TS 1725 .P5 FACTS WORTH KNOWING ABOUT Householcl Linen AND COLLECTION OF Recipes for Removing Stains (^(' ^ 1921 COMPILED BY W. G . Pi LG RAM 14.5 NASSAU ST. NEW YORK CITY. N. Y. COI>lBS FXFTY C K NT » COPYRIGHT 1921 WILUAM G. PILGRAM FACTS WORTH KNOWING ABOUT Household Linen AND COLLECTION OF Recipes for Removing Stains 1921 COMPILED BY W. G. PILGRAM 1 45 Nassau St. new york city. n. v. ^^ D E D I C A TED TO THE LADIES OF AMERICA Who Admire Fine Linens 7 J ■0)CU611445 MAR 26 m\ ■ PREFACE < >» It is my pleasure to visit, in the capacity of my profes- sion as an expert appraiser, many of the richest hom.es in Amer- ica, containing as they undoubtedly do, some of the finest exam- ples of antiques, objets d'art, etc. Advice is frequently sought by clients relative to the care, cleaning and restoration of these works of fine arts, to whom it has been my gratification to afford information, gained by personal experience and in applying vari- ous recipes, which, as a hobby, I have been collecting for many years. In order to ansv/er the numerous inquiries received from time to time, I have gathered and compiled these recipes and am en- couraged in publishing them in pamphlet form, in the hope that they may be of both interest and service to those who take pride in personally supervising the care of their valuable and rare be- longings. This issue applies to fine linens, whilst subsequent articles will embrace: — Laces F'lrniture Bionze and Metal Omamtents Marble and Allied Ornaments C^ina and Glassware Rugs and Carpets Prints and Pictures Books and Manuscripts W. G. PILGRAM New York, 1921 INDEX ^ Page How To Tell Linen 6 New Linen 6 Substitutes 6 Bleaching - 6 Firsts 7 Origin of Names 8 Perfume for Linen Closets, etc 9 Delicate Woolens (clean) - 9 Fine Muslins (wash) „ 9 Delicate Colored Linens (wash) 9 Linen Blinds (clean) 9 Marking Ink (Use of) 9 RECIPES FOR REMOVING STAINS - Caution « 10 Automobile Grease _ 10 Acid 10 Blood 10 Chocolate ; 10 Coffee with Cream 10 Coffee 10-1 Cream 1 Candle Wax 1 Cocoa 1 Egg 1 Fruit 1 Grease 12 Grass 12 Ink Marking 13 Ink 13-14 Ink (red) 14 Iron 14 Cont. 4 INDEX Cont. Marking Ink 14-15 Medicine 15 Mildew 15 Machine Oil 15 Old Stains 18 Old Paint (see Paint old) 16 Pitch 16 Port Wine (see Wine Port) 16 Perfume 16 Peach 16 Pear 16 Paint 16 Paint (Old) 17 Rust 17 Red Wine (see Wine red) 17 Red Ink 17 Scortch - 17 Set Stains (see Old Stains) 17 Storing 17 Tallow 18 Tar 18 Tea 18 Tea (creamed) 18 Turpentine 18 Wagon Grease 18 White Linen, yellow from age _ 19 Wine 19 Wine (Port) 19 Wax 19 Yellow from Age 19 Wedding J 20 Anniversaries f ^"""^^ 5 How to Tell Linen HOW TO TELL LINEN, ETC. Draw one or two threads, and if they break immediately the linen is of inferior quality, either injured by rapid bleaching or is part cotton. If you can draw a thread each way, a quarter of a yard, it is good; the longer the thread drawn, the better the linen. New Linen Bleaching Substitutes Pull a thread and break it, if cotton it has a tufted end, linen breaks with a long pointed end. Linen tears quickly with a distinct sound, the edges are straight and smooth. The old fashioned test of dampening is not a sure test on account of the heavy dressings put in cottons and inferior linens. Any linen becomes translucent under a drop of glycerine or olive oil, while cotton re- mains opaque. Cotton tears less readily than linen and with curled up edges. Cotton is rougher and warmer than linen which feels cool. It is better to wash new linen before be- ing put into use. Boil in buttermilk. Rinse in warm water and hang in sun. Linen is often mixed with tow, v/hich is the short broken off fibres combed out in the preparation of "line," which is the long lustrous fine linen fibre from which all su- perior linen is made. 6 <^ FIRSTS ^ Paper made from cotton in the year 1000 Cotton cloth first made at Kendal 1390 Spinning wheel first in use by Jergensr 1530 Steel needles made in England by a Negro, 1545 Cotton spinning machine invented 1767 Cot'ton spinning frame invented 1769. Cotton spinning gin invented 1793 Sewing machine invented by E. Howe, America, 1841 Linen was known to ancient Egyptians, first made in England under Henry III. by Flemish weavers. Linen manufactured in England 1571 Pins. Prehistoric, made of brass in England and