remove it, but rust will accumulate on the limestone, so that it is necessary to back flush the filter occasionally to wash the' iron rust off the limestone. It is possible to obtain advice on the installation of water-treating equipment from the manufacturers of water-softening equipment and others. An analysis of the water to enable efficient and satisfactory treatment is essential, as is the case with hard water, and instructions on the use of the filter should be carried out carefully, if an acid- and iron-free supply is required. Treatment of Rust Stains Treatment of rust stains is not often attempted in the —they tend to be regarded as inevitable and irremovable, yet they can be removed satisfactorily, if they are not severe and long-standing. Rust stains on sinks, basins, or baths usually will disappear if- rubbed with a piece of lemon and then cleaned in the ordinary manner. The treatment should be repeated if necessary. If this fails to remove the stain, a 5 per cent, solution of oxalic acid (this can be obtained from a chemist, but as it is poisonous, it should be used carefully) can be applied to the stain and left on for a few moments or until the stain - disappears. It should be thoroughly washed off, as it will damage the surface of the enamel if left on for too long. Very severe staining, however, may not be removed even by oxalic acid.

The removal of rust stains from clothing and household linen was discussed in an article in the February 1950 issue of the “Journal”. Briefly, the advice given was that lemon juice, or salt followed by lemon juice, and oxalic acid are useful in the removal of iron stains from fabrics. They are used most effectively by moistening

the stained area with lemon juice, or if it fails, oxalic acid, and stretching the stained part over a bowl or kettle of boiling water. Oxalic acid should be washed out very thoroughly, the addition of a few drops of ammonia to the rinsing water being desirable.

Oxalic acid should not be used to remove rust stains from woollen materials, and it should be tried on an inconspicuous part of the article before being used on coloured fabrics, as the colour may be removed or altered. ' HOUSEHOLD LAUNDRY MATERIALS There are many ’laundry soaps, washing powders, soap powders, bleaches, and other laundry aids advertised today, all apparently indispensable to good washing, so that the economical housewife may well wonder which is the best to use for efficient cleaning, while ensuring that at the same time there will be no unnecessary wear and tear on clothing or household linen.

There are, for example, some cleaning materials which, if carelessly or inappropriately used, can halve the life of fabrics or cause rapid fading, shrinkage, or yellowing of white fabrics. The suitability of various types of cleaning material for different work varies considerably. Soap and Soap Substitutes Soaps and soap substitutes to wash efficiently should wet the fabric thoroughly and quickly so that the dirt is easily and speedily removed; should be able to suspend the dirt in the washing water so that it does not resettle on the clothing or linen being

washed; and should not in any way damage the fabrics they are used to wash. Though these requirements may seem self-evident, they _ show why soap alone, for example, is not as efficient for ordinary washing as soap and washing soda. Soap, the most important and efficient all-purpose washing material yet discovered, is slightly inferior to washing soda and some other alkalis in its ability to penetrate and wet fabrics thoroughly. It is, however, the most efficient cleaning material for preventing the redeposition of dirt on the fabric. Two of the chief causes of “greyness” are simply the use of insufficient soap to keep the removed dirt suspended in water or leaving the boiled clothes soaking in the dirty water. Using too much soap, besides being wasteful, is inefficient, as extra rinsing is necessary and dirt is not removed as effectively as where the correct amount of soap is used. It has been found that l/6oz. of soap per gallon of softened water, or the amount which will maintain 1 to 2in. of lather, is the most efficient amount to use in removing dirt. Pure neutral soap (one type of neutral bar soap and neutral soap flakes are available in New Zealand) is harmless to all fabrics which will stand washing, though precautions must be taken when washing delicate materials, woollen materials, silks, and materials with colours which are not fast to ordinary washing. There are also the slight disadvantages, that soap forms sticky, wasteful lime soaps with hard water (though this can be rectified by preliminary softening) and that it is unsatisfactory for washing in the presence of acid and salt, which are sometimes added to prevent dyes in some materials from running together. The acid in new silk or woollen materials will destroy soap, so that for satisfactory results such materials should be soaked previously in water containing a. mild alkaline substance, such as borax, which prevents the soap from being destroyed but does not harm or cause yellowing of the fabrics. Washing Woollens Heat, rubbing, and drying in direct sunlight will cause shrinkage and yellowing of silk and wool as readily as will use of strong alkalis such as washing soda. One experienced writer on laundering has estimated that the life of the average washable woollen garment is approximately halved by inexpert washing. To prolong the life of woollen garments and blankets lukewarm water and a mild soap which has thoroughly dissolved in the water should be used, rubbing during washing should be avoided, and the articles should be dried out of direct sunlight, which turns many white woollens yellow.

