Grubby and a Rust Mark

New Zealand Listener, Volume 17, Issue 429, 12 September 1947, Page 23

Grubby and a Rust Mark

Dear Aunt Daisy, Sorry to worry you with a request for a hint that has already appeared in your pages, but I just neglected to snip it out when I saw it. I have two little smocked | | baby dresses. One has an old iron-mould | mark on it, and the other has a grubby | collar and front. Could you tell me how |

to freshen these up ready to wear again? I also have a few little fine woollies that | need freshening; ordinary washing just | does not seem to do. I would be much | obliged it you could help me. | "Pahiatua." ) For the iton-mould (or iron-rust) mark | try. oxalic acid crystals from _ the chemists. Dissolve about 2 teaspoons in | a breaktastcup of warm water. Put a pad ot folded towel under the stained place, and then dab on the liquid .with a tag or a pad of cotton wool, Watch it, to see how it fades away--it may take 10 | or 20 minutes. You may have to dab on | a little more of the oxalic acid solution. | As soon as the mark has gone, wash very | thoroughly in running water, under the | tap to get all the acid out of the’ material. To\ make this doubly sure sane | in a bow! of water containing baking soda. For the grubby-looking woollies and frock the powdered chalk method is good. | Make a thinnish paste with warm water and powdered chalk (from the chemist), The proportion is twice as much pow- dered chalk as the garments by weight. | Knead the woollies and frock in this | paste for a while afterwards washing as | usual with a dash of ammonia in the | waters both washing and rinsing. Dry | out in the sun. Borax is another safe | whitener-add some to*the water. Or) add a little peroxide to the rinsing water and leave the woollies in for a} few minutes. I hope you will let me | ghoow how. you get on.