France 1540 Made by machinery in England 1824 Loom (power) invented by Cartwright 1785 Loom invented by Jacquard 1801 Loom (steam) introduced 1807 Stocking frame invented 1589 Thimbles invented 1695 then called thumb bells. Handkerchiefs are square — by order of Louis XVI. to pleai^e Marie Antoinette in 1785 7 ORIGIN OF NAMES Alpaca — from an animal in Peru j Baize — from Bajac Bandanna — an Indian word to bind or tie ] Buckram — from Fostat, an old city of Cairo ' Blanket — after Thomas Blanket in England, 1340 j Cambric — from Cambraid, France ) Calico — from Calicut, India ' Drugget — from Drogheda, Ireland Dimity — from Damietta : Damask — from Damascus, Asia Diaper — from Greek word diaspron Gauze — from Gaza, Syria Jeans — from Jean Linen — from (Botanical name Linaria) Latin (linum) Flax Muslin — from Mosul, Asia ) Satins — from Zaytown, China Serge— from Xerga, Spanish word Shawl — from Sanscrit, sata (floor) ; they were first used as I carpets and tapestries Taffeta — from a street in Bagdad \ Velvet — from the Italian Vellute WOOLENS, MUSLINS, ETC. Perfume for Linen Closets, etc. Fine Muslins Delicate Delicate Woolens Delicate Colored Linens, wash Linen Blinds Marking Ink (use of) Use rose leaves dried in the shade, add one pound cloves, caraway seeds and all- spice, pound in a mortar, mix well and put up in bags. Dissolve one tablespoonful of borax in a gallon of tepid water, soak muslin for half an hour then put in soapsuds and rub gently, then pour boiling water over them and leave till cool, rinse and squeeze, do not wring. To clean without washing, put into dry basin a few handsful of wheat flour and rub gently into the fabric, shake and air. To prevent them from fading use plenty of pulverized borax in the water. Lay flat, cover thickly with powdered French chalk and scrub with dry nail brush. Make a little cold water starch, dip in part to be marked, rub over with hot iron until dry, then mark. Prevents ink spreading. RECIPES FOR REMOVING STAINS Caution Automobile Grease Acid Blood Blood (New) Blood (Old) Chocolate Chocolate Chocolate Coffee with Cream, Coffee Coffee Valuable or antique pieces should have professional care. Never put any article into hot soapsuds or wash until all stains have been re- moved, or they will become set. Recipes marked for expert use, should be used with special care, or the article rent to cleaners. Rub in butter until it softens, then hot water and soapsuds. Ammonia or chloroform. Soak in salt and water for some hours, then wring out and rub in moist salt, wash in ordinary way with soap and water, boil, rinse and dry in sunshine. Soak when fresh in cold water. Cold water and raw starch. Soak in cold water, then pour boiling water or from a height. Soak in kerosene and v/ash in cold water. Sprinkle with borax and warm water, soak one hour, then rinse with warm water. Pour cold water through. Pour boiling water through. Rub with glycerine, rinse in lukewarm water, press on wrong side. 10 \ Coffee Rub with butter, wash with hot water and soap. Coffee Cover with powdered borax, hold over bowl and pour boiling water through. Cream Cold water. Candle Wax Place a piece of blotting paper on spot and rub with warm iron, change paper often. Cocoa Sprinkle with borax and warm water, soak one hour, rinse in boiling water. Cocoa Treat at once, stretch over basin, pour boiling water through, then dip into cold water. Repeat till stain disappears. Egg Soak in cold water. Fruit Soak when fresh in milk, pour boiling water over stain and use oxalic acid (ex- pert use only). Fruit Smear with glycerine, leave for about an hour, then wash in warm soapy water. Fruit Rub with butter then wash with hot water and soap. Fruit Equal parts of ammonia and peroxide. Fruit Apply powdered starch and leave on till stain has been absorbed. Fruit Pour boiling water from a height. Fruit ^^^ ounce of sal-ammoniac (or harts- horn) and one ounce salt of tartar, mix well, put all into a pint of soft water and keep in linen room ready for use (expert use only). 