The practical scourer and garment dyer: comprising dry or chemical cleansing, the art of removing stains, fine washing, bleaching and dyeing of straw hats, gloves and feathers of all kinds, dyeing of worn clothes of all fabrics, including mixed goods, by one dip, and the manufacture of soaps and fluids for cleansing purposes

Front matter

Shelf. JlM>

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

THE

Preface

Chemistry plays such an important part not only in the industries but also in the household, especially as regards washing and the removal of stains, that no apology is needed for the publication of a work, the aim of which is to give practical and approved methods for dry or chemical scouring, the art of removing stains, fine washing, bleaching and dyeing straw hats, cleansing and dyeing gloves, dyeing feathers and garments, as well as a large amount of other useful information.-

The book being intended not only for the professional scourer and dyer, but also for use in the family, it has been endeavored to avoid all unnecessary technicalities and to give the various processes in such a way as to make them readily understood and easy of execution.

The editor desires to acknowledge his indebtedness to the German works " Die Kunst-und Fein-Waescherei" by Yictor Joclet, and " Die Putzfedernfaerberei und Lappenfaerberei" by Louis Lau, from which he has freely drawn, several entire chapters having been translated from them, and takes pleasure in expressing his obligations to the enterprising publishers for the assist-

VI

PREFACE.

ance rendered to him by a liberal supply of books and journals.

Finally, it remains only to be stated that the book has been provided with a copious table of contents and a very full index which will render any subject in it easy and prompt of reference.

W. T. B.

Philadelphia, Dec. 15, 1892.

CONTENTS,

I. Dry or Chemical Cleansing.

page

Introduction of dry cleansing, in 1866, by M. Judlin ; What dry cleansing consists in ; Materials used in dry cleansing ; Oil of turpentine . . . . . . . .17

Benzine or petroleum benzine ; Benzol ; Brown-coal benzine ; Mode of distinguishing benzol from petroleum benzine, and testing the former as to its purity . . .19

Properties of benzol upon which its employment for technical purposes is based ........ 20

Methods for executing dry cleansing ; Mode of procedure on a small scale; The "tampion" and its use ... 21

Resistance of stains produced by alkalies, acid, sugar, milk, etc., as well as sweat stains, to the action of benzol ; Vessel for draining the cleansed articles ; Washing of silk articles ; Process for working on a larger scale ; Drums or washing machines .28

Drying boxes ; Purification of the waste hydrocarbons, whether benzol or petroleum benzine . . . .25

Apparatus for the purpose, illustrated and described . . 26

Heating of the drying boxes ; Fabrics and stuffs for which dry or chemical cleansing may be employed . . .29

Articles not suitable for dry cleansing ; After-treatment of the cleansed articles ; Removal of stains of oil-paint and resins 30

Apparatus for raising the pile of very woolly articles; Precautions to be observed in the use of benzol and petroleum benzine, as well as oil of turpentine . . . .31

Vlll CONTENTS.

II. The Art of Removing Stains.

page

Distinction in the stains according to their nature ; Removal of stains from white goods . . . . . .32

Materials used for the removal of stains ; Ether . . 33

Detection of water and alcohol in ether; Chloroform, and manner of testing it . . . . . . .34

Alcohol and spirits of wine ; Aqua ammonise (water of ammonia) and its varieties . . . . . . .35

Glycerin; Borax and its adulterations . . . .36

Method of testing borax ; Hyposulphite of sodium; Stannous chloride, or tin salt . . . . . . .37

Chloride of lime ; Eau de Javelle ; Wilson's bleaching fluid ; Ramsey's or Grouvelle's bleaching fluid . . . .38

Chlorine water ; Acetic acid ; Tartaric acid . . .39

Citric acid ; Oxalic acid ; Acid oxalate, or binoxalate of potassium, popularly called salt of sorrel ; Hydrochloric acid ; Ox-gall, and how to purify it .... 40

Tools for removing stains ; Dust-stains ; Stains of unknown derivation ; Mixture for cleaning woollen goods . . 41

