CHAPTER X.
RECEIPTS.
The following receipts have all been tried either by the Authoress herself, or by her immediate friends, and are thoroughly to be depended upon.
A few have been introduced not immediately connected with the work-book, but from their value, no apology is necessary for their insertion.
No. 1.
PERMANENT INK FOR MARKING LINEN.
- 1 ounce, 5 drachms, 1 scruple of lunar caustic nitrate of silver,
- 2 ounces of gum arabic, powdered,
- 1 pint of distilled water,
- ½ an ounce of sap green.
For the liquid pounce with which the linen is wetted, previously to the
application of the ink, mix
- 4 ounces of carbonate of soda,
- 2 ounces of powdered gum arabic,
- 1 pint of distilled water,
and a little cochineal, to colour it.
In marking linen, after applying the liquid pounce with a common small bristle brush, to the part which is to receive the mark, and wetting it very well, let it dry by the fire, and then after rubbing it with a glass calender or glazing stone, to make it smooth, mark it with a fine hard steel pen. It should then be exposed to the air, which makes the letters turn quite black. The place should be washed soon after it is dry, as the liquid pounce injures the linen, if left on it long.
No. 2.
PERMANENT RED MARKING INK.
Take half an ounce of vermillion, and a drachm of salt of steel, let them be finely levigated with linseed oil to the thickness required. The mixture must be well shaken before used.
Inks of various colours may be made, by using sap green, Prussian blue, gamboge, &c. instead of vermillion.
No. 3.
TO REMOVE MARKING INK FROM LINEN.
When linen is erroneously marked or spotted with marking ink, an application of chloride of lime with either cold or hot water, will efface it. It should be applied over and over again till the marks are obliterated; but as the chloride of lime spoils linen, it is advisable to wash the part well, immediately after each application, so as to prevent its eating away the linen.
Chloride of lime being poisonous, the mixture should be carefully thrown away after being used.
No. 4.
TO REMOVE COMMON INK FROM CLOTHES, &c.
Rub the place immediately with lemon juice, and hot soap and water, and if this does not succeed, have recourse to salts of lemon, which seldom fails.
No. 5.
SALTS OF LEMON.
They are used to remove ink and iron-moulds from linen, calico, all articles of dress and furniture, and even from wood, books, &c.
It is made as follows:—
- A quarter of a pound of salts of sorrel,
- A quarter of a pound of cream of tartar,
- Well mixed and rubbed together in a mortar,
- and it is then ready for use.
It should be kept locked up, the salts of sorrel being a strong poison.
In using salts of lemon to an inked carpet or table, merely rub it on with the top of the finger, having previously dipped it in hot water.
If it is a piece of linen, or an article of dress that has been inked, it is best to stretch it over a pewter or other vessel full of hot water, and when wetted through with the steam, apply a small quantity of the salts on the ink or iron-mould, rubbing it well at the same time with the finger, and a spot will, on repeating the application, disappear.
No. 6.
TO TAKE OUT INK, WHEN SALTS OF LEMON
ARE NOT AT HAND.
Dip the spotted part into some melted tallow from a mould candle. Send it to the wash thus greased, and it will return clean and white.
Of course this is only applicable to articles that will wash.
No. 7.
TO REMOVE INK FROM CLOTH OR CARPETS.
Take up the ink instantly with a spoon, and pour on water in abundance, while still applying the spoon constantly, till it is removed; rub afterwards a bit of lemon upon the place, which will brighten any colour that may be deadened.
No. 8.
BLEACHING LIQUID
Is used to remove iron-moulds, or restore discoloured linen, and calico to its former whiteness.
Pour it into a basin, one part of the liquid to six parts of water; the cloth is dipped into it, allowed to lie in it, and well rubbed, till the mark is effaced, when the part is washed in clear water.
The bleaching liquid is made as follows:—
A solution of chloride of carbonate of soda; this cannot be procured in powder, but a preparation of lime in powder can be had, which will do equally well. Unless much diluted, this is apt to injure the texture of the linen.
Another receipt for making it is the following:—
Chloride of lime, the powder to be put into water, a part of it will dissolve, and a part will not; decant the clear fluid, and keep it in a dark place. The powder is apt to attract moisture from the air, and to lose its chlorine by exposure, it must be kept in a bottle with a glass stopper, as it corrodes corks.
