Democratic Sentinel, Volume 19, Number 40, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 October 1895 — How to Clean Lace. [ARTICLE]

How to Clean Lace.

Here in an old Italian recipe for cleaning lace. It is similar to the way in which our grandmothers washed their thread lace borders for caps and kerchiefs, for in those days all matrons, young or old, wore caps, and I am assured that this is the veritableway all French gentlewomen clean their laces, no matter how line or how old. Fill a large sized glass bottle with cold water, draw closely over it a stocking leg or a piece of white flannel, if preferred, place the lace smoothly over and tack closely: put the bottle in a kettle of cold water, with a few shavings of cold soap, and put over the fire to boil; boil an hour or more; rinse in several waters; then drain and dry. When thoroughly dry remove the lace very carefully from the bottle, taking care not to break or pull harshly, then pick out the edge gently with the fingers, fold it in quarter of a yard lengths and place it smoothly in a large book with a weight on top. Very nice lace (an be made to look new by this process.