In addition to soap many household bar soaps also contain rosin soaps and a small amount of washing soda. Rosin soaps dissolve more easily in water than soaps made from the fat or tallow often used for household soaps and they have good frothing power. Their washing power is inferior to ordinary soap, however, so that first-grade household soap by law can contain not more than 15 per cent, of rosin. This small amount of rosin, by increasing the rapidity with which

the soap dissolves in water, is advantageous in dish washing or in ensuring the complete solubility of the soap and therefore washing efficiency in laundry work. Soap Powders and Soap Flakes Ease of solubility and convenience are the chief advantages of soap powders and soap flakes. Though the amount of soap in firstgrade soap is required to be at least 60 per cent, (measured as the fatty acid portion of the soap) soap powders have to conform to the standards of third-grade soap only (that is, 40 per cent, of fatty acid, of which two thirds may be rosin) and may contain unspecified amounts of washing soda, borax, and other substances. As household soaps may contain considerable amounts of water and as soap powders usually contain very little, the better-quality soap powders may be economical to use. They contain approximately equal parts of soap and washing soda or other alkali, which is the proportion giving the best washing conditions for fast-coloured cottons, linens, and rayons. Because of the wide variety in quality in bar soaps and soap powders and the wide range of costs of washing powders, the housewife will find it useful to compare the washing quality and the amount she has to use of each to maintain a satisfactory depth of lather. Soap powders may also contain a bleaching substance, in which case they are labelled oxygen washers. Sodium perborate, a mild and reasonably safe bleach, is the one usually present, but with this or other bleaches certain precautions should be observed.

It is emphasised, however, that with proper washing methods no general bleaching should be necessary, as it is not a satisfactory substitute for the removal of soiling, and regular bleaching treatment can reduce considerably the life of household linen and. clothing. . 2 Bleaches are valuable for the removal of stains not easily removed by washing, such as tea stains or fruit stains, but are not recommended for the routine washing of sheets or pillowcases, for example, if maximum wear is desired. Bleaches Though several proprietary bleaches alone or combined with soap, or soapless detergents, are available, they are usually one of three types. Hydrogen Peroxide and Sodium Perborate There are hydrogen peroxide and sodium perborate (found in oxygen washers), which dissolves in water and has a bleaching action similar to hydrogen peroxide, some of which may be formed. They are safe mild bleaches for all types of fabric with fast colours, but may cause serious weakening of fabrics containing iron stains, which should therefore be removed by another method.

For the best results the soap powder should be dissolved in warm (not hot) water and added to the tub or washing machine and contents which also