11 Grease Grease Grease Grease Grease Grease Grease Grease Grease Grease Grass Grass Grass Salt in a little ammonia. Rub v/ith warm flour, bru^h off and renew. Cold water. Cold rain water and soap. Raw starch and hot iron. Mix two ounces of ammonia, one ounce castile soap shavings, one quart salt water and one teaspoonful of saltpeter. Rub with French chalk or Fuller's earth. Apply eucalyptus oil with a clean piece of flannel. Rub gently. Rub well with a lump of magnesia, let it dry, then brush off. Saturate with turpentine. Put in between two pieces of blotting paper and press lightly. Apply cold water and ammonia at once. Saturate with kerosene then wash with hot water and plenty of soap. Alcohol, molasses or lard, and wash in water. Grass Wash with naptha soap and warm water. Ink (Marking) See Marking Ink Ijit This must be done before the articles are washed. Pick some tallow from a new candle, rub it on the spot cold, leave it on till the next day or longer, then wash at once and boil (use only on white articles). Ink Dissolve 10 grains oxalic acid in half pint water, wet the spot with liquid, wash im- mediately in clean cold water. Ink One ounce of sul-ammoniac (or harts- horn) and one ounce salt of tartar, mix well, put all into a pint of salt water and keep in linen room ready for use. jjjjj Pour tablespoonful of kerosene on and nib well, then rinse in kerosene. Ink Turpentine and soap. IjjIj Starch, flour or commeal and replaced with fresh layer as rapidly as it becomes dis- colored, then rub with lemon juice, finally sponge off with clear cold water, use lemon juice second time if necessary. IjjJj Soak in milk for half an hour, then rub with lemon dipped in milk, wash in cold water. IjjJj Soak in strong salt water, rinse with am- monia, repeat if necessary. Ink Soak in glycerine for twelve hours, then wash in hot water, soap and soda. 13 Ink Ink Ink Ink (Red) Iron Iron Mould Iron Mould Iron Rust Iron Rust Iron Rust Iron Rust (Wet) Ink Rust Iodine Iodine Marking Ink Sour Milk. Salt and lemon juice. Moisten with Javelle water, wash tho- roughly with soap and water as soon as spots disappear. See Red Ink. Soak in cold water half-hour, cover thick- ly with laundry soap, then wash in cold water. Moisten with Javelle water, wash at once in cold v/ater or sponge. Sprinkle with lemon juice, expose to sun and air, repeat. Juice of one lemon, two teaspoonsful of salt, cup of water when boiling dip in stained part. Hot solution of oxalic acid. Table spoon- ful of acid to one pint of water. Equal parts of peroxide and household ammonia. Wring out, dip a wet finger in oxalic acid and rub, then dip in salt and rub on, hold over steam, from kettle, rinse at once. Lemon and salt, set in sun to bleach. Dip it in liquid ammonia. Wet with cold water, place near radiator and the heat will draw it out. Squeeze the juice from two onions, cut up half an ounce of soap, two ounces of Ful- ler's earth and half-pint vinegar, stir mix- ture till it boils, when cool lay the marked linen in sunshine, spread the mixture on and let it dry, then wash and boil. 14 Marking Ink Wet small quantity of chloride of lime with warm water, rub on with finger, repeat till mark disappears, wash out immediately. (For experts only.) Marking Ink Oxalic acid rubbed on after the mark has been wet with warm water. (For experts only.) Marking Ink Salt of sorrel rubbed on after mark has been wet vx^ith warm water. Medicine Mildew Mildew Mildew Mildew Mildew Mildew Machine Oil Machine Oil Machine Oil Soak in alcohol. Rub with salt, sprinkle with powdered French chalk and moisten with water. Dry slowly in open air, then sponge with clean cold water. Mix small quantity of soft soap with same proportion of powdered starch and salt, add juice of a lemon, apply both sides of stain with soft brush. Apply till removed. Use weak solution of chloride of lime, ap- ply with camels' hair brush, as stains vanish sponge with cold water. Lemon and salt (as iron rust). Javelle water. Boil in butter milk, rinse In warm water and hang in sun to dry. Rub with lard, leave for several hours, wash in cold water and soap. Wash in lather of soap made from cold water, and a tablespoonful of ammonia. (Not for colors.) Soak in cold water, then press with hot iron over absorbent paper. 