Detergent

“ Any earthy salt, such as chalk or gypsum, decomposes soap, and prevents its action as a detergent. Soap consists of an oily acid combined generally with soda. Now, when this is added to water containing [Pg 51] lime, that earth unites with the oily acid, forming an insoluble soap, of no use as a detergent; this insoluble lime-soap is the curd which appears in hard water during washing with soap. Hard water is of no use as a cleanser, until all the lime has been removed by uniting with the oily acid of the soap. ”

“ Amongst the lesser virtues which have been greatly promoted by means of scientific research is that of cleanliness. The origin of soap was the discovery of the detergent properties of a boiled mixture of fat and alkali. The numerous inventions which have cheapened the most important soap-producing material, viz., washing soda, and those which have cheapened oil of vitriol, the chief substance consumed in making washing-soda, have all contributed to the cleanliness of mankind ”

“ The process of washing with soft water is entirely different, the whole quantity being applied as a detergent. To illustrate this difference an experiment may be made, by washing the hands alternately in rain and then in hard water, such as that supplied to London; and the value of the soft water for the purposes of washing will be at once recognized. Even without soap, the soft water moistens the hand, while hard water flows off, just as if the skin had been smeared with oil. ”

“ Burnt parts require applications which are moderately detergent, without being decidedly heating or cooling. Wherefore, Chian, Cimolian, Cretan, and every light earth, when rubbed in with vinegar not very acrid, or mixed with water, are excellent applications, and prevent blisters from forming; also a whole raw egg immediately applied upon soft wool, for it cools moderately, and dries without being stimulant. And anoint the part with black ink, or with frankincense dissolved in water, or use a cataplasm of boiled lentils, or of tares. ”

“ The most likely theory yet advanced is that based on the emulsifying power of soap solutions. The fact that these will readily form emulsions with oils has long been known, and the detergent action of soap has frequently been attributed to it, the explanation given being that the alkali set free by the water emulsifies the fatty matter always adhering to dirt, and carries it away in suspension with the other impurities. ”

“ Well after the engineers had tried unsuccessfully to convey the concept of "entropy" to the marketing department (audience laughs) , they arrived at another solution -- "solution" -- they'd develop a detergent that used enzymes that attacked loose fiber ends, the kind that you get with broken fibers that make your clothes look old. ”

“ Like our author, he approves of the theriac of vipers. He makes mention of many external applications of a detergent nature, and in particular praises a soap used by the Celts for cleaning their clothes. He also commends natron, alcyonium, sulphur, alum, ammoniac with vinegar, and the like, for the same purpose. When the flesh is livid, he directs us previously to make deep incisions in it. The diet is to be plain and digestible ”

“ The water should be only warm, not boiling, and soda silicate or caustic ammonia is preferable to soap as a detergent. Flannels well soaped and shrunk when first fulled always remain softer and shrink less ultimately than those not so treated. The felting power of wool varies considerably, and it should be selected accordingly for fabrics intended to be frequently washed. Flannels should not be rubbed or beaten in washing, merely rinsed, and soiled spots soaped and brushed with a soft brush. ”

“ So delicate is the fiber that the ingredients employed must be most carefully considered. The character of the water used is often an element which affects the fiber throughout its manipulation. Chemical science has done much to aid the manufacturer in this branch of his work. Invention has also provided steeping machines, to drive off the acid contained in the fibers, and dissolve the hard, dirty substances, without removing the yolk, which is valuable as a detergent. A preliminary machine is Fig. 7.—Ladies Carding, Spinning, and Weaving. ”

“ For first cleaning away impurities from a surface Mogford recommends ox-gall to be applied with a soft brush. This may be obtained in shilling or six-penny bottles from Winsor & Newton, or any other dealers in artists’ materials. “It is,” he adds, “an excellent detergent, which may be freely applied without fear. It must, however, be well washed” (i.e., wiped) “off with pure water, or it will leave a clamminess on the surface that may prevent the varnish, afterwards applied, from drying.” ”

