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UNIT X, CARE OF CLOTHES & STAIN REMOVAL, Q1. Why do clothes tear quicker when given to a dhobi?, Ans. Clothes tear quicker when given to a dhobi because of the fact that the, usual practice of beating clothes weakens and shortens the life of fabric., Q2. Why is white cotton clothes starched and blued?, Ans. White cotton clothes are starched and blued to restore original finish and, to remove yellowish tint., Q3. What advantages has cotton over silk for everyday wear?, Ans. Because cotton clothes are soft and easily washable while silk clothes are, not so soft and not easily washable., Q4. What is the favorable temperature for washing wool?, Ans. The favorable temperature for washing wool is 95-100˚F (Luke warm)., Q5. Why should woollens be dried on a flat surface?, Ans. They should be dried on a flat surface not to lose its original shape., Q6. Why should very dirty cotton fabrics be soaked?, Ans. Very dirty cotton fabrics should be soaked for 15-30 minutes before, washing to loosen the dirt., Q7. What type of water is most suitable for washing woollen cloth?, Ans. Lukewarm water, Q8. Of what use are the following in laundry work – a) javelle water b) soap c), gum Arabic d) soap jelly?, Ans. A) Javelle water: - Javelle water is used as remover of stain from white, cotton and linen articles., B) Soap: - Soap is used to break down the surface tension of the fabric., C) Gum Arabic:- Gum Arabic is used in place of starch for silk and rayon fabrics.

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D) Soap jelly: - It is used in the same way as soap solution that facilitating the, washing process., Q9. What kind of a tree is Rita-nut and for what purpose it is used?, Ans. Rita-nut is a fruit bearing big tree which grows abundantly in central,, southern India and Ceylon. Rita-nut solution is an ideal solution for washing, delicate fabrics like coloured silk and fine cottons where the colour may bleed., Q10. Prepare hot water starch., Ans. Preparation of hot water starch., Recipe- 1 tablespoon of starch, 2 tablespoon of cold water, 2 cups of boiling water, Half tea spoon borax, One forth tea spoon wax, The starch is to be mix to a smooth paste with two tablespoon of, cold water in a basin. Then half tea spoon borax and one forth tea spoon wax is, to be added. Two cups of boiling water is to be poured quickly, stirring all the, time till the colour changes. It shows that the starch grains have burst and a, colloidal solution has been found., Q11. What is the use of a suction washer?, Ans. It is used for washing fabrics which need careful handling. Woollen, blankets, saris, suits and delicate fabrics like laces, silks and organdies etc. can, be washed by suction washer., Q12. Write short notes on - Blue, soap, stain, stiffening agents, dry-cleaning,, sink and tub., Ans. Blue:-It is used in the last rinse for bleached cotton and linen. It is used to, give a good colour to a washed cloth. Bleached fabrics after wear and washing, lose whiteness and get a yellowish tint. To counteract this yellowness, its, complementary colour blue is used and whiteness is restored. Originally, it was, obtained from indigo plant. Nowadays, it is manufactured artificially.

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Soap: - The main ingredients of soap are fats and alkalies. Its purpose in laundry, is to make lather which helps to break down the surface tension of the fabric., Soap solution wets the fabrics more readily than plain water. When soap comes, in contact with water, alkali is liberated by the action of water on soap and, helps the emulsification of greasy dirt, thus facilitating the washing process., Stain: - It is spot or mark of discoloration left on fabrics by the contact and, absorption of some foreign substance, while there are others which need, special treatment. This entirely depends on the nature of the stains., Stiffening agents: - These are one of the important accessories of laundry. A, certain amount of stiffness is required for the washed clothes, specially cotton, and silk fabrics to obtain a smooth glossy surface which is resistant to dirt and, dust. Only such starch solution should be used which can penetrate the fabric, and not coat on its surface., Dry cleaning: - Cleaning with water and soap is not always possible or advisable, for all kinds of fabrics. Some rich and expensive silks, rayon and woollens lose, their lustre, sheen and rich texture when washed with water. Such fabrics are, cleansed by a method called dry cleaning., Dry cleaning is really not dry, but it is cleaning with grease, solvents other than the soap solution. Dry cleaning may be done by grease, absorbents also. Therefore in dry cleaning, soap and water are replaced by what, are called “Dry Cleaning Reagents”., Sink: - It is very advisable to have a sink, as it reduces amount of work and, labour involved in washing clothes. It should be so constructed in size and at a, placed and height from the floor to facilitate its use for washing clothes without, causing much strain on the worker. Draining boards should be attached on to, either side of the sink., Tub: - It is a vessel used for soaking clothes with water and soap solution. It is a, must for washing clothes at any level. It is one of the essential accessories for, washing clothes. It is also useful for rinsing the clothes towards the end of the, washing procedure., Q13. State the different types of reagent used in laundering., Ans. Soap: - The main ingredients of soap are fats and alkalies. Its purpose in, laundry is to make lather which helps to break down the surface tension of the