15 Old Stains Old Stains Old Stains Old Stains Old Paint Pitch Port Wine Perfume Peach Peach Peach Pear Paint Paint Paint Pure ammonia. Pure peroxide. Weak solution of chloride of lime. Rinse the chloride of lime very thoroughly or it will rot the fabric. (For experts only.) Rub both sides with wet brown soap, mix some starch to a thick paste and spread over soaped places, then expose to sun and air, if the stains do not disappear in two or three days, rub off and repeat. Afterwards dry and then wet with cold water and wash. See Paint, Old. Scrape off as much as possible, soak with salad oil, leave on for a day, then wash in warm soap suds. See Wine, Port. Use rose leaves dried in the shade, one pound cloves, caraway seeds and all spice, pound in mortar, mix well and put up in bags. Wet with cold water and spread thickly with cream of tartar, then place in sun. Set out on frosty day. Wet with cold water, rub on soap, lay in hot sun, repeat. Set out on frosty day. Rub with turpentine on wrong side. Rub with benzine on wrong side. Vaseline. 16 Paint (old) Paint (old) Rust Red Wine Red Ink Scorch Scorch (very bad) Scorch (bad) Scorch (light) Set Stains Storing Saturate the spot with equal parts of tur- pentine and ammonia until removed, then wash in warm soap suds. (For experts only.) Cover spot with olive oil or butter, then rub with chloroform. Apply boiled rhubarb juice. See Wine, Red. Spread fresh made mustard and leave about one half-hour, sponge off. Repeat if not successful. Wet and expose to sunshine. If not charred, squeeze the juice from two large onions, add half-pint of vinegar, two ounces of Fuller's earth, half ounce of shredded soap. Simmer to a thick paste, spread thickly over the mark, let it dry, then wash out. Repeat if not successful at first. The mixture will keep in a dry place, well corked. Peroxide. One part peroxide and nine parts water, spread over spot, press with a warm iron until dry. See Old Stains. When getting linen ready for storing, al- ways remove all stains, wash and dry tho- roughly, spread flat without folding if pos- ble and above all use no starch. Use blue paper for covering or wrapping. 17 Tallow Tobacco Tar Tar Tea Tea Tea Tea Tea Tea Tea Tea Creamed Turpentine Wagon Grease Lay a piece of brown paper over stain and press with hot iron, miove paper as it ab- sorbs the grease. Cold water and soap. Scrape off as much as possible, soak with salad oil or butter, leave on for a day. Wash in strong warm soap suds. Scrape off as much as possible, rub in cold tallow, leave on for a day. Wash in strong warm soap suds. Do not use soap before removing spot. Stretch part over basin, rub some pow- dered borax well in, pour a quart of boil- ing water through. Dip the stained part into the water and let it remain until quite cold. Hot water poured on stain when fresh. Rub with lard, then with soap, leave for an hour, wash in hot water softened with ammonia. If any trace remains rub with turpentine. Rub with butter, wash with hot water and soap. Soak in water in which potatoes have been boiled before washing. Rub with glycerine before washing. Pour cold water through. Soak with salad oil, leave on for a day, then wash in warm soap suds. Rub in butter until it softens, then hot water and soap suds. 18 Wagon Grease Stale bread and lard. Whiten Linen Turned Yellow Wine Wine Wine Wine Wine Wine Wine, Port Wax Yellow from Age Yellow from Age Cut a pound of white soap into a gallon of milk and put over fire, when the soap has melted put in linen and boil for half-hour take pieces out and wash in lather of soap and warm water, rinse in two cold waters with a little blue in it. Wet with warm water and rub on mag- nesia, then wash. Stretch stained part over top of jug filled with boiling water and rub stain with ox- alic acid or cream of tartar or salts of lemon, then wash immediately. Equal parts, soft soap, slack lime and pearl ash, make in paste and rub in, and put in sun to dry, then wash immediately. (For experts only.) Put cream of tartar on stain and tie up, then put into cold water and soap. Bring to a boil, transfer to lukewarm suds, wash and rinse well, dry and iron. Dry salt on fresh stains, pour boiling water through them. Warm milk on old stains. Pour on sherry wine. Lay a piece of brown or blotting paper over them and press with hot iron, move paper as it absorbs the wax. Boil in buttermilk, rinse in warm water and hang in sun to dry. See White Linens Turned Yellow. 19 pb&ing AnnttifrBartpa H i n ^ n First Year— Cotton Seventh Year — Woolen Twelfth Year— Silk and Fine Linen 20