“ They are now planed, and subjected to the proper mechanical treatment for making cakes of any form. The soap is coloured with strong alcoholic solution of archil for the rose tint, and of turmeric for the deep yellow. Transparent soaps, however pleasing to the eye, are always of indifferent quality; they are never so detergent as ordinary soaps, and they eventually acquire a disagreeable smell.
SOAPSTONE; see Steatite.
SODA, Caustic soda (Hydrate de soude, Fr.; Aetznatron, Germ.) ; is an alkaline substance, used in chemical researches, in bleaching, and in the manufacture of soap. ”

“ Synthetic detergents, like soaps, may be mild or alkaline. The mild synthetics are excellent for washing silks and fine fabrics, blankets, and sweaters. They are relatively safe for colors. The alkaline synthetics, which contain alkaline salts to aid in soil removal, are all-purpose washing agents for washing heavily soiled garments. ”

“ But when a picture has been, instead of varnished, glazed with white of egg, we have a coating which, when old, cannot be dissolved by water or acids; for this other and specially elaborate detergents, or cleaners, are employed. There are few substances which so persistently harden with time as the white of egg, as does also the yolk when boiled.
Ordinary varnish, when dry and old, can be removed by mechanically scraping or rubbing with fine, dry powders, such as that of resin. The dust from the varnish itself aids in the operation. ”

“ From Castile soap (in powder) , 11 oz.; chloride of lime (dry and good) , 1 oz.; mix, beat them to a mass with rectified spirit, q. s.; (holding in solution) oil of verbena or of ginger grass, 1⁄4 oz.; lastly, form the mass into flat tablets, and wrap these in thin sheet gutta percha. A most excellent detergent and stimulant soap in various affections, admirably adapted for hospital use, and for removing stains from the skin and rendering it white. It is the most powerful known agent against infection from contagious diseases communicable by contact.
Soap, Cod-Liver Oil. Syn. ”

“ The blood-stain has been much admired by tourists and others, and cannot be removed."
"That is all nonsense," cried Washington Otis; "Pinkerton's Champion Stain Remover and Paragon Detergent will clean it up in no time," and before the terrified housekeeper could interfere, he had fallen upon his knees, and was rapidly scouring the floor with a small stick of what looked like a black cosmetic. In a few moments no trace of the blood-stain could be seen. ”

“ Stain-removing Soaps.—These are prepared in two ways, either by making a special soap, or by mixing ordinary soap with special detergents. A good recipe is as follows:
The oil having been fused, the dye is mixed with some of it and stirred into the contents of the pan. The kieselguhr is then crutched in from a sieve, then the lye, and then the carbonate of potash. These liquids are poured in in a thin stream. When the soap begins to thicken, add the turpentine, mold, and cover up the molds.
Mix the talc and soap by heat, and when cool enough add the turpentine and benzine, and mold. ”

“ Here will be the best place for me to say something about washing powders and fluids of which there are so many on the market. I think I have tried all or most of them and I do not believe any one of them has saved me half an hour’s labour or made my clothes any whiter than I could get them with the ordinary soap and soda. Some of them ruin the clothes, others turn them yellow after a few washings. When washing very greasy or dirty things a tablespoonful of kerosene added to the boiler is a great help, but unless put in just at the right moment, which is when boiling, it is useless. ”

“ But supposing a family has time and opportunity to do the laundry work at home, a tablespoonful of liquid ammonia and a dessertspoonful of turpentine used in the washing water, where a quarter of a pound of soap has been finely sliced, will be found to remove dirt from the clothes without rubbing, saving labour, much soap, and the wear and tear of the things. ”

“ The hands should be washed constantly and in warm water as a rule. When they have been doing kitchen work a lemon cut in halves and rubbed all over them before washing will help to cleanse, and is a great help in taking off the smell of grease, &c. You want to cut it, squeeze out the juice into a cup and rub the fruit part all over the hands, and the pure juice after if necessary, then wash in warm water with carbolic soap, or common yellow will do, and again with "pasta mack" used in the water, which gives a pleasant odour to the hands. ”