should be only warm. Gradual heating releases the oxygen slowly from the hydrogen peroxide which has been formed, allowing time for slow and even bleaching. If the soap powder is added to boiling water, there is an extremely rapid and probably ineffectual release of oxygen. Liquid Chlorine Secondly, there are liquid chlorine bleaches, which are stronger than the type already described, and are likely to cause severe damage to fabrics if not correctly used. They cause serious yellowing of silk and wool and rapid rotting of crease-resistant rayon. If bleaching of these materials is necessary, one of the other types of bleaches should be used. Liquid chlorine bleaches should be used in concentrations not greater than those recommended by the manufacturer, as though there may be faster bleaching, there may also be rapid deterioration of the fabric. They should never be used in water hotter than 140 degrees F., the treatment should be carried out (on stained tablecloths, for example) before washing, and the bleach should be rinsed out before regular washing is begun. Overnight or long soaking in water containing a bleach is also inadvisable. Dye-stripping Bleaches Lastly there are the dye-stripping bleaches, which, because of their cost, are not used in normal washing. Fluorescent Dyes Some varieties of soap powder now on the market contain the new fluorescent dyes. These are white powders which act like dyes and which fluoresce; that is, they give off bluishwhite light of their own in daylight. The colourless dyes cling to fabrics, brightening them even when they are coloured because of their soft radiance, and making white materials seem whiter, because the slight bluish white light counteracts the yellowing effect of washing soda. Unlike bleaching substances fluorescent dyes have no damaging effect on fabrics. Alkalis Alkalis such as washing soda are incorporated in soap powders because they improve the dirt-removing properties of soap. Used alone, however, they are quite unsatisfactory, as they do not have the dirt-suspending powers of soap, so that much of the soiling may be redeposited on the surface of the clothes, leaving them a uniform grey colour. Washing soda, which is also a water softener, is the cheapest and the most suitable alkali to use with soap in washing white and fast-coloured cottons and linens, but it causes yellowing of woollens and silks; even with cotton and linen goods excessive amounts of soda should not be added. Excessive quantities decrease the dirtsuspending property of soap and reduce considerably the wearing quality of fabrics. A number of alkalis are used instead of washing soda or in conjunction with it for washing. Some of them have special uses in industry and commercial laundries, but as they are invariably more expensive than washing

soda, their use in households is seldom justified. Of those included in the various soap powders borax is probably the most valuable, as it is a very mild alkali and may be used safely for washing woollens, silks, and coloured fabrics. A soaking in a weak borax solution preliminary to washing neutralises the acid in new woollen and silk materials without in any way harming them and prevents the acid from destroying the soap and perhaps leaving greasy stains on the materials. It also helps to increase the stiffness of starched fabrics and to prevent the limpness which occurs on damp, humid days.

Borax is an expensive and unsatisfactory substitute for washing soda for washing cotton or linen goods, nor has it, as is sometimes supposed, any bleaching action.

Modified soda, consisting of equal amounts of washing soda and baking soda, is also a weak alkali and is therefore valuable for washing silks and woollens. It is included in some all-purpose soap powders, as it is satisfactory for all types of washing, because boiling changes it into washing soda. There is also a sodium hexametaphosphate preparation which is an excellent all-purpose water softener and washing powder, but its scarcity —it is at present sold only by wholesalers to commercial users —precludes its use in the home. Commercial laundries sometimes use it, as it removes the greyness from household linen washed many times in hard water, but does not harm the fabric, as may occur when bleaches are used. Ammonia, spirit soaps, petrol soaps, and cloudy ammonia (a mixture of ammonia and soap) and similar proprietary lines are, like bleaches, of value for removing stains, but are not used in the weekly wash, except perhaps to take out difficult stains. Synthetic Detergents Synthetic detergents are comparatively new. Their washing action is similar to that of soap in that they wet materials very well and therefore cause dirt to be removed easily. They also hold the removed dirt in the washing water. As they have a chemical structure different from that

of soap, they can be used where soap is useless or is destroyed.

There are several synthetic detergents sold in New Zealand under various trade names, generally as soapless detergents, carpet shampoos, or soapless shampoos. Some are manufactured from breakdown products in the petroleum industry and are marketed by oil companies; others are made by chemical-manufacturing companies. Though the products are not yet well known throughout New Zealand, they are becoming more widely available and probably they will have a permanent place in many households eventually. They are more expensive to use than soap, but under certain conditions the added cost may be justified. Soap is cheaper and better for ordinary washing in soft water, but a little soapless detergent is sometimes used with soap, as together they speed up the removal of dirt.