Treatment of silk, satin, etc. ; Grease stains ; Benzol-magnesia and its preparation ...... 42

Gelatinized benzol and its preparation .... 43

Ether-magnesia and its preparation ; Oil-paint and varnish stains ; Stains of resin, tar, or wagon grease ... 44

Stearin and wax-stains ; Fruit-stains . . . . .45

Stains of red wine, cherries, whortleberries, etc. ; Milk- and coffee-stains . . . . . . . . .46

Soup-stains, as well as smaller grease-stains in general . 47

Stains of beer, wine, punch, sugar, gelatine, glue, etc. ; Grass-stains ; Stains from green nuts, as well as so-called tannin-stains ; Acid-stains. . . . . . .48

Nitric acid-stains ; Stains of vinegar, sour wine, etc. ; Lyeand lime-stains ; Urine-stains ; Ink- and iron-mould-stains ; Distinction in ink-stains . . . . . .49

Blood-stains ; Table giving the best means of cleaning all kinds of fabrics from any stain whatever . . .52

CONTENTS. IX

PAGE

The general principle of removing stains ; Special directions for the garment dyer .54

III. Fine Washing.

Washing woollen goods. . . . . . . .57

Washing flannels . . . . . . . . .58

Restoration of the original whiteness of woollen and mixed

goods which have turned yellow 59

Washing of woollen shawls and borders with colored embroidery, as well as of garments of muslin de laine and similar fabrics . . . * . . . .60

Washing white curtains, laces, and embroideries . . 61

Another method of washing curtains ; Preparation of starch for curtains ; Manner of tinting curtains . . . .62

Cleansing satin, silk ribbons, brocade, and silk damask ; To clean black silk ; To clean white silk .... 63

To renovate black silk ; To cleanse silk and silver galloons. 64 To wash gold galloons, gold embroideries, silver laces, or embroideries, silk fabrics, and tissues . . . .65

To wash laces ......... 66

To wash white silk crape ; To wash white gauze . . 68

To wash fine muslins, batists, etc. ; To wash white, black, and colored veils . . . . . . . .69

Washing of calicoes, as well as other cotton goods and

fabrics ; Washing of nankeen and nankeen garments . 70 Cleansing white and black taffeta, embroidered fabrics, or muslin, linen, as well as cloths, caps, etc., woven with gold ; To clean velvets, velveteens, and plush . . 71

To restore the pile of velvet ; Concise statement regarding the cleansing of various fabrics and renovation of the

attacked colors 72

Cleansing of soiled or stained woollen goods, such as cashmere, merino, etc. ; Treatment of white satin and nearly all silk fabrics ........ 73

To cleanse colored silk fabrics 74

X CONTEXTS.

To cleanse silks dyed blue, or the various shades of violet ; Scouring of olive-green silks ; To clean and wash black silk

To freshen up carpets without taking them up .

To wash smaller and ordinary carpets

To cleanse and wash white sheepskins ; To cleanse white wooUen blankets ; The sulphuring-chamber

IV. Bleaching and Dyeing of Straw Hats

Washing hats not too much soiled ....

Decoloration (bleaching) of straw .... Washing the straw articles .....

Bleaching with chloride of lime ; Preparation of the chloride

of lime solution .......

Apparatus for the purpose, illustrated and described . Vessels for bleaching straw articles ; Use of hypochlorites

(bleaching fluids)

Bleaching with sulphurous acid in a gaseous state and in the

form of an aqueous solution .....

Dyeing straw black ...

Silver gray on straw .......

Chestnut brown and medium brown on straw ; The cheapest

brown on straw hats .

Havana brown ; Catechu brown ; Maroon ; Violet

Yellow

Solution of aniline colors ; Shades which may be produced

with aniline colors .......