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fabric. Soap solution wets the fabrics more readily than plain water. When soap, comes in contact with water, alkali is liberated by the action of water on soap, and helps the emulsification of greasy dirt, thus facilitating the washing process., Soap solution:-It is generally made by mixing about 4 oz. of shredded soap in 1, pint of water., Soap Jelly:-It is made by mixing 1 part of soap (bar or sunlight) and 5 parts of, water. The soap jelly is used in making a permanent lather to wash for all types, of cleansing other than fabric washing., Washing Powders: - Many washing powders are advertised for laundry work,, but their suitability depends on their composition. They usually consist of some, soap and alkali, such as sodium carbonate or washing soda or sodium, perborate. Washing powders help in cleansing grease readily because of the, alkali, but the drawback is that excessive alkali may damage the fabric., Sulphonated Fatty Alcohols (S.F.A. Powders):-They give a fine lather in cold, water and even in hard water without the formation of a scum. These are nonalkali and therefore are particularly suitable for woollen and coloured fabrics, which are sensitive to alkali or heat., Petro-Chemicals: - There are a number of synthetic substances that are now, used as cleansing agents; chief amongst them is “tinopal”. This is used on white, clothes. They are suitable for which cotton, nylon, linen, etc., Soap-Flakes: - They are made from good quality soap. This is produced as an, extremely fine film and then broken up into flakes which can dissolve in warm, water. The flakes form a very good lather in which there is no necessity of, rubbing soap on the fabric., Rita-nut: - It is used for delicate fabrics like coloured silk so that the fabric gets, back their freshness., Shikakai: - It is excellent for removing grease and washing coloured cottons and, silks. The lustre of silks is retained and the fabric gets back their freshness., Bran-solution:-Bran is the outer skin of wheat grain. It contains a certain, amount of starch gluten and mineral salts. It preserves the colour as it contains, mineral salts. So, bran solution is used for cleansing articles of uncertain dyes., Q14. Give in details the equipment required for a laundry room.

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Ans. The equipment required for a laundry room are as follows:, (a) Tubs and bucket: - These are most essential articles for various purposes like, steeping, washing, rinsing, blueing, and starching, dyeing and storing water. The, suitable material for tubs and buckets are galvanized iron as it does not readily, rust and is easy to clean., (b)Sink: - It reduces the amount of work and labour involved in washing clothes., It should be so constructed in size and at a place and height from the floor to, facilitate its use for washing clothes without causing much strain on the worker., Draining boards should be attached on to either side of the sink., (c) Boiler: - The best material for a boiler is galvanized iron because this doesn’t, rust easily. Even a bucket of convenient size can serve the purpose. Clothes such, as table and bed linen need boiling in order to disinfect and to preserve their, whiteness., (d) Enamel bowls and Basins: - They are utilized for several purposes in laundry., These are also used for preparing starch blue and dyes. Small bowls are used for, stain removal., (e) Spoons and containers: - Wooden spoons are used for preparing starch and, stirring blues and dyes. Metal spoons are used to handle laundry material., Containers such as bottles and jars are needed for storing laundry materials., Metal containers are not advisable because these are liable to react with most, of the reagents and so cause trouble., (f) Scrubbing brushes: - For washing very soiled articles such as jharans etc.,, hard bristle brushes are used., (g) Scrubbing board: - The use of a scrubbing board is an improvement over the, beating method commonly used in homes and by dhobis but beating weakens, and shortens the lives of the fabrics. The scrubbing boards are usually made of, wood., (h) Suction washer: - This consists of two parts. The top part is the wooden, handle and the bottom part is the washer that is made of copper. A suction, washer is used for all types of fabrics. Articles to be washed are immersed in, soap solution in a tub or a basin and the suction washer is worked up and down, on clothes in the soap solution for 15-20 minutes until the dirt is removed.