Detergents may, if desired, replace soap for washing new or previously washed woollens and silks, as, unlike soap, detergents are not destroyed by the acid often present in new woollen or silk fabrics and, being neutral, they minimise the risk of shrinkage and of colours running. Provided plenty of water is used detergents may also be used to steep woollen garments before washing, thus reducing the amount of washing necessary. They can be used effectively in cool water in which they dissolve readily. Because detergents are not destroyed by acid (vinegar) or salt they can be used with these substances when washing garments with colours that run easily. As they do not produce any scum or deposit when used with hard water, they may be used safely instead of soap when it is inconvenient to soften the water first.

For dish washing where the water is hard, where very greasy dishes are to be washed, or when the hot-water supply has failed detergents are useful, as they give a cleaner wash and prevent grease from settling on the surface of the water or sides of the sink. They are also of value for cleaning windows, as carpet shampoos, or for sponging grease or soil marks on clothing, on which they are less likely to leave a discoloured or water mark than when other laundry materials are used..

Odd Nylon Stockings Can be Made Wearable Again

PROBABLY few wearers of nylon stockings have not at some time regretfully put aside an odd unblemished stocking because the other has been hopelessly torn or laddered. Yet two odd nylons may be restored to usefulness very simply by being boiled together in a large panful of water for 25 to 30 minutes, or until they become an even and uniform shade. It is important to have plenty of water so the stockings can be moved about in it freely and do not become streaked. To aid uniform redistribution of colour they should also be stirred from time to time with a smooth spoon or stick. The addition of a small amount of soap power seems to cause a quicker redistribution of colour.

Stockings of widely different shades may be boiled together, but unless dark- and light-coloured stockings are mixed, when an intermediate colour is obtained the resulting colour is lighter than the original colours and neutral in tone. After being rinsed and dried the stockings are ready to be worn. Their durability does not seem to be reduced and their appearance is satisfactory. Of course, only stockings with the same heel shaping and gauge may be treated or the difference is noticeable. The laddered stockings can also be put to good use, as they are excellent to use for straining paint which has become lumpy.

—EVELYN E. MOORE, Rural Sociologist, Department of Agriculture, Palmerston North

Keeping the Glass Clean when Painting Window Frames AN easy way of keeping paint off the glass when painting a window frame is to stick strips of adhesive tape (transparent cellulose tape is best, but is expensive) round the edges of the glass, leaving a fraction of an inch uncovered next to the frame. Then when the frame is painted a neat edge is ensured without all the care and time usually necessary to prevent an untidy outline, and because the paint is allowed to cover the edges of the glass a tight paint seal between glass and frame or putty is obtained to keep out moisture. Before the paint is dry the tape should be stripped off. The great advantage of using cellulose tape is that it strips off glass or any clean, smooth surface leaving practically no mark. Ordinary sticking plaster tends to leave behind some of the rubber adhesive, which must be cleaned off with methylated spirit or ether.

This method can also be used to protect door panels if the outer framing of the door is being painted another colour, or indeed for any painting in which two colours adjoin and a neat, straight outline is required between them. It is necessary to be sure that the tape will strip off the surface to be protected without marking it, but cellulose tape at least should strip quite cleanly off an enamelled surface. —EIRENE E. UNWIN, Rural Sociologist, Department of Agriculture, Christchurch “TOMATO COOKERY” Families which appreciate tomatoes in their diet throughout the year will find useful the simple methods of preserving the fruit described in Department of Agriculture Bulletin No. 350, “Tomato Cookery”. As well as the section on preserving there are recipes and instructions for the making of pickles, chutneys, sauces, and jams. Attractive ways in which fresh tomatoes can be served in a variety of salads are also described.