On supporting science journalism
If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.
A patent has been secured by. Jas. Goodwin and Andrew Boyd, of Milton, Scotland, for a singular mode of cleansing printed goods from dirt and extraneous colored matters that may have been diffused over their surfaces during the process of printing. The invention consists in taking the cinders of mineral coal or coke, but the former are preferred, and sifting them to separate the ashes and dirt. The sifted cinders are then placed in a suitable copper vessel or boiler, with boiling water, and the printed calicos after being first washed in cold water to remove all the dirt possible, are introduced into this boiler and boiled for an hour, when they are taken out, washed in cold water, dried, and are then fit for calendering. This process of cleansing newly printed calicos in printworks is stated to be an improvement which deepens the colors of the dyed parts of the goods, clears the light or white parts, and is a superior and cheap substitute for soap and other chemicals now employed for the same purpose. It has generally been supposed that the ashes, and especially the cinders of mineral coals, have no detergent qualities, but this novel application of [them goes to establish a contrary opinion.