No. 9.
TO REMOVE STAINS MADE BY ACIDS.
Wet the part, and lay on it some salt of wormwood; rub it, without diluting it with more water.
No. 10.
ANOTHER RECEIPT.
Let the cloth imbibe a little water without putting it in, and hold the part over a lighted match at a proper distance, to avoid its catching fire. The spots will be removed by the sulphureous gas.
No. 11.
ANOTHER RECEIPT.
Tie up in the stained part, some pearl ash, then scrape some soap into cold soft water, to make a lather, and boil the linen till the stains disappear.
No. 12.
TO REMOVE STAINS OF WINE, FRUIT, &c.
WHEN THEY HAVE BEEN LONG IN LINEN.
Rub the part on each side with yellow soap, then lay on a mixture of starch with cold water, very thick, like paste; rub it in well, and expose the linen to the sun and air till the stain comes out; if not removed in three or four days, take the starch off, and renew the process. When dry, sprinkle it again with water, and send it to the wash.
Many other stains may be taken out by dipping the linen in sour buttermilk, and drying it in a hot sun, then wash and dry it two or three times in the day.
No. 13.
TO REMOVE STAINS OF PORT WINE.
Directly the wine is spilt, spread common salt all over the stain, and wash it with water.
No. 14.
TO TAKE STAINS OUT OF SCARLET CLOTH.
Take soap wort, bruise it, strain out the juice, and add to it a small quantity of black soap, wash the stains a few times with this liquor, suffering the cloth to dry between, and in a day or two they will disappear.
No. 15.
TO TAKE STAINS OUT OF BLACK CLOTH,
SILK, CRAPE, &c.
Boil a handful of fig-leaves in two quarts of water, until reduced to a pint; squeeze the leaves, take them out, and put the liquid into a bottle for use. The articles need only be rubbed with a sponge dipped in it, and the stains will soon disappear.
When black is stained by fruit or other acids, the spotted part turns yellow or red, touch it with a little spirits of hartshorn, which immediately restores the colour.
No. 16.
SCOURING DROPS
Are used to remove stains and grease from all silks; they are rubbed on with a bit of flannel, and generally answer perfectly well. They are prepared as follows:—
Mix equal quantities of spirits of turpentine, and essence of lemons.
No. 17.
TO REMOVE GREASE FROM SILK.
Rub it for some time with a split card, or a piece of cap paper, or if much greased, lay under it a piece of soft paper, or blotting paper, and the same over it, and place a warm iron upon it, which causes the paper to imbibe the grease from the silk; after repeating this, taking care each time the iron is applied to furnish clean bits of paper, then rub it with split card, or soft paper. Cloth may be cleaned in the same way.
Or, dip a clean piece of flannel into spirits of turpentine, and rub the spots until they disappear; the silk should not be made very wet with turpentine, or it will lose its lustre.
No. 18.
ANOTHER RECEIPT.
Rub the part with French chalk, or with part of the back of the cuttle fish scraped, which may be bought at the druggists for one penny each.
No. 19.
LIQUID FOR REMOVING SPOTS OF GREASE, PITCH, OR OIL
FROM LINEN AND CLOTHES.
In a pint of spring water, dissolve an ounce of pure pearl ash, add to the solution a lemon cut in small slices. This being properly mixed and kept in a warm state for two days, the whole must be strained, and the clear liquid kept in a bottle for use.
A little of this mixture being poured on the stained part, removes all spots of grease, pitch, or oil, and the moment they disappear, the cloth is washed in clear water.
No. 20.
TO REMOVE GREASE FROM SILK OR WOOLLEN.
Mix together three ounces of spirits of wine, three ounces of French chalk powdered, and five ounces of pipe clay.
Rub the mixture on the stain, either wet or dry, and afterwards take it off with a brush.
Sometimes an equal quantity of spirits of turpentine and pipe clay mixed, and used as above, will have the desired effect.
This will remove stains from silk, woollen or cotton.
No. 21.
PORTABLE BALLS FOR REMOVING GREASE SPOTS.
Dry fuller’s earth so as to crumble easily into powder, and moisten it well with lemon juice, add a small quantity of pure pulverized pearl ash, and work the whole up into a thick paste; roll it up into small balls, let them dry in the heat of the sun, and they will be ready for use.