V. Cleansing and Dyeing of Gloves.

Cleansing Suede gloves ; Cleansing chamois, buckskin, and undressed kid gloves ....... 92

Cleansing kid gloves ; Mixture for cleansing kid gloves . 93 Dyeing kid gloves ; Black . . . . . .94

Brown ; Morocco-red ; Gray ; Use of aniline colors for dyeing leather ......... 95

Dyeing gloves with aniline colors; Red ; Violet; Blue . 96 Green; Yellow and brown. . . . . . .97

79 80 81

82 83

86 87 88

90 91

CONTENTS. XI

VI. Dyking of Feathers.

page Treatment in general ; Manner of effecting the addition of coloring-matter ........ 98

99 Feathers

. 100 . 101

Treatment of portions of birds .

Dyeing ostrich feathers ; Cleansing large feathers

in bulk ; Decolorizing ....

Freeing from grease .....

Removing natural brown spots and points from white

feathers 102

Dyeing ostrich feathers black . . . . . .103

Dyeing ostrich feathers bronze ; Green ; Olive ; Gold ; Other

colors including fashionable colors ; Cream, ivory . . 105 Rose, Venus ; Salmon ; Paille, maize, bamboo ; Ciel, azure,

pale blue; Butter, bouton d'or, mandarin, coq roche . 106 Parme, heliotrope, prune ; Gold, old gold; Gray; Coquilicot,

cardinal ; Garnet ; Beige, tobacco, Siam, and intervening

shades 107

Chartreuse-pale yellow-green ; Cresson — dull yellow-green ;

Olive; Vesuve, Etna — dull fiery tones; Vieux-rose ;

Marine, admiral . . . . . . . .108

Russe ; Gray-blue colors ; Green-blue colors ; Maroon, loutre ;

Ombre (shaded) tricolored 109

Borde (bordered feathers) ; Light mirror, dark border . Ill Dark mirror, light border . . . . . . .112

Dyeing fancy feathers; Cleansing; Definition of fancy

feathers ; Washing fancy feathers . . . . .114 Decolorizing ; Freeing from fat ; Treatment of white

Dyeing black ; Chicken feathers ; Mordanting , . .116

Dyeing 117

Treatment with chlorine ; Turkey feathers . . .118

Pigeon feathers ; Goose and duck feathers ; Peacock feathers 119 Parrot feathers; Skins of kingfishers and magpies ; All other

kinds of birds, wings, skins, heads, and tails ; Bronze ;

Green, olive, gold ; Other colors including fashionable

colors; Ombre . . , 120

Xll CONTENTS.

PAGE

Changeant; Drying of feathers ..... 121

The drying drum ...... .122

VII. Dyeing Garments.

General remarks ; Dyeing silk garments and ribbons . .123

Precautions to be observed after washing the articles and in dyeing ; Dyes to be used . . . . . 124

Washing the garments, etc. ; Dyeing silk garments, etc.,

black; Lustrous black ; Pickling; Mordanting . .125

Deep black; Treatment with chlorine . . . .126

English iron black ; Dyeing with fustic or quercitron ;

Preparation of chlorine solution (Javelle water) . . 127

Chlorine solution for English black ; Preparation of nitrate of iron ; Preparation of English iron ; Dyeing silk garments, etc., dark brown . . . . . .128

Tobacco brown ; Gold; Bordeaux ..... 130

Garnet ; Ponceau ; Bright red ; Preparation of tin mordant ; Cardinal . . . . . . . .131

Scarlet; Cream; Ivory; Rose-color; Salmon; Carail . 132 Pale blue, ciel ; Alkaline blue ; Marine-blue . . . 133 Heliotrope ; Prune ; Gensdarme ; Peacock-blue . . 134

Steel-blue ; Gray-blue ; Vesuve (dull fiery tones) ; Siam ;

Vieux-rose ; Beige ; Gray ; Bright green ; May green ;

Chartreuse (pale yellow-green) . . . . .136

Pale green ; Green ; Cresson (dull yellow-green) ; Moss-green ; Russia green . . . . . . .137

Olive; Cinnamon-brown; Pensee ; Yellow; Mandarin;

Fancy colors and all other intermediate colors . .138

Materials for the ground-tones ; Dyeing of genuine velvet . 139 Dyeing woollen garments and fabrics . . . .139

Washing; Dyeing black ; Naphthol black; Imperial black 140 Potash black ; Beaver black . . . . . .141

