Nature of Tartaric Acid.—This is the acid principle of cream of tartar and is found in a free state in vari ous plants and fruits, especially the grape. It is readily soluble in either alcohol or water. If dissolved in water and allowed to stand it deteri orates, turning into acetic acid. It is the acid principle of Rochelle salts and is principally used in dyeing, in preparing effervescing beverages, and as an ingredient in baking powder. In medicine it is used as a tartar emetic.
Tartaric acid is but slightly poison ous, is much less destructive to cloth fibers than are other acids, and does not injure fast colors. It may be dissolved in less than its own bulk of water, and hence may be used in a very strong solution and readily washed out of the most delicate fabrics.
Uses of Tartaric Acid.—Tartaric acid is especially useful in grass stains, as it changes the chlorophyll and chlorophyllan into soluble sub stances. It is nearly as effective as oxalic acid on ink spots from iron gall inks. It may be used on all or dinary linen, silk, cotton, woolen, or other fabrics, and if combined with salt will not cause the colors to run. The usefulness of this article in the laundry does not seem to be generally known.
To Apply Tartaric Acid.—Wet the spot with water and apply the dry acid with or without an equal quan tity of salt.
Or wet the spot and cover with cream of tartar, with or without its hulk of salt. The process will be quickened if the stain is held over the steam of a teakettle or laid upon a heated dinner plate or other smooth, heated surface. The acid may be rubbed into white goods with the fin ger tips or the bowl of a spoon, but on colored goods it should be applied more carefully.
Or, for a saturated solution, dis solve in its own bulk or less of hot water. For a dilute solution dissolve in 10 or more parts of cold water. Apply same as oxalic acid.
Nature of Salts of Lemon.—This is a compound of equal parts in bulk of cream of tartar and salts of sor rel. It combines the effects of tar taric and oxalic acids. Its uses and methods of application are similar. It may be used on the same fabrics and requires similar caution.
Nature and Uses of Muriatic Acid. —This is a gas produced by treat ing common salt with sulphuric acid or oil of vitriol. It is readily soluble in water, and this solution is the commercial article. It is poisonous,
has a sharp, keen smell and taste, and when inhaled causes suffocation. One part of water will absorb about 450 times its own bulk of the gas. It is a powerful corrosive, and must be provided with a glass or rubber stop per, or the cork must be smeared with vaseline, else it will eat the cork and evaporate. It corrodes metals.
To Apply Muriatic Acid.—This acid is especially useful to remove red rust stains. To apply, lay the fabric containing the spot over an earthen dish of boiling water. Allow a drop of the acid to fall on the stain from a glass stopper or medicine dropper. This will cause the stain to fade to a light yellow. Drop the cloth immedi ately into the water and rinse. Re peat if necessary. As soon as the stain disappears, rinse the article and dip it into ammonia water. This will neutralize any acid that was not re moved by rinsing.
Muriatic acid may be used on linen or cotton fabrics, but not on silks or woolens. It can be employed on cer tain fast colors, but it is advisable to test a sample of the goods before ap plying.
To Remove Acid Stains.—The above acids and others will themselves stain certain colored goods, especially blues and blacks. To remove these stains apply aqua ammonia with a camel's hair brush or sponge. If this is not effective apply chloroform. Either of these may be used on linen, cotton, silk, or wool.
Nature and Uses of Ammonia.—It is interesting to note that the name " ammonia " was formerly applied to common salt on account of the fact that salt was anciently found in the Libyan Desert near the Temple of Jupiter Ammon. Ammonia occurs as a colorless transparent gas with a pungent odor. It is readily soluble in water, I part of water absorbing about 500 volumes of the gas. A so lution of ammonia in water is called aqua ammonia or " spirits of Harts horn." Preparations sold for house hold purposes vary greatly in strength. Smelling salts or sal vola tile is a carbonate of ammonia. Am monia combines with acids to form soluble salts. Hence it is useful in removing fruit stains and other acids. It may be applied freely to all ordi nary fabrics; to remove stains made by strong acids, red wine, iodine, ni trate of silver, and also the stains of sea water and cod-liver oil.