The manner of using them is by moistening with water the spots on the cloth, rubbing the ball upon them, and leaving them to dry in the sun; on washing the places with water, and very often, with brushing alone, the spots will disappear.
No. 22.
TO TAKE OUT MILDEW.
Mix soft soap with powdered starch, half as much salt, and the juice of a lemon. Lay it on the mildewed part, on both sides, with a brush. Let it lie on the grass day and night till the stain comes out.
No. 23.
TO TAKE OUT IRON-MOULDS.
Rub them with sulphuret of potash; then bathe them well with citric acid (lemon acid), afterwards wash the places well in water, and the linens will be completely restored.
No. 24.
TO REMOVE PAINT SPOTS FROM SILK, &c.
Apply spirits of turpentine repeatedly, when the article is silk.
If it is muslin or linen, cover it with butter, and then wash it.
No. 25.
TO CLEAN SILKS AND COTTONS WITHOUT
INJURY TO THEIR COLOUR OR TEXTURE.
Grate two or three raw potatoes into a pint of clean water, and pass the liquid through a sieve, when it has stood to settle, pour off the clear part, and it will be fit for use.
Dip a clean sponge in the liquid, and apply it to the silk till the dirt is well separated, then wash it in pure water.
The coarse pulp of the potatoes which does not pass the sieve, is of great use in cleaning worsted curtains, carpets, and other coarse goods.
No. 26.
TO WASH BLACK SILK AND CRAPE.
Warm some small beer, and mix some milk with it, then sponge the silk with this liquid, and it will freshen the colour very much.
A strong decoction of fig-leaves, a little gin, or spirits of wine, will have an equally good effect.
No. 27.
TO RESTORE RUSTY SILK.
Boil some green tea in an iron pot, nearly a cup full of tea to three quarts of water. Sponge the silk with it, and iron it while damp.
No. 28.
TO CLEAN BOMBAZINE.
Use the liquid mentioned, No. 25, and sponge the bombazine with it, and then with water, remembering to rub width-wise, not selvage-wise, or the bombazine will be frayed.
No. 29.
COMPOSITION FOR RESTORING
SCORCHED LINEN.
Boil to a consistency two ounces of fuller’s earth, half an ounce of cake soap, and the juice of two onions, in half a pint of vinegar. Spread it over the damaged part, and suffer it to dry on, then give it one or two washings, and if the scorching is not so great as to injure the threads, the part will appear white and perfect.
No. 30.
TO CLEAN CALICO FURNITURE.
Shake off the loose dust, and slightly brush it with a small long haired brush; after which, wipe it with clean flannels, and rub it with dry old bread. If well done, the furniture will look nearly as well as at first.
Bran is also an excellent cleanser.
While furniture remains up, it should be preserved as much as possible from sun and air, which injure delicate colours; the dust may be blown off with bellows.
No. 31.
TO CLEAN CHINTZ.
Chintz may be cleaned as follows:—
Boil two pounds of rice in two gallons of water till it is soft, when the whole is poured into a tub fit for use.
Wash the chintz till it is quite clean in soap and water, and then rinse it in the rice water, which will act like starch. In drying, it must be hung very smoothly, and rubbed with a glazed stone, but not ironed.
An upper crust of bread or bran, are very good for cleaning also.
No. 32.
TO SCOUR CARPETS.
Shake the carpet well.
Dissolve one ounce and a half of alum in a quart of warm water, also one ounce and a half of fuller’s earth in another quart of warm water, put a little of each into a bucket full of soft water, adding a very little gall, and rubbing in some common brown soap. Then wash a small piece of the carpet with a flannel dipped in this mixture, so as to make it rather wet, and to shew the colour, brush it over with soap, which must be well washed off, and the carpet rubbed over with a coarse cloth. Then wash it over without soap, and with water in which alum, gall, and fuller’s earth are mixed, and rub it as dry as possible with a cloth. When the whole carpet is washed over in this manner, piece by piece, it will appear as fresh and bright as a new one. The quantities here given are sufficient for a large sized carpet.
If a carpet is not very much soiled, it may be cleaned by being first well shook and beaten, and then scoured with gall, and soap and water, after which, it must be laid on the grass, or hung up to dry.
No. 33.
TO WASH SILK HANDKERCHIEFS.
