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Show HOME HINTS ! AND DIET j .'' Cy INEZ SEARLES WILLSON I SPOT AND STAIN REMOVAL The problem of removal Is to find the solvent for the stain, that Is. certain cer-tain types of stains will respond readily read-ily to certain kinds of treatment. J Removing a spot as soon as possible pos-sible after it appears gives one the advantage of usually knowing what has caused It. The question Is then one of knowing how to effect its removal. re-moval. A very safe rule, especially when the nature of the stain is not known, is to proceed slowly and to use the simple methods first. Often a little clear, cold water, applied at once will do the work with no injury to tlie fabric or Its color. Stains may, for convenience, be classified under four general heads, according to their solubility. First are the stains soluble In wnter: they nre sugar, starches, gums, egg, milk, hlood. soup stock, fruit Juices, coffee and tea. Second are those soluble In alcohol, alco-hol, ether, chloroform, benzine and gasoline; they are fats (which may be removed from cotton with hot water and soap), candle grease, tar, crude oil, asphaltum, some vegetable stains, such as grass stains, medicine (usually (usual-ly alcohol Is the solvent; the fact that It is denatured does not affect Its cleansing properties), vnrnlsh and paint, for the last named turpentine Is also a solvent. Third are the stains which nre soluble sol-uble In acids, namely, Iron rust and Ink. Fourth are the stains which may he treated with javelle water. This method meth-od may be used for very resistant spots on white cotton or linen, but only as a last resort, when other means fall, as it requires careful handling to prevent Injury to the fabric. fab-ric. It should always be used In weak solution. When the nature of the stain Is known and the agent to be used Is decided, the method of applying the proper solvent Is the final step in our cleansing problem. Again, let me emphasize the necessity ne-cessity of going slowly. It Is so easy to assume that if a little Is good, a lot Is better. Many applications of a weak agent will not cause damage to the material, while one application of a strong solution may cause ruin. This Is especially true In using acid or javelle ja-velle water. It Is advisable to rinse the spot after each application. If an acid Is the cleansing agent, put some ammonia am-monia into the rinse water to neutralize neutral-ize the effect of ttie acid. This. Is the principle ' of commercial Ink eradi-cators, eradi-cators, an alkali In one bottle neutralizes neu-tralizes the acid which removes the ink. |