Page:Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management.djvu/2015

Rh assume a dirty appearance. Have ready some weak gum-water and press the lace gently through it; then clap it for a quarter of an hour; after which, pin it to a towel in any shape which you wish it to take. When nearly dry cover it with another towel and iron it with a cool iron. The lace, if previously sound and discoloured only, will after this process look as good as new.

Wash the lace thoroughly in some good beer; use no gum-water; clap the lace well, and proceed with ironing and drying, as in the former recipe.

Jewels are generally wrapped up in cotton wool and kept in their cases; but they tarnish from exposure to the air and require cleaning. This is done by preparing clean soap-suds from fine toilet-soap. Dip any article of gold, silver, gilt or precious stones into this lye, and dry by brushing with a brush of soft badger's hair, or a fine sponge; after-wards polish with a piece of fine cloth, and lastly, with a soft leather. Gold or silver ornaments, and in general all articles of jewellery, may be dressed by dipping them in spirits of wine warmed in a bain marie, or shallow kettle, placed over a slow fire or hot plate. Silver ornaments should be kept in fine arrowroot, and completely covered with it.

Wash with soap and water, and dry carefully with blotting paper which, rolled to a point, will reach all the crevices in the setting.

Mix 2 ozs. or essence of lemon and 1 oz. of oil of turpentine together in a phial. Grease and other spots in silks are to be rubbed gently with a linen rag dipped in this mixture.

Sponge faded silks with warm water and soap; then rub them with a dry cloth on a flat board; afterwards iron them on the inside with a smoothing iron. Old black silks may be improved by sponging with spirits. In this case, the ironing may be done on the right side, thin paper being spread over to prevent glazing.

For a dress to be washed, the seams of a skirt do not require to be ripped apart, though it must be removed from the band at the waist, and the lining taken from the bottom. Trimmings or drapings, where there are deep folds, the bottom of which is very difficult to reach, should be undone so as to remain flat. A black silk dress, without being previously