These must be first washed in cold water, and the second lather must be only lukewarm, then rinse them in cold water, dry them gradually, and send them to the mangle.
No. 34.
TO WASH COLOURED MUSLINS, PRINTS, &c.
Coloured muslin, washing silk handkerchiefs and aprons, should have a little spirits of wine in the water, about a dessert spoonful to a gallon.
For prints, a little gall will fix the colours; if the principal colour is lilac, pearl ash put in the water will refresh it. If green prevails, put in a few half pence.
No. 35.
TO MAKE LINEN WHITE THAT
HAS TURNED YELLOW.
Heat a gallon of milk over the fire, and scrape into it one pound of cake soap, when it is quite dissolved, put the linen in, and let it boil some time, then take it out, put it into a lather of hot water, and wash it properly out.
No. 36.
TO MAKE LINEN WASHED IN THE TOWN AS PURE AND
WHITE AS THAT WASHED IN THE COUNTRY.
In great towns where linen cannot be exposed to the air and sun upon the grass, let it be steeped for some time before it is washed, in a solution of oxmuriate of lime; let it then be boiled in an alkaline lye. Linen or cotton thus treated, will not become yellow from age, as is too often the case with town washed linen.
No. 37.
TO WASH CHINA-CRAPE SCARFS, &c.
Make a strong lather of soap and boiling water, suffer it to cool, and when nearly cold, wash the scarf quickly and thoroughly; dip it immediately afterwards into cold hard water, in which a little common salt has been thrown, to preserve the colours; rinse, wring and hang it out to dry in the open air; pin it at the extreme ends to the line, so that it may not be folded together in any part. The more rapidly it dries the clearer the colour will be.
No. 38.
TO WASH BLONDE.
If the blonde be very narrow, it should be slightly run to the edge of either net, or old tulle, in order to make it easier to iron, tack it together in the same way that lace is done, in a length of three or four nails, and wash it clean, in a light lather of white soap and water; then put it into a basin in which there is powder blue mixed with cold water, of a sufficiently deep colour to remove the yellow tinge of the soiled blonde.
The iron should be getting ready whilst the blonde lies in the blue water, which must be a few minutes, and it must only be taken out piece by piece, to be pulled out and ironed whilst it is still damp. The iron must be moderately warm.
The tulle, which is spoiled by the washing, is then taken off, and the blonde will be found to have a brightness similar to new.
The following is another method, which has been found to answer equally well:—
Tack the blonde together as before; prepare a lather of fine white soap and hot soft water, in which a little powder blue is mixed. Dip the blonde into this hot water, and squeeze it in the hand, so that it shall be wetted through and through, it should not be allowed to remain in the water, lest the blue should settle upon it unequally. When the colour is restored, take it out, and clap it between the hands, while still folded, until it is nearly dry, when it must be opened out, and ironed with a moderately hot iron.
No. 39.
TO WASH LACE.
The best methods of washing fine, and valuable lace, are as follows:—
Take a pint bottle (which is better than a larger one, being more easily held), wrap a piece of clean muslin or linen round it, and fasten it with a few stitches, then wind the lace round the bottle, avoiding the neck, and wash it in a light lather of white soap and water.
When it appears clean, rinse it in fresh water, and put the bottle in the sun, or in a warm room, to dry the lace.
On taking it off, pull it out with the first and second finger and thumb, taking care not to tear it, at the same time to pull it open to its full width; then lay it between the leaves of a blank book, or pieces of thin card-board, not allowing one piece to fold over another, and put it under a weight, till it is properly pressed.
The soap should be cut in thin slices, and boiled in the water, to make the lather; this is particularly adapted to Mechlin lace.
The following plan is chiefly useful for Valenciennes or Lisle lace, or for the borders of infants’ caps.
Fold the piece of lace evenly backwards and forwards (not round and round), the length of about three or four nails, and when done, tack it together down the middle with long loose stitches; then wash it thoroughly in a lather of white soap and water, rinsing it repeatedly, and squeezing it in clear water, then, while still wet, dip it in a mixture ready prepared of beer and water in equal quantities, let it remain about a minute, and then wring it out.
It must now be unstitched, and pulled out two or three times, until nearly dry, this must be done width-wise of the lace, and very thoroughly. Lay it on a table covered with a linen cloth, and glaze it with a glass calender, or, if one is not at hand, with a glass phial bottle.