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(i) Drying line: - The best way to dry the clothes is outdoors in clean air and, plenty of sunshine. In places where the rains are heavy for three or four months, where enough outdoor space is not available, some arrangement of indoor, drying will be essential. A jute, cotton or plastic rope or galvanized wire is used, for this purpose., (j) Drying racks: - They are used when outdoor drying is not possible. Such racks, are made of wood and are easy to carry inside or outside the house., (k) Dry cleaning pump: - Dry cleaning is cleaning with grease solvents other than, soap. When dry cleaning is attempted at home, open tubs or basins are used., Dry cleaning at home is a waste then economy. The grease solvents such as, petrol and benzene which are used for dry cleaning are volatile and most of, these are lost in evaporation when used for dry cleaning in an open basin or a, tub. The dry cleaning pumps will save petrol as well as give efficient work., (l) Finishing apparatus: - Irons, ironing boards, ironing tables, sleeve boards and, coverings for these., (m) Irons: - Electric iron is more convenient to use because of their quicker and, cleaner heating property, smooth and bright surface., (n) Ironing boards: - They are all padded with flannel and when in used are, covered with a white linen cover stretched taut and smooth. They are made of, wood. They are collapsible and easy to be moved., Q15. Write about the preparation, method and use of cold water starch., Ans. Preparation of cold water starch:Recipe-1 tablespoon of boiling water, 1 tablespoon of starch, Half teaspoon of borax, One forth teaspoon of wax, The starch is to be placed in a basin when the borax, and paraffin are dissolved in boiling water. Then the dissolved solution is put, into the basin and the mixture is to be stirred in cold water. It is to be strained, through muslin. The preparation is to be covered and be left for half an hour

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before use. This process softens the starch, grains and it is to be stirred before, use., Use: - The article to be cold- water starched must be dried completely. After, dipping the article into the starch it must be squeezed well. Then iron the cloth, immediately. Quick movement of the hot iron is essential. This starch gives a, very stiff effect and hence is used for muslin articles, collars cuffs, shirt fronts,, frill etc. The strength of the starch used depends upon two factors:, i) The thickness of the fabric, ii) The stiffness required in the article., Thin texture fabrics need heavy starching whereas the thick fabrics need light, starch. Full strength starchy is therefore diluted with cold water to the require, strength., Q16. State the general rules to be followed in stain removal., Ans. General rules to be followed in stain removal area) Stain should be removed when still fresh as it is easy to remove with simple, methods., b) Nature and texture of fabric need due consideration. Chemical reagents and, bleaches have injurious effect on wool, silk and synthetic fabrics. For woollen, fabrics chemical reagents should be used in dilute form. For bleaching, hydrogen, peroxide in dilute form may be used for silk and wool, for rayon’s sodium, perborate. After treatment for several times, the fabrics must be rinsed in cold, water., c) Known stains should be treated with specific reagents., d) Unknown stains should be treated with simple methods first, i.e., steeping in, cold or hot water or washing with soap, then with mild reagents followed by, strong reagents. Bleaching should be done when other methods fail to remove, the stain., e) All the acid reagents should be neutralized with alkaline rinse and vice versa,, before rinsing out with water.

