The following advice was provided in 1907 by Womens World Magazine
White Linen
To make linen beautifully white, prepare the water for washing by putting into every ten gallons a large handful of powdered borax
An alternative method suggested
Boil with the clothes one teasspoonful of spirits of turpentine, putting the turpentine in the water before placing the clothes boiler on the stove
Kitchen Towels
A tablespoon of paraffin added to the copper will improve the colour of kitchen cloths,towels etc and the digagreeable odour will depart in the course of rinsing and drying
Stopping Colours Running
Take one pennyworth of sugar of lead, dissolve it in a bucket of water and soak the garment for several hours.Wash the garment in the mixture and rinse twice. Then wash in the normal way. If this is done the colours will never run.
Brown Stockings
Brown stockings should never be ironed but just passed through the mangle to smooth them out. A hot iron will spoil the colour and give them an unpleasant yellow tint.
Silk Ties
To clean silk ties boil half a pound of bran in 4 pints of water for an hour and then strain. Wash the tis in this water keeping them straight, rinse in slated water and iron whilst slightly damp.
A maid ironing in 1908