The beer gives the creamy colour of new lace, and a little stiffness besides; some persons dip it in water, in which they put a little snuff tied up in a muslin bag, to colour it, instead of the beer.
Starch should never be put into lace, as it tears and spoils it.
No. 40.
TO WASH KID GLOVES.
Kid gloves, if they are good ones, and have never been touched by Indian rubber, may be washed so as to look like new, in the following manner; and some will bear the operation more than once; it answers equally well both for white and coloured gloves.
Lay the gloves on a clean towel, and with a piece of flannel dipped in warm water with a good deal of white soap, rub them thoroughly till all the dirt is removed; take care to use as little water as possible. Hang them up to dry gradually, at a distance from the fire, and the next morning, they will appear shrivelled and yellow, pull them out the cross way of the leather, and they will soon resume their colour and shape.
No. 41.
TO CLEAN WHITE SATIN SHOES.
Rub them with stale bread. Or rub them with a piece of new flannel dipped in spirits of wine.
No. 42.
TO KEEP BLONDE, WHITE SATIN, SILK, &c.
The above, and all articles which are apt to be discoloured by lying by, should be wrapped up and covered with the coarsest brown paper, as the turpentine contained in it, is an effectual preservation.
No. 43.
TO DYE GLOVES LIKE YORK-TAN OR LIMERICK.
Put some saffron into a pint of soft water boiling hot, and let it infuse all night; next morning, wet the leather all over with a brush.
The tops should be previously sewed up, to prevent the colour getting in.
No. 44.
TO DYE WHITE GLOVES TO PURPLE.
Boil four ounces of logwood, and two ounces of rock alum, in three pints of soft water, till it is half wasted; strain, and let it stand till cold. Then wet the gloves all over with a brush dipped in this mixture, and repeat it when dry.
Twice is sufficient, unless the colour is to be very dark. When dry, rub off the loose dye with a coarse cloth, beat up the white of an egg, and rub it over the gloves with a sponge.
The hands will be stained in the process of dyeing, but wetting them with vinegar before they are washed, will take it off.
No. 45.
WASH FOR LEATHER GLOVES.
If you wish to have your gloves quite yellow, take yellow ochre; if quite white, pipe clay; if between the two, mix a little of each; if dark, take rotten stone and fuller’s earth.
By a proper mixture of these, you may produce any shade you desire; mix the colour you fix on with beer or vinegar, not water, and apply it to the gloves, having previously washed them, let them dry gradually, rub and pull them out crosswise.
After applying the mixture equally all over, let them dry very gradually, not in the sun or near a fire, lest they should shrink. Rub and pull them out before they are quite dry.
No. 46.
TO DYE COTTON A NANKEEN COLOUR.
Keep old nails and rusty iron for fifteen days in good vinegar; apply this dye to the cotton with a brush, it will give an excellent colour, which improves by washing.
No. 47.
TO DYE THE LININGS OF FURNITURE BUFF OR SALMON COLOUR,
ACCORDING TO THE DEPTH OF THE HUE.
Rub down on a pewter plate two pennyworth of Spanish annatto, and then boil it in a pail of water a quarter of an hour. Put into it two ounces of potash, stir it round, and instantly put in the lining; stir it about all the while it is boiling, which must be five or six minutes; then put it into cold pump water, and hang the articles up singly without wringing; when almost dry, fold and mangle it.
PINK.
The calico must be washed extremely clean, and dried. Then boiled in two gallons of soft water, and four ounces of alum; take it out, and dry it in the air. In the mean time boil in the alum water two handfuls of wheat bran, till quite slippery, and then strain it.
Take two scruples of cochineal, and two ounces of argall, finely pounded and sifted; mix it with the liquor, a little at a time; then put the calico into the liquor and boil it till it is almost wasted, moving it about.
Take out the calico, and wash it in chamber lye first, and cold water after; then rinse it in water, starch, strain, and dry it quickly without hanging in folds. Mangle it very highly, unless you have it calendered, which is the best.
BLUE.
Let the calico be washed clean and dried, then mix some of Scott’s liquid blue in as much water as will be sufficient to cover the things to be dyed, and put in some starch to give it a light stiffness. Dry a bit to see if the colour is deep enough; then put the linen, &c. into it, and wash it; dry the articles singly, and mangle or calender them.
No. 48.