Dark brown ; Archil-brown ; Preparation of indigo sulphate ;

Dyeing chrome-brown, also for cloth articles . . .142

CONTENTS. Xlll

Wood-brown; Wood-brown for cloth articles, perfectly fast ;

Sanders-brown . . . . . . . .143

Coffee-brown; For cloth articles ; Bordeaux . . . 144

Bordeaux for cloth articles ; Red-brown ; For cloth articles ; Marine-blue . . . . . . . . . 145

Marine-blue for cloth articles ; Ponceau . . . .146

Alizarine red for cloth articles ; Bismarck ; For cloth articles ; Bright blue ........ 147

Alkaline blue ; Gray ; For cloth articles ; Beige ; For cloth articles 148

Green ; Bright green ; May green ; Chartreuse ; For cloth articles; Cresson; Russia-green . „ . . .149

Russia-green for cloth articles; Moss-green ; For cloth articles; Olive-green; For cloth articles . . . .150

Olive-green for cloth articles ; Mode ; Bronze ; For cloth articles ; Prune . . . . . . . .151

Pensee; For cloth articles ; Yellow; Buttercup-yellow . 152

Yellow for cloth articles ; Havana ; Production of all fancy colors more suitable for garments ; Mordants for light, intermediate, and dark colors ; Coloring-matters for the three-ground colors . . . . . . .153

Production of all fancy colors more suitable for cloth articles ; Mordant; Dyeing; To dye sheepskins . . . .154

Dyeing cotton and linen garments and fabrics ; Removal of foreign substances from the fabrics ; Affinity of the vegetable fibre for coloring- matters . . . . .155

Dyeing black

Dyeing velvet black ; Dark brown ....

Preparation of acetate of alumina mordant ; Dyeing coffee brown ; Bordeaux .......

Marine-blue ; Potash-blue ......

Bright-blue ; Ponceau ; Turkish-red ; Preparation of tin mordant ; Dyeing chamois .....

Flesh-color ; Orange ; Green ; Bright-green ; May-green Dark-green

Dark-green; Yellow; Chrome-yellow; Pensee; Heliotrope 162 Dark pens§e ; Rose-color; Gray . . . . .163

158 159

XIV CONTENTS.

PAGE

Cream; Mode . . . .164

Olive 165

Olive-brown; Gensdarme ; Production of fancy colors on cotton, etc. ; Light colors ; Medium colors ; Bordeaux ; Dark colors . . . . . . . . .166

Dyeing garments and fabrics of mixed fibres ; Black, combined method for wool and cotton ..... 167

Black, combined method for wool and silk ; Brown, combined method for wool and cotton ; Gray, combined method for wool and cotton ; Violet-gray, combined method for wool and cotton . . . . . . . .169

Silver-gray, combined method for wool and cotton ; Pens6e, combined method for wool and cotton ; Green and gensdarme blue, combined method for wool and silk ; Directions for dyeing half-woollen goods when each kind of fibre is to be dyed by itself; Black , . . .170

Brown 171

Marine-blue ; Bordeaux ; Green ; May-green ; Russia-green 1 72

Dyeing half-woollen cloth articles ; Changeant ; Black and white; Cream and rose-colors . . . . .173

Brown and green, as well as olive ; Sizing ; To free plush from fibres after dyeing . . . . . 174

VIII. Preparation of Various Soaps and Compounds for the Removal of Stains.

Erasive soap to remove stains and grease from clothing ; Soap for removing stains ; Cleansing fluid ; Cleansing fluid for coarser fabrics ; Cleansing fluid for leather and tissues ; Winkler's cleansing fluid ; English cleansing fluid 176

Scouring water ; Ox-gall scouring water ; Scouring water to remove rust-spots from linen, etc. ; Cloth cleaning compound . . . . . . . . .177

Lightning eradicator ; Grease extractor; Le Clerc's scouring liquid . . . . . . . . .178

Scouring balls ; Brown scouring ball ; Green scouring ball ; Dry scouring ball ; Scouring ball for silk garments and fabrics ; Scouring ball for pitch, wax, and oil-paint spots . 179

CONTENTS. XV

PAGE

Scouring ball for resin- and grease-spots ; Black scouring ball ; Scouring ball with yolk of <igg ; Scouring ball for grease- spots ; Scouring ball for vinegar- and wine-spots ; Soap for cleansing cloth and tissues . . . .180

Ganteine ; Saponine . . . . . . . .181

IX. Determination of Fast and Fugitive Colors, as

WELL AS OF THE VARIOUS TEXTILE FABRICS.

