Or dissolve 2 ounces of chloride of lime in 1 quart of boiling water. Im merse the fabric in this for 5 min utes. Remove, add 4 quarts of cold water, and soak the article for 3 to 12 hours, depending upon the strength of the fabric. This is heroic treatment, and should only be used on coarser articles, as duck, canvas, and the like, as it tends to rot the fabric. Afterwards immerse in a so lution of 4 ounces of hyposulphite of soda to 1 gallon of water to neutral ize the acid. Rinse in clear water and wash in soapsuds.
Nature of Gasoline.—Gasoline is a product of the distillation of petro leum. The first liquid that passes over in the distillation of petroleum is crude naphtha. By redistillation this is separated into gasoline and the A, B, and C grades of naphtha. Gasoline is very commonly used for domestic heating and cooking in stoves especially prepared for the pur pose, and also for the production of power in gasoline engines. It is high ly inflammable and explosive. It gives off under ordinary temperature a vol atile gas which, by contact with flame, or a hot stove, will ignite at a distance of several feet from the liquid gasoline. Great caution must, therefore, be exercised in its use.
Benzine is a substance similar to gasoline, and may be used for spong ing fabrics in the same manner.
How to Use Gasoline.—Employed by the following methods gasoline will thoroughly cleanse wool, silk, vel vet, and other fabrics of animal fibers, but not cotton, and will remove grease, paint, wax, and mud stains; in fact, practically all stains except acid ones, without injury to the tex ture or colors of the fabric. Dirt and other impurities removed will sink to the bottom and can be removed by straining through cheese cloth. Hence the same gasoline may be used again and again. The best results are ob tained by using a fairly large quan tity of gasoline and soaking and washing the articles in it the same as in water. The cost of cleaning with gasoline is much less than is charged by a professional cleaner, and also much less than replacing the articles. Hence it pays to purchase the best gasoline in five-gallon cans, and to provide and set aside two or three covered earthenware jars in which to use it.
Cleaning with gasoline should be done preferably out of doors, or if indoors, by daylight, and never in the vicinity of a hot stove, lamp, or other flame. Care must be taken that matches are not accidentally lighted in its vicinity.
First, shake and brush the articles to remove dust and dirt. Remove rubber dress shields or other pieces of rubber, as they will be spoiled. Tack small articles together and wash larger ones singly in an earthenware jar filled with gasoline and allow them to soak for an hour or more. If the jar
can be put in a pan which is sur rounded with hot water (but not on a stove or near any open flame), the gasoline will do its work quicker and better and will be less disagreeable for the hands. After soaking, work the articles about, rubbing carefully between the fingers, or rub the spots with a toothbrush or nailbrush hav ing fairly soft bristles. Or dip the brush into a small can of gasoline set into a pan of hot water. Squeeze the gasoline out of the garments and put them into a second jar, into which pour fresh gasoline, meantime putting other articles to soak in the first jar. A third jar may be used if necessary. After rinsing in the second or third jar squeeze the gar ments quite dry, stretch carefully to their proper shape, and thoroughly evaporate by airing them on a line, and afterwards pressing them with a hot iron. Hang coats or waists on a coat hanger to keep in shape while drying.
Pour the gasoline back into the can through a funnel covered with several thicknesses of cheese cloth.
Or, to remove a spot or a stain, stretch the fabric over a piece of blotting paper and pour the gasoline around it. Sponge from the center outwardly until the spot is removed. Take a dry cloth and continue rub bing in the same manner with light strokes until the article is dry.
Or sprinkle a little powdered gyp sum over the spot, extending beyond the moistened part. When this is brushed off, the spot will be removed.
Or, if a benzine stain, rub French chalk into it with a piece of flannel, sprinkle a layer of the chalk over it, and let stand for twenty-four hours.
Cleansing Mixtures. — Dissolve 6 drams of gum camphor in 2 ounces of alcohol. Mix separately 9 drams of pipe clay with 4 ounces of beef's gall. Also mix separately ounce each of borax, saltpeter, and honey. Shave into a saucepan large enough to hold all these ingredients 8 ounces of castile or other good hard white soap, add the mixture of gall and pipe clay, and melt with gentle heat, stirring constantly. Remove from the fire, and when cool stir in first the saltpeter, borax, and honey, then the camphor and alcohol. Lastly add ounce of spirits of turpentine and ounce of sulphuric ether. Pour quick ly into a black glass bottle, cork tightly, and store in a dark place. This preparation contains no free al kali, will not injure any ordinary fabric, and contains solvents for prac tically every kind of spot or stain likely to be met with in garments. It is suitable for silks, woolens, and indeed all ordinary fabrics.