TO CLEAN GOLD AND SILVER LACE.
Sew the lace in linen cloth, and boil it in a pint of water, and two ounces of soap, then wash it in water.
When it is tarnished, apply a little warm spirits of wine to the tarnished part.
No. 49.
TO PRESERVE LINEN FROM MOTHS.
When well washed and dried, fold it up, and scatter in the folds powdered cedar wood, having previously perfumed your chest or drawers with storax; this will effectually prevent damp or moths from injuring the linen.
No. 50.
TO PRESERVE WOOLLENS AND BLANKETS.
They should first be properly washed in a lather of soap and water, and well dried, then pepper must be sprinkled over them before they are folded up and put away.
It is a good plan to keep them in brown paper bags.
No. 51.
TO PRESERVE FURS AND WOOLLENS FROM MOTHS.
Let the former be occasionally combed, while in use, and the latter brushed and shaken. When put away, dry them very well, then mix among them bitter apples from the apothecary’s, sewed up in small muslin bags, or pieces of Russia leather.
No. 52.
TO VARNISH OLD STRAW OR CHIP HATS.
Take half an ounce of the best black sealing wax, bruise it, and put to it two ounces of spirits of turpentine, melt the sealing wax very gently, by placing the bottle that holds it in boiling water, near the fire, taking care the spirit does not catch fire; when all the wax is melted, lay it on the hat warm, with a fine hair brush, near the fire, or in the sun. It will not only give a beautiful gloss and stiffness to the hat, but will make it resist wet.
No. 53.
TO RAISE THE SURFACE OF VELVET.
Warm a smoothing iron moderately, cover it with a wet cloth, hold it under the velvet, and the vapour arising from the heated cloth will raise the pile of the velvet, especially with the assistance of a rush wisk. Velvet should be cleaned either with a bit of old velvet or crape.
No. 54.
TO MAKE STARCH.
Peel and grate a quantity of potatoes, put the pulp into a coarse cloth, between two boards, and press it into a dry cake; the juice thus pressed out of the potatoe, must be mixed with an equal quantity of water, and in an hour’s time it will deposit a fine sediment, which may be used as starch.
No. 55.
TO MAKE COURT PLAISTER.
Lay some thin black silk on the table, and put on it with a brush some dissolved isinglass, or gum water, and let it dry, then dip it several times in the white of an egg.
No. 56.
TO MAKE LAVENDER WATER.
To one pint of spirits of wine, add eight pennyworth of essence of ambergris, and one shilling worth of oil of lavender.
No. 57.
TO MAKE EAU DE COLOGNE.
- Spirits of wine (rectified at 36 degrees), one pound and a half,
- Essence of bergamot, two drachms,
- Essence of rosemary, half a drachm,
- Essence of cedras, half a drachm,
- Essence of lemon, half a drachm,
- Essence of orange flowers, twenty drops,
- Essence of mereby, twenty drops,
- Spirits of melisse, one ounce and a half,
- Of soft water, boiled and dropt slowly through clean blotting paper, one quart.
No. 58.
POWDER FOR INFANTS’ DUST BAGS.
The skin of infants is so apt to chafe, if not thoroughly dried after washing, that powder is put upon all the folds of their skin, and rubbed by the hand upon them.
This is either put on with a powder puff, or dusted out of little muslin bags.
Lapis calaminaris, a fine yellow powder, is that generally used.
Fuller’s earth is particularly adapted, from its cooling nature, to check inflammation. It is dusted on when the skin is not sore, but when the chafing has taken place it is put on mixed with cold water.
Violet powder is often used, but this is frequently mixed with some hurtful ingredient, which irritates and inflames the skin, and is therefore objected to by medical men. It can be procured perfectly harmless, but the druggist of whom it is purchased should be told for what purpose it is intended.
No. 59.
POT-POURRI, OR SWEET SCENT JAR.
Put the following ingredients into a large china jar, in layers, with bay salt between each layer; two pecks of damask roses, part in buds, and part blown; of violets, jessamine, and orange flowers, a handful each; two ounces of orris root sliced, storax, and gum benjamin; a quarter of a pound of angelica root sliced; a quart of the red part of clove gilly flowers, two handsful of lavender flowers, half a handful of rosemary flowers, bay and laurel leaves; three Seville oranges, stuck as full of cloves as possible, dried in a cool oven, and pounded; half a handful of knotted majoram, two handsful of balm of gilead dried.