Cellulose the basis of all vegetable textile fibres . . .181

Conversion of the vegetable fibre into gun-cotton ; Schweitzer's reagent ; Test for wool ...... 182

Test for silk ; Detection of vegetable fibres in a tissue of wool and silk . . . . . . . .183

E. Kopp's method; Use of artificially prepared coloring-matters for testing mixed tissues . . . . .184

Detection of silk in wool, or wool in silk, in white, or light-colored tissues . . . . . . . .185

Examination of dyed textile fibres and tissues, as well as of garments in general . . . . . . .186

J. Fol's method of testing dyed fabrics as to the principal colors ; Blue ; Principal coloring-matters which have to be considered ; Mode of testing . . . . .187

Yellow ; Principal coloring- matters and process of determining them . . . . . . . . .188

Red ; Principal coloring-matters and manner of determining them 189

Green ; Varieties of green ; Mixed greens ; Procedure for recognizing the green coloring-matters .... 190

Violet; Principal colors and their determination . .191

Index 193

THE

PRACTICAL SCOURER AND GARMENT DYER.

I. Dry Or Chemical Cleansing

No other branch of a modern industry is veiled in as much mystery, and yet so simple, as the so-called dry cleansing for the removal of dirt from worn garments and stuffs. It was introduced, in 1866, by M. Judlin, and is now almost everywhere used in large cities.

Dry cleansing simply consists in removing the dirt from worn stuffs with the assistance of oil of turpentine, benzine, benzol, or another fluid capable of dissolving grease.

Most dirt-stains consist of grease or resin covered with dust or a coloring-matter. By removing the grease or resin the dust loses its hold and the stain disappears.

As previously stated, for this cleansing process are used either, a, oil of turpentine ; 6, benzine ; or e, benzol.

Oil of turpentine is obtained by distilling the oleoresinous exudation of various species of Pinus. The crude turpentine is put into a large still, heat is applied, and a little w T ater from time to time added to the contents of the still. The distillation is continued as long as oil passes over, when the resinous mass is run off through a stop-cock placed at the bottom of the still, is passed 2 through several strainers, and then constitutes rosin. On condensing the distillate, the oil of turpentine separates from the water, and is dipped into the barrels in which it enters commerce.

Oil of turpentine is a colorless, thin, volatile liquid, the density of which varies between 0.855 and 0.87. When recently rectified, it boils at about 302° F., but the temperature usually rises as the distillation progresses, and old oil does not generally commence to boil below 311° or 320° F.

Of the different varieties of oil of turpentine the French oil is the best, it possessing a somewhat finer odor. Next in order is the American oil of turpentine, while the Austrian product cannot be so highly recommended, it always showing a slightly yellowish color, even when thoroughly rectified.

German oil of turpentine, obtained by the dry distillation of various species of Pinus, should not be used, it possessing a peculiar odor which cannot be removed from the stuffs treated with it. Besides, it rapidly turns vellow in the air, and resinifies.

Although oil of turpentine is an excellent solvent for resins, fats, etc., it possesses the disadvantage of rapidly absorbing oxygen from the air and resinifying. For this reason it is but seldom used, and then only w T hen thoroughly rectified over lime, chalk, chloride of lime, or similar substances, and if it has not been stored for any length of time.

There is no good reason for the generally prevailing idea that oil of turpentine, when used for cleansing silk stuffs, imparts to them a soft feel, an increased lustre and softness.

