Democratic Sentinel, Volume 13, Number 25, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 July 1889 — Cleaning Clothes. [ARTICLE]

Cleaning Clothes.

It is a mystery to many people how the scourers of old clothes can make them almost as good as new. Take, for instance, a shiny old coat, vest, or pair of pants of broadcloth, cassimere, or diagonal. The scourer makes a strong, warm soapsuds, and plunges the garment into it, souses it up and down, rubs the dirty places, if necessary puts it through a second suds, then rinses through several waters and hangs it to dry on the line. When nearly dry he takes it in, rolls it up for an hour or two, and then presses it. An old cotton cloth is laid on the outside of the coat and the iron passed over that until the wrinkles are out; but the iron is removed before the steam ceases to rise from the goods, else they would be shiny. Wrinkles that are obstinate are removed by laying a wet cloth over them and passing the iron over that. If any shiny places are seen they are treated as the wrinkles are; the iron is lifted, while the full cloud of steam arises and brings the nap up with, it. Cloth should always have a suds made specially for it, as if that which has been used for white cotton or woolen cloths, lint will be left in the. water and cling to the cloth. In this manner we have know r n the same coat and pantaloons to be renewed time and again, and have all the look and feel ..of new garments. Good broadcloth and its fellow cloths will bear many washings, and look better every time because of them. —American Analyst.