Cover all quite close for some weeks, and the perfume is very fine.
No. 60.
A QUICKER SORT OF POT-POURRI.
Take three handsful of orange flowers, three of clove gilly flowers, three of damask roses, one of knotted marjoram, one of lemon thyme, six bay leaves, two handsful of rosemary, a handful of myrtle, half a one of mint, one of lavender, the rind of a lemon, and a quarter of an ounce of cloves.
Chop them all, and put them in layers with pounded bay salt between them, up to the top of the jar.
If all the ingredients cannot be procured at once, put them in as you obtain them, always throwing in bay salt, after each fresh layer.
No. 61.
SCENT BAGS TO LAY IN DRAWERS.
Half a pound of coriander seeds, half a pound of damask rose leaves, half a pound of sweet orris root, half a pound of calamus aromaticus, one ounce of mace, one ounce of cinnamon, half an ounce of cloves, three ounces of verbena powder, four drachms of musk powder, two drachms of loaf sugar, three ounces of lavender flowers, and some rhodium wood; beat them well together, and sew them up in muslin or silk bags.
No. 62.
TO MAKE SHOES WATERPROOF.
One pound of mutton suet, four ounces of bees-wax, two ounces of Venice turpentine, mixed altogether; the bees-wax being melted and strained.
Put on the composition with a hare’s foot or brush, drying it before the fire, and repeating it at intervals of time, till all the seams and little cracks are filled up.
No. 63.
REMEDY AGAINST FLEAS.
Sew the leaves of fresh penny-royal, in little muslin bags, and put them between the blankets, or mattresses. Wormwood, or dried moss, will have the same effect.
No. 64.
TO PREVENT BEING BITTEN BY BUGS.
Put a sprig or two of tansy at the head of the bed, or as near the pillow as is not disagreeable. Pieces of camphor sewed to the bed, or mattress, will also drive them away.
No. 65.
TO DESTROY BUGS.
Mix some quicksilver in a mortar with the white of an egg, till the quicksilver is all mixed, and there are no bubbles; then beat up the white of another egg, and put it to the mixture in the mortar, till it becomes a fine ointment.
Anoint the bedstead all over in every crack, with a brush, and put it also about the cord lacing, head board, &c. When repeated for the two or three following days, the cure will be effectual, and the bedstead uninjured.
No. 66.
TO DESTROY FLIES.
Ground black pepper and moist sugar mixed in equal quantities, and diluted with milk, put into saucers, adding fresh milk, and stirring the mixture when required.
No. 67.
TO DESTROY BUGS FROM FURNITURE.
Wash the bedstead or floor with water thoroughly saturated with glauber salts, once or twice a year, and the bugs will shortly be effectually destroyed.
- The following receipts have been taken from that useful
- and interesting work, called the Magazine of Domestic
- Economy, which is strongly recommended to the notice
- of all those who are engaged in the management of a
- household, as containing a great variety of directions
- and useful knowledge in every branch of domestic economy.
No. 68.
TO PREPARE RABBIT SKINS.
To be good, the skin should be in season.
Take the skin as fresh as possible, and having mixed a quantity of salt and water, till it will bear an egg, saturate it with alum; put your skin into this mixture, blood warm, and let it lie and soak twenty-four hours; then take it out, and having tacked it upon a board, the fur inwards, scrape the skin, and a thin membrane will come off; then having warmed up the liquor again, put your skin again into it, and let it remain five hours more, after which, take it out and nail it upon a board to dry, the fur inwards as before; and rub it well with pumice stone and whiting.
No. 69.
FRENCH POLISH FOR BOOTS,
SHOES, AND HARNESS.
A quarter of a pound of glue, half a pound of logwood chips, a quarter of an ounce of indigo, powdered very fine, a quarter of an ounce of soft soap, a quarter of an ounce of isinglass.
Boil these ingredients in two pints of vinegar and one pint of water, during ten minutes after the ebullition begins.
Then strain the liquid; when cold it is fit for use, and may be put into either pint or half pint bottles.
The dirt must be sponged off the boots and shoes, and the polish afterwards put on with a clean sponge; should the polish ever become too thick, it must be held near to the fire to warm a little, when the heat will give it the proper liquescence.