“ If we gather together scrapings of lard, butter, bits of tallow from burned-out candles, scraps of waste fat, or any other sort of grease, and pour a strong solution of lye over the mass, a soft soapy substance is formed. In colonial times, every family made its own supply of soap, utilizing, for that purpose, household scraps often regarded by the housekeeper of to-day as worthless. Grease and fat were boiled with water and hardwood ashes, which are rich in lye, and from the mixture came the soft soap used by our ancestors. ”

“ Disinfecting Liquid.—In a wine-bottle full of cold water dissolve two ounces of sugar of lead, and add two ounces of aqua-fortis. Shake the mixture well. A very small quantity of the liquid in its strongest form should be used for cleansing all chamber utensils. To remove offensive odors, dilute the liquid with eight or ten parts of water, moisten clean cloths thoroughly with it, and hang them in various parts of the room. The offensive gases are neutralized by chemical action. Fumigation is merely substituting one odor for another. ”

“ Wherever organic refuse is mixed with water putrefaction results, and certain gases are given off from putrefying liquids which are poisonous and hurtful to mankind. Every cook and housemaid is familiar with the fact that all vessels which serve as receptacles for putrescible liquids require the most careful cleansing, and need to be scrubbed and scoured, washed with hot water and soap and soda, and wiped dry. If this is not done they become foul, and rapidly cause the decomposition of any liquid containing organic matter which may be subsequently added. ”

“ Materials for Washing.—The meal of many kinds of seed may be used for washing, as well as various kinds of bran. That of almonds, which, on account of its oil, is remarkably soft, is employed at present for washing the hands, by those who are desirous of having a white delicate skin. Cloth, the colors of which easily fade, and which will neither endure soap nor hard rubbing, may be washed extremely well with bran. Our fullers, therefore, and stocking-manufacturers, use oats, barley, and bran meal, especially when they wish the cloth to be slowly milled. ”

“ This very useful article is produced by a combination of tallow or oil with soda or potash; with soda, hard soap is formed; with potash, soft soap. The yellow soap of commerce has also an addition of resin or turpentine, and often palm oil, these give it its yellow color and peculiar smell; pure white soap is made by boiling a solution of soda with tallow or olive oil; ordinary soaps are generally made by mixing a solution of the soda of commerce, (carbonate of soda) with quick lime, this takes away the carbonic acid and makes the soda what is called “caustic;” ”

“ Borax, ammonia and yellow soap are old standbys for this purpose. Where there is not running water, one must add to these a pail of water for rinsing. Many people think that the water for this purpose must be hot, but I have [148] found that hot water tends to roughen and crack the glaze of toilet china, and to incline the articles used for waste water to give off an odour. When water is left in the pitchers it is well to use it for rinsing as this lessens the amount of water to be carried, and insures that the water in the pitchers is fresh each day. ”

“ Cleansing agents.—Water is the great cleanser, and if it is not available in abundance and used freely, the washing is a failure. All other agents are merely aids to the water or substitutes for it. In primitive outdoor methods, still largely used in some countries, the flowing water is the only agent, and yet the result is fairly good. We aid the process by the use of soap or washing powders or ammonia. ”

“ Rub greasy dishes with soft paper, and put water and ammonia or washing powder into utensils that need soaking. Have clean towels at hand. Make ready a pan of hot soap suds, by using a soap shaker, or soap solution, but do not put the cake of soap in the pan. Have rinsing water ready.
Wash the cleanest dishes first, usually the glasses, next the cups and saucers, and the silver next. Have the soiled dishes near the pan, and put in only one or two articles at a time, washing with mop or dish cloth. To pile in a number means the nicking of china, and scratching of silver. ”

“ When melted with flint or sand, it forms glass, and answers much better for this purpose than potash. In conjunction with oil and lime, it is employed in the manufacture of soap; and it is used as a substitute for soap in the cleaning and bleaching of linen, flannels, and worsted goods. If a weak solution of soda be poured into foul bottles, or casks in which wine has long been kept, it will cleanse them. It may also be successfully used for the cleansing of vessels in which milk has become acid. ”