Important: Safety Warning
This page directs the use of hazardous substances — such as benzine, gasoline, lye, or strong acids — for household tasks. These materials are highly flammable, corrosive, or poisonous, and the practices described have caused fires, burns, and poisonings.
In addition, this page states that powdered alum sprinkled into a hogshead of water purifies it as well as spring water. Alum settles suspended matter but kills nothing; water treated this way can look clear while still carrying the organisms that cause cholera, typhoid and dysentery.
This information has been left in for historical purposes but should not be acted upon.
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To Diffuse Fragrant Odor
A few drops of oil of sandal wood dropped on a hot shovel, will diffuse a most agreeable balsamic perfume through the room.
1710. Simple Mode of Purifying Water. A table spoonful of pulverized alum sprinkled into a hrgshead of water (the water stirred at the same time) will, after a few hours, by precipitating to the bottom the impure particles, so purify it that it will be found to possess nearly all the freshness and Possess clearness of the finest spring-water. A pailful, containing 4 gallons, may be purified by a single tea spoonful of the alum.
1711. To Test the Impurity of the Atmosphere. A simple method of ascertaining the presence of impurity (carbonic the white. 1716. Το Bleach Wool. The first kind of bleaching to which wool is subjected, is to free it from grease. scouring. In manufactories, it is generally This operation is called performed by an ammoniacal lye, formed of 5 measures of river water and 1 of stale urine; the wool is immersed for about 20 minutes in a bath of this mixture heated to about 150° Fahr; it is then taken out, suffered to drain, and rinsed in running water. This manipulation softens the wool, and gives it the first degree of whiteness. It is then repeated a the wool is fit to be employed. In some second, and even a third time; after which. places, scouring is performed with water slightly impregnated with soap; and indeed, acid) in the atmosphere, is to nearly fill a glass for valuable articles, this process is preferable; tumbler with lime-water, and to place it in but it is too expensive for articles of less any convenient position, as on the mantelvalue. Bisulphide of carbon and benzine piece of a room. The rapidity with which a have been employed in cleansing wool. The pellicle forms on its surface, or the water befat may be saved by distilling off the solvent, comes cloudy, corresponds to the amount of which may be used over and over again. he carbonic acid present in the atmosphere (See No. 439.) Sulphurous acid gas unites that surrounds it. A little moist carbonate of very easily with water; and in this combinalead put on a plate or saucer, and exposed in tion it may be employed for bleaching wool the same way, will turn black, should any and silk. sulphuretted hydrogen be contained in the air.
This is a delicate test for that destructive gas. | which silk, cotton, woolen, and straw goods,