Benzine or petroleum benzine. This fluid must not be confounded with petroleum ether. The latter is a colorless, ethereal, very inflammable liquid, which evolves gas at as low a temperature as 86° F., and commences to boil at 122° to 140° F.

Benzine is the portion of crude petroleum which passes over at between 212° and 284° F. In a pure state it is colorless, very mobile, possesses a peculiar odor, and is one of the best solvents for fats, resins, etc. If it is to be used for cleansing purposes, it should not leave behind a residue or any odor when evaporated in a porcelain dish.

Benzol. It is this fluid which is generally used, and to it is chiefly due the great reputation dry cleansing at present enjoys, because the operation proceeds very rapidly, and the lustre and finish of the stuffs suffer no injury whatever.

Benzol is obtained from coal-tar, one of the secondary products of coal-gas manufacture. It is colorless, of considerable refractive power, mobile, of a peculiar, not disagreeable odor, boils at from 176° to 212° F., and burns w r ith a bright flame, depositing much soot.

Besides the above mentioned benzin and benzol, there is also found in commerce the so-called brown-coal benzin ; it is distinguished from a good quality of benzol by its odor, w 7 hich resembles radish and onions.

To distinguish benzol from petroleum benzin and to test the former as to its purity, proceed as follows : —

Mix 2 parts of concentrated sulphuric acid with 1 part of strong nitric acid (1.84 specific gravity). Into this mixture allow to flow, with constant cooling, 1 part of the benzol to be tested, and finally heat gently to about 140° F. Then pour the cold mixture into water. By the action of the nitric acid upon pure benzol, nitrobenzol is produced, which separates on the bottom of the glass as a heavy oily fluid with a strong odor resembling that of oil of bitter almonds, while the greater portion of the petroleum benzin, which remains unchanged, floats as a light, colorless layer upon the surface. However, small portions of petroleum benzin may be admixed with the nitrobenzol. Therefore, pour over the product separated by the water dilute sulphuric acid, and for some time treat the fluid with metallic zinc until a vigorous evolution of hydrogen takes place. The nitrobenzol is thereby reduced to aniline, while the petroleum benzin remains unchanged. By subjecting the very acid fluid to distillation, aniline sulphate remains behind, while the petroleum benzin passes over.

As a simpler method for distinguishing benzol from petroleum-benzin, Pusch recommends iodine, which dissolves in the latter with a raspberry-red, and in benzol with a violet-red color ; the former color is so intense that a small admixture of benzin can be recognized by neutralizing the violet tint.

The employment of benzol for technical purposes is based upon the following properties : It dissolves all fats as well as most resins, and has the great advantage, especially over oil of turpentine, of rapidly volatilizing without leaving behind the slightest odor.

By the absorption of atmospheric oxygen, oil of turpentine, as previously mentioned, is rapidly changed and resinifies, whereby it imparts a disagreeable odor to all articles, the product formed being no longer volatile.

Furthermore, even the most delicate colors of tissues are not attacked by benzol, and new stuffs frequently acquire a much finer appearance when washed with it previously to being sold. In England this is frequently done with carpets, whereby the grease, which has penetrated into the tissue during fabrication, is removed, and the colors appear in their full splendor.

There are a number of methods for executing dry cleansing, according to whether the work is to be done on a large or a small scale.

In the latter case the procedure is as follows : —

Five vessels sufficiently large to allow of the convenient handling of the stuffs to be treated in them are used. The vessels may be of zinc-sheet, though it is better to have them made of copper-sheet, or to employ large stoneware pots such as are much used in the chemical industry. Each vessel should be provided with a well-fitting lid. The vessels should be cylindrical in form and greater in depth than diameter.

Fill the vessels three-quarters full with benzol, and then sort the articles which are to be cleansed. Separate the lighter from the darker, and in this manner arrange several piles of articles. Spread out each article, first the lighter and last the darker, upon a table covered with zinc-sheet and remove the worst stains. For this purpose tie a piece of wadding, the size of a fist and made into a ball, into a piece of white linen so that the corners of the latter can be used as a~handle. This contrivance is called a "tampion." Now dip the tampion into benzol in a dish until it is thoroughly saturated, and vigorously rub the dirtiest places until the greater portion of the dirt is removed. Proceed in the same manner w 7 ith all the articles, the darker being taken last, because by repeatedly dipping the tampion into the benzol, the latter acquires a darker color.

