Part 121

«Two-Solution Ink Remover.»—

I.—(a) Citric acid 1 part Concentrated solution of borax 2 parts Distilled water 16 parts

Dissolve the acid in the water, add the borax solution, and mix by agitation.

(b) Chloride of lime 3 parts Water 16 parts Concentrated borax solution 2 part

Add the chloride of lime to the water, shake well and set aside for a week, then decant the clear liquid and to it add the borax solution.

For use, saturate the spot with solution (a), apply a blotter to take off the excess of liquid, then apply solution (b). When the stain has disappeared, apply the blotter and wet the spot with clean water; finally dry between two sheets of blotting paper.

II.—(a) Mix, in equal parts, potassium chloride, potassium hypochlorite, and oil of peppermint. (b) Sodium chloride, hydrochloric acid and water, in equal parts.

Wet the spot with (a), let dry, then brush it over lightly with (b), and rinse in clear water.

A good single mixture which will answer for most inks is made by mixing citric acid and alum in equal parts. If desired to vend in a liquid form add an equal part of water. In use, the powder is spread well over the spot and (if on cloth or woven fabrics) well rubbed in with the fingers. A few drops of water are then added, and also rubbed in. A final rinsing with water completes the process.

«Ink Erasers.»—I.—Inks made with nutgalls and copperas can be removed by using a moderately concentrated solution of oxalic acid, followed by use of pure water and frequent drying with clean blotting paper. Most other black inks are erased by use of a weak solution of chlorinated lime, followed by dilute acetic acid and water, with frequent drying with blotters. Malachite green ink is bleached by ammonia water; silver inks by potassium cyanide or sodium hyposulphite. Some aniline colors are easily removed by alcohol, and nearly all by chlorinated lime, followed by diluted acetic acid or vinegar. In all cases apply the substances with camel’s-hair brushes or feathers, and allow them to remain no longer than necessary, after which rinse well with water and dry with blotting paper.

II.—Citric acid 1 part Water, distilled 10 parts Concentrated solution of borax 2 parts

Dissolve the citric acid in the water and add the borax. Apply to the paper with a delicate camel’s-hair pencil, removing any excess of water with a blotter. A mixture of oxalic, citric, and tartaric acids, in equal parts, dissolved in just enough water to give a clean solution, acts energetically on most inks.

«Erasing Powder or Pounce.»—Alum, 1 part; amber, 1 part; sulphur, 1 part; saltpeter, 1 part. Mix well together and keep in a glass bottle. If a little of this powder is placed on an ink spot or fresh writing, rubbing very lightly with a clean linen rag, the spot or the writing will disappear at once.

«Removing Ink Stains.»—I.—The material requiring treatment should first be soaked in clean, warm water, the superfluous moisture removed, and the fabric spread over a clean cloth. Now allow a few minims of liquor ammoniæ fortis, specific gravity 0.891, to drop on the ink spot, then saturate a tiny tuft of absorbent cotton-wool with acidum phosphoricum dilutum, B. P., and apply repeatedly and with firm pressure over the stain; repeat the procedure two or three times, and finally rinse well in warm water, afterwards drying in the sun, when every trace of ink will have vanished. This method is equally reliable for old and fresh ink stains, is rapid in action, and will not injure the most delicate fabric.

II.—To remove ink spots the fabric is soaked in warm water, then it is squeezed out and spread upon a clean piece of linen. Now apply a few drops of liquid ammonia of a specific gravity of 0.891 to the spot, and dab it next with a wad of cotton which has been saturated with dilute phosphoric acid. After repeating the process several times and drying the piece in the sun, the ink spot will have disappeared without leaving the slightest trace. {190}

III.—Ink spots may be removed by the following mixture:

Oxalic acid 10 parts Stannic chloride 2 parts Acetic acid 5 parts Water to make 500 parts

Mix.

IV.—The customary method of cleansing ink spots is to use oxalic acid. Thick blotting paper is soaked in a concentrated solution and dried. It is then laid immediately on the blot, and in many instances will take the latter out without leaving a trace behind. In more stubborn cases the cloth is dipped in boiling water and rubbed with crystals of oxalic acid, after which it is soaked in a weak solution of chloride of lime—say 1 ounce to a quart of water. Under such circumstances the linen should be thoroughly rinsed in several waters afterwards. Oxalic acid is undesirable for certain fabrics because it removes the color.

V.—Here is a more harmless method: Equal parts of cream of tartar and citric acid, powdered fine, and mixed together. This forms the “salts of lemon” sold by druggists. Procure a hot dinner plate, lay the part stained in the plate, and moisten with hot water; next rub in the above powder with the bowl of a spoon until the stains disappear; then rinse in clean water and dry.

«To Remove Red (Aniline) Ink.»—Stains of red anilines, except eosine, are at once removed by moistening with alcohol of 94 per cent, acidulated with acetic acid. Eosine does not disappear so easily. The amount of acetic acid to be used is ascertained by adding it, drop by drop, to the alcohol, testing the mixture from time to time, until when dropped on the stain, the latter at once disappears.

«CLEANING OF WALLS, CEILINGS, AND WALL PAPER:»

See also Household Formulas.

«To Renovate Brick Walls.»—Dissolve glue in water in the proportion of 1 ounce of glue to every gallon of water; add, while hot, a piece of alum the size of a hen’s egg, 1⁠/⁠2 pound Venetian red, and 1 pound Spanish brown. Add more water if too dark; more red and brown if too light.

«Cleaning Painted Doors, Walls, etc.»—The following recipe is designed for painted objects that are much soiled. Simmer gently on the fire, stirring constantly, 30 parts, by weight, of pulverized borax, and 450 parts of brown soap of good quality, cut in small pieces, in 3,000 parts of water. The liquid is applied by means of flannel and rinsed off at once with pure water.

«To Remove Aniline Stains from Ceilings, etc.»—In renewing ceilings, the old aniline color stains are often very annoying, as they penetrate the new coating. Painting over with shellac or oil paint will bring relief, but other drawbacks appear. A very practical remedy is to place a tin vessel on the floor of the room, and to burn a quantity of sulphur in it after the doors and windows of the room have been closed. The sulphur vapors destroy the aniline stains, which disappear entirely.

«Old Ceilings.»—In dealing with old ceilings the distemper must be washed off down to the plaster face, all cracks raked out and stopped with putty (plaster of Paris and distemper mixed), and the whole rubbed smooth with pumice stone and water; stained parts should be painted with oil color, and the whole distempered. If old ceilings are in bad condition it is desirable that they should be lined with paper, which should have a coat of weak size before being distempered.

«Oil Stains on Wall Paper.»—Make a medium thick paste of pipe clay and water, applying it carefully flat upon the oil stain, but avoiding all friction. The paste is allowed to remain 10 to 12 hours, after which time it is very carefully removed with a soft rag. In many cases a repeated action will be necessary until the purpose desired is fully reached. Finally, however, this will be obtained without blurring or destroying the design of the wall paper, unless it be of the cheapest variety. In the case of a light, delicate paper, the paste should be composed of magnesia and benzine.