Question

Explain the household method of laundering a white cotton shirt.

Explain the various steps involved in the laundering of clothes.

Answer 1

1. Sorting: Mend and repair all tears, replace loosening and broken buttons, etc., because many tears increase in size by the strain of washing. Place cotton and linen together and silk and woollens in different piles; separate white clothes from coloured ones, and also separate the very dirty clothes from the slightly soiled ones.
2. Soaking or Steeping: This means soaking the clothes in a soapy water solution before washing. Heavily soiled fabrics like bed sheets, towels, table linen, etc., can be soaked overnight in hot water. Lightly soiled to medium dirty clothes can be soaked for 10–30 minutes, depending on how dirty they are. Use warm water for soaking, as it reduces soaking time and also removes dirt faster. If the clothes are soaked for an unduly long time, the fibres become weakened, and dirt tends to get lodged more firmly. Coloured fabrics must never be soaked, as their colour might bleed. The addition of washing soda while steeping heavily soiled clothes gives better results. The addition of salt while steeping handkerchiefs and linen used by sick people helps to disinfect them.
3. Washing: Clothes may be boiled to disinfect, whiten, and freshen. It is done by placing them in fresh, hot, soapy water and boiling for 5 to 10 minutes. Longer boiling has a ·tendency to make white fabrics yellow. As the clothes are lifted from the boiler, they are allowed to drain off as much as possible.
   If clothes are very dirty or yellowed, kerosene or turpentine may be added in the proportion of 1 to 6 teaspoons in a boiler full of water. The clothes must be thoroughly rinsed after this in order to remove the odour of kerosene or turpentine oil.
4. Rinsing: After the clothes have been washed and boiled, they are rinsed thoroughly in plenty of hot, clear, and soft water. It is mainly done to make the clothes soap-free after washing. Cold water hardens the soap and makes it more difficult to remove. The final rinse should be done in cold water. This helps to retain the whiteness of the fabric.
5. Bleaching: Clothes that are discoloured due to long storage or poor washing may require bleaching. Often, merely moistening and spreading them on the grass in the sun is sufficient. This acts as a natural bleach. If this is not effective, chemicals should be used with proper precautions. Avoid using chemical bleaching agents on dyed fabrics. All bleaching agents must be thoroughly rinsed from the clothes after the desired results are obtained.
6. Hanging and drying: Before hanging clothes, squeeze out excess water with hand or spin in electric dryer or machine. Cotton or hemp rope, galvanised or topper wire, and plastic rope (solid or twisted) are materials that are generally used as clothes lines. Boiling a new rope for a few minutes in soapy water softens it and lengthens its life. Clothes pins and pegs must be used to keep clothes in place while drying them.
7. Boiling: Clothes may be boiled to disinfect, whiten, and freshen. It is done by placing them in fresh, hot, soapy water and boiling for 5 to 10 minutes. Longer boiling has a ·tendency to make white fabrics yellow. As the clothes are lifted from the boiler, they are allowed to drain off as much as possible.
   If clothes are very dirty or yellowed, kerosene or turpentine may be added in the proportion of 1 to 6 teaspoons in a boiler full of water. The clothes must be thoroughly rinsed after this in order to remove the odour of kerosene or turpentine oil.