The dhobi technique

A dhobi - a more primitive but cheaper alternative to drycleaners - was set up by enterprising Egyptians on the edge of Maadi Camp, and soon attained landmark status with the New Zealanders, particularly after their uniforms arrived back beautifully pressed. It was probably just as well that initially the men did not know that the Egyptians achieved this by dampening the garments for pressing by squirting a mouthful of water over them.

- Alex Hedley, Fearnleaf Cairo, Auckland, 2009, p.31