The benzol remaining after the operation is finished is poured into a large vessel, which is provided with a well-fitting lid. Now wash the articles treated with the tampion, one after the other, in vessel No. 1, throw them into vessel No. 2, and cover the latter. Then thoroughly wash lot No. 1 w^ith the hands, and in the meanwhile bring the articles in vessel No. 2 into No. 3. Now throw the washed lot No. 1 into vessel No. 2, and then commence washing the next lot, bringing in the meanwhile the articles in vessel No. 3 into No. 4 and those in No. 2 into No. 3. The lot washed next is then thrown into vessel No. 2.

This changing of the articles from one vessel to the other is done for the purpose of always bringing the first lot, that is, the white pieces, in contact with pure benzol, the latter becoming constantly darker by washing the articles. The articles first treated are finally again washed in vessel No. 5, then spread out upon the table and examined. If dirty places are still found, the articles are rubbed with a clean tampion dipped into the benzol in vessel No. 5, and then for some time placed in vessel No. 5. From the latter they are thrown into a pot provided with a lid, in which the adhering benzol drains off and is from time to time removed by tilting the pot. The articles are finally wrung by passing them between the rolls of a wringer, or, still better, the adhering benzol is removed by means of a centrifugal worked by hand. The articles are then dried in quite hot, closed, drying-chambers, provided with contrivances for the escape and condensation of the benzol vapors.

By this treatment the articles are thoroughly cleansed as far as can be done with benzol. It must, however, be mentioned that all stains produced by alkalies, acids, sugar, milk, etc., resist the action of benzol. The same is also the case with so-called sweat-stains, which are caused by a change in the color. To remove such stains, the separate places must be subjected to a special treatment, as will be explained later on.

The method above described is very practical, but possesses the inconvenience of the operator being much exposed to the vapors of the benzol. This may, however, be avoided by carrying on the work under a welldrawing chimney.

For draining the articles, a tall cylindrical vessel of zinc or copper, provided with a perforated false bottom, is generally used. The adhering benzol drains off through the perforated bottom, and is from time to time drawn off through a cock near the true bottom of the vessel. The vessel may also be provided with a movable lid and screw, so that by applying pressure this portion of the operation is accelerated.

Articles of silk are only washed by hand in the above described manner, as otherwise they would suffer too much. Moreover, if only separate stains are to be removed, the entire article, with the exception of the stained portion, remains intact, and is treated with the greatest care.

For working on a larger scale the above described process is not suitable, drums (wash-machines) which execute the washing in a closed space being employed.

The most simple arrangement of such a wash-machine (Fig. 1) is as follows : Upon a cast-iron frame rests a cylindrical casing, in the interior of which revolves a drum, the periphery of which is formed by a grating of

Fig. 1.

hollow iron pipes. In this drum, extending through its entire length in a radial plane, is a reticulate moulding of five pipes. The lower portion of the iron casing serves as a receptacle for the fluid, which can be discharged through a cock. The casing is closed by a slide. The machine is filled about two-thirds full with benzol, and after placing the stuffs or garments to be cleansed in the drum, the latter, as well as the outer casing, is closed. The drum is then slowly and very regularly revolved, whereby the articles dip into the cleansing fluid and rub against each other and the rods of the drum. When the flat grating of the mould arrives below, which happens after each revolution, it gathers up the articles, lifts them up, and allows them to fall down again. After the articles have thus been treated for a half to three-quarters of an hour, they are taken from the apparatus by lifting them with the assistance of the moulding to the height of the door, and allowed to drain off. They are then brought into the drying apparatus. For this purpose either a centrifugal or a drying-box is used. The centrifugal differs from the ordinary construction in that it is entirely closed, the discharge-pipe entering a vessel in which the benzol hurled out is caught.