Democratic Sentinel, Volume 16, Number 13, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 April 1892 — Cleaning Laces. [ARTICLE]

Cleaning Laces.

From woolens to laces is a wide step, but while on the laundry subject a word upon the cleaning of the latter. Never rub laces. If mussed roll upon a bottle or round stick, dampen slightly; when quite dry unroll and tack the lace with large stitches in folds of about six inches. Be sure that the edges are even. .You will now have a sort of compress of lace. Drop this cold water, in which put a little borax or ammonia, or both. Soak until the dirt is out, changing water if needful. Never rub the lace, but it may be gently squeezed now and then, lengthwise. When it is quite clean place it just as it is in the sun to dry, after which lay it upon the palm of the left hand and slap it vigorously with the right several times. Now remove the stitches by cutting; do not pull them; refold the lace, but in different creases, and repeat the process, but pat rather than slap the folds this time. The result will be excellent; the lace soft and betraying no signs of its bath. It should never be ironed unless upon clothing where it cannot be removed. It is well, therefore, to use other than lace trimmings for cotton garments, unless one chooses torchon, a notable exception. If other lacq is chosen, however, it should not be much starched, if at all, and the iron should be used not along the length, but up and down. In this way the full effect of the width is kept, while by the other a wide edge appears narrower and the pattern distorted. After ironing the laundress should soften the lace by the gentle use of her thumb and forefinger, then gather it into little >plalts, pinching them slightly, and, after shaking it out lightly, the lace edge will wear its best aspect.