Uses of Alcohol.—Alcohol, as is well known, is a pure, colorless liquid with a burning taste. It burns easily, has a strong affinity for water; and dissolves many substances. Pure al cohol is called absolute or " anhy drous" alcohol, but the commercial article varies from " proof spirits," which contains about 50 per cent of alcohol by volume, to " cologne spir its," which contains from 93 to 95 per cent.
The solvent quality of alcohol makes it useful to remove stains in silk, woolen, and other delicate fabrics, provided they are soluble and do not require chemical treatment. It may be mixed with benzine or aqua am monia or both. It is most effective when the stains are fresh.
Uses of Chloroform.—Chloroform is a colorless liquid with tt sweetish taste and characteristic odor. Its anaesthetic properties are well known. It is slightly soluble in water, but readily so in alcohol and ether. It has the property of dissolving cam phor, resin, wax, rubber, iodine, and other substances. Chloroform may be employed to restore certain colors that were removed by acids after the acids have been destroyed by the ap plication of ammonia.
Uses of Turpentine.—Turpentine is a resinous oil obtained from cone bearing trees. The commercial arti cle is a solution of resin in a volatile oil. Turpentine has a well-known spicy odor, a bitter taste, and burns freely. Oil of turpentine, obtained by distillation, is a colorless liquid with a peculiar odor; it is insoluble in water, but dissolves readily in al cohol or ether. It also dissolves resin, gummy substances, oils, rubber, iodine, sulphur, and phosphorus. Hence its usefulness in treating stains produced by such substances. The commercial article is sold in various grades, and is used extensively in the preparation of paints and var nishes.
To Apply Turpentine.—Turpentine will remove paint, grease, or vaseline stains without injury to the most delicate fabric. Apply sufficient tur pentine to soak the paint or grease spot. Use a camel's-hair brush, a common pen or feather, or, for large spots, a sponge.
Or apply by dropping from a glass bottle.
The turpentine may be mixed with alcohol, salts of lemon, or sulphuric ether.
Kinds and Uses of Absorbents.— Various absorbents are recommended to remove grease, wax, blood, ink, mildew, and other stains from fab rics. Among the most useful of these are brown paper and blotting paper. Others are chalk, French chalk (which is not chalk but ground soapstone), pipe clay, fuller's earth, magnesia, gypsum, common starch, and melted tallow.
One of the quickest and best meth ods to remove grease (especially when it is fresh) and spots of wax is to lay over the spot a piece of common brown paper and press with a hot iron. Care must be taken not to use an iron hot enough to change the colors of colored silks and print goods. If convenient the spot may be previously covered with French chalk.
Or any of the above powders may be applied dry. The grease or wax will be taken up more quickly if held near a stove or pressed with a hot iron.
For mildew, rub the spots with wet soap, rub in pipe clay, fuller's earth, or chalk, cover thickly with the same, and expose to sunshine.
For blood stains use cornstarch.
A mixture of 6 ounces of fuller's earth, 1 ounce of pipe clay, 1 ounce of French chalk, ounce of oil of turpentine, ounce of alcohol, and 1/ ounces of melted castile soap is high ly recommended.
Chlorine and Uses of Bleaching Powder.—This is the chloride of lime prepared by exposing damp slacked lime to chlorine gas. A good, fresh article contains 95 to 30 per cent of effective chlorine, which is a power ful bleaching agent. It decomposes and deteriorates with time, setting free hydrochloric acid, to which the bleaching is due. This is d pale yellow gas that has the property of decomposing various kinds of col oring matter. Bleaching powder is one of the surest agents for removing ink stains or writing from white tex tile fabric or paper. Cover the spots with dry bleaching powder and mois ten with a weak mineral acid, as acetic or tartaric acid. This method is not suitable for colored goods, as the bleaching powder would remove the colors. Afterwards neutralize the acid by applying aqua ammonia or hypo sulphite of soda.
To Make and Use Javelle Water.— Chloride of lime or Javelle water is a colorless liquid that may be prepared from bleaching powder. It is much used for taking fruit and other stains from white textile fabrics and for bleaching wood and straw. For fruit stains dissolve a- pound of chloride of lime in 2 quarts of boiling water. Add to this 1 pound of sal soda. Dis solve, settle, and pour off the clear liquid. This is Javelle water. Apply with a brush, rinse in clear water, and dip in ammonia water to neu tralize the acid.