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f) While removing stain by sponging method, the stain should be sponged in a, circular movement starting from the outer edge of the stain to its centre to, prevent the stain from spreading., g) The fabric should be allowed to stay in the reagent until the stain is removed, and the fabric should be taken out at once. If the reagent is allowed to dry into, the fabric, it may damage., Q17. Define Stain. Write the different types of stains., Ans. Stain is a spot or mark of discoloration left on fabrics by the contact and, absorption of some foreign substance. Some stains are easily removed by, ordinary methods or reagents while some others need special treatment., Stains can be divided into (a) animal (b) vegetables (c) grease (d) dye and (e), mineral according to the substances that cause them., Animal stains are those caused by blood, egg, and milk and meat juice. As, contain protein matter, heat must be avoided in removing them so that they, may not be fixed in the stain., Vegetable stain: These stains are caused by tea, coffee, fruit, wine etc. They are, acidic in nature and hence removed by the used of alkaline reagents., Dye stain: These may be acidic or alkaline in nature and require specific, reagents for their removal., Grease stain: These may be from vegetable or animal fat. Sometimes grease it, with Colouring matter gets fixed on the fabrics. Oil, paint, varnish, ghee, butter, oil, etc. are grease stains. Grease solvents and absorbants are used to absorb, and dissolve the grease., Mineral stains: Iron mould, black ink, certain medicines are some examples of, mineral stains. These are first treated by acid reagents to act on the metal and, then by an alkaline solution to neutralize the acid reagent and also to remove, the dye present along with the metal in the stain., Q18. Write the method of washing woollen jumper and removing the lipstick, stain from white cotton handkerchief., Ans. The surface dust of the woollen jumper should be shaken out and its, outline should be marked on a newspaper before commencing the wash. The

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washing water should be lukewarm (95˚- 100˚F). Soiled parts can be attended to, by patting extra soap solution over them until the dirt is removed. Clean rinsing, should be done with the water having equal temperature with the washing, water. It should be rinsed clearly and it can be squeezed by putting the jumper, between the palms. Then it may be dried on a flat surface in a shady area. Then, it will be ironed when it is slightly damp, but a hot iron should not be used., Removal of lipstick stain from a white cotton handkerchief – The white cotton, handkerchief is steep in methylated spirit and wash with solvent soap. Moist in, and soften by working glycerine into the stain and leave for a short while. Rinse, and then wash with surf or soap., Q19. Give the correct method for washing a silk garment., Ans. Silk is an animal fibre of delicate and fine texture. It needs special care in, laundering in the process involved in the washing of silk garments are:i) Preparation and stain removing: Tears and opening in the seams, if any,, should be repaired before washing. Fresh stains should be removed by using, cold or warm water. Old stains should be removed by using weak reagents., ii) Steeping: Generally silk cloth does not require steeping, very soiled white or, pale coloured cloth may be steeped in warm water for a few minutes. A small, amount of borax added to the water makes it more effective., iii) Cleansing and washing: Using soap solution or soap flakes warm soapy water, is made. Rita nut solution is best for washing coloured silks. While kneading and, squeezing gently soiled parts may be treated with extra soap solution, borax or, ammonia. Rubbing, wringing or twisting of the fabric should be avoided., iv) Rinsing: Warm water for the first rinse and cold water for the final rinse, should be used. It helps to stiffen the fibre. Adding a little lime juice to the final, rinse helps to renew the sheen of the fabric., v) Stiffening: The natural gum in the silk fibre gives light stiffness to the fabric. If, extra stiffness is necessary, gum water should be added to the last rinse., vi) Drying: Drying the silk in a shady place and not in the sun. After removing the, moisture these are rolled in a dry cloth for half an hour before ironing., vii) Dampening, ironing and finishing: Excessive heat spoils silk and cold one will, crease the surface. The correct temperature is testing the heat of the iron on a

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piece of paper. If no mark is left on the paper until counted three, it is the, correct temperature. White silk should be ironed on the right side for gloss., Dark colours should be ironed on wrong side to avoid glaze. Tussor and eri silk, should be ironed on the right and wrong side according to their colour and, surface finish. All silk should be ironed till they are dry. Otherwise creases will, appear on the dampened portions., Q20. Name the different types of soap. What qualities should a good soap, possess?, Ans. The different types of soap are – (i) soap, (ii) soap solution, (iii) soap jelly, and (iv) soap flakes., Soap can be judged in the following ways:, i) The soap should be of a clear pale colour. Dark colour soap may contain, impurities., ii) The soap should feel firm when pressed with the fingers. If it feels soft, it, contains too much water and will be wasteful in use. Hard soap usually does not, dissolve easily and hence does not give good lather. This means more labour, and more time to launder a dirty cloth., iii) Note the appearance of the bar or soap cake. Any soap that develops a white, powder on the surface should not be used. This shows the presence of too much, of alkali, which may be harmful to the fabric.