No. 70.
TO PRESERVE GILT FRAMES AND LAMPS.
It is usual to clothe all frames and lamps with gauze, Holland, muslin or chintz bags, to protect them from damp, but this practice has been stated to be very injurious to them, as these bags are known to retain any moisture for so long a time as to be of great injury to the gilt; whereas, when left uncovered, though more exposed to the air, it becomes sooner dry.
The following is a good method of
REVIVING GILT FRAMES.
Beat up three ounces of eggs, with one ounce of chloride of potash, or soda, lay it over the frame with a soft brush dipped in the mixture.
No. 71.
TO MAKE CLOTH WATERPROOF.
Take half an ounce of isinglass (Russian is best), put it into one pound of rain water, and boil until dissolved; take one ounce of alum, put it into two pounds of water, and boil till it is dissolved; take a quarter of an ounce of white soap, with one pound of rain water, and boil till it is dissolved. After each of these ingredients has been separately dissolved, strain them separately through a piece of linen; afterwards mix them well together in a pot, put it on the fire again till it simmers, then take it off, and while thus near boiling, dip a brush into it, and apply it to the wrong side of the cloth intended to be waterproof.
The cloth must be spread out on a table during the operation, and remain there until it is dry; after it is dry it must be brushed on the wrong side against the grain; and then dipping the brush in clear water, pass it lightly over, and leave it again to dry.
After that, the gloss caused by the application of the ingredients can be taken off.
Three days after the operation has been done, the cloth will be impervious to water but not to air.
No. 72.
TO EXTRACT GREASE SPOTS FROM LINEN.
The following method is not generally known, and is the best we ever met with.
Take magnesia in the lump, wet it, and rub the grease spots well with it. In a little time brush it off, and no appearance of grease will be left.
No. 73.
TO CLEAN MERINO CURTAINS.
Remove the dust as much as possible with a brush, and lay the curtain over a large table, and having procured three or four pieces of flannel, and a quantity of bran, sprinkle a handful of the latter on a portion of the furniture, and proceed to rub it round and round with a bit of the flannel. When the bran becomes soiled, take more bran and a fresh piece of flannel, and thus continue till the merino becomes bright and clean.
No. 74.
METHOD OF CLEANSING SILK,
WOOLLEN, AND COTTON.
Take raw potatoes in their natural state, and when well washed, let them be rubbed on a grater over a vessel of clean water, to a fine pulp; pass the liquid matter through a coarse sieve into another tub of clean water; let this mixture stand till the fine white particles of potatoe are precipitated, then pour off the liquor, which preserve for use.
The article to be cleaned should be laid on a table, and well rubbed with a sponge dipped in the liquor until clean, when it is washed several times in clean water, and then dried and ironed.
Two middle sized potatoes will suffice for a pint of water. The coarse pulp of the potatoe, which will not pass the sieve, is of use in cleaning worsted curtains, tapestry, carpets, and other coarse goods, while the liquor prepared as above, will clean silk, cotton, and woollen goods.
No. 75.
TO BLEACH WOOL.
To one pound of wool yarn, take two pounds of powdered white chalk, mixed with river water, to the consistency of paste; knead the yarn thoroughly in it, that it may be completely saturated, and let it dry for twenty-four hours, then rub it well, and wash it in cold water, to remove all the chalk, and the yarn will be quite clean, and very white.
Warm water spoils the colour of the wool.
No. 76.
BALLS FOR REMOVING SPOTS FROM CLOTH.
Mix well four ounces of fuller’s earth, dried so as to crumble into powder, with a piece of lemon; when well incorporated, add two drachms of common pearl ash powdered. Work up the whole into a stiff paste, and form it into balls.
Set them to dry on a gently heated stove, and when dry, they are fit for use.
When using this preparation, first moisten with cold water, the spots you wish to remove, and rub a ball all over them. Let the place dry in the sun, or near the fire, and when quite dry, wash the spots with a sponge and water, and they will disappear.
No. 77.
MODE OF WASHING A SILK DRESS.
If the dress is made up, the seams need not be separated, but the body should be removed from the skirt, and the lining taken away from the bottom. Trimming and ornaments should be taken off.
If dirty, let the dress be simply washed first in soft, cold clear water, and if black, a pint of gin should be added to every gallon of water, then proceed as follows:—