How to starch things at home. How to starch fabric at home - tulle, linen, gauze and other things

A few decades ago, every woman knew how to starch fabric at home. All worthy housewives considered it a special chic to starch blouses and shirts, not to mention table sets and bedding sets - this process was generally a good tradition. And if today there is a need to give things neatness and elegance, it’s worth remembering.

1 Why use this wonderful tradition

Tablecloths, napkins, bed linen, collars, lace and many other things can be refined using the most common starch. Starched items retain their elegance, freshness and elasticity much longer. However, nowadays, due to the radically changed style and pace of life, not even all housewives remember how to starch things at home.

The starched material holds its shape remarkably well. Rustling underwear and elegant collars not only look impressive, but are also very practical. It turns out that starched items wrinkle and get dirty much less often, and after use they are easier to wash, because when ironed, a breathable film is formed on top of the fabric, which does not allow dirt to penetrate into the fibers. This film dissolves when soaked in warm or hot water, and dirt can be easily removed from it under the influence of detergents.

Starching lace napkins

It is not difficult to figure out what root the word “starch” comes from. It means keeping clothes and linen in a starch solution during the completion of washing. As a result of such processing and then drying, a microscopic starch layer is formed on the fabric, penetrating even into its depth and enveloping the fibers of the fabric.

The presence of this substance allows the fabric to become denser and harder, so things hold their shape perfectly, hardly wrinkle and do not get dirty longer. Dirt cannot get inside the material and only remains on the surface.

2 Basic principles

How to starch fabric at home? It's not difficult at all. Starch can be purchased at every grocery store and supermarket. There is always a large selection of this product on the shelves: from potatoes, rice, wheat, corn. In order to starch clothes, it is not so important which option to use, which means you can choose any type.

Potato starch

Most often, housewives choose the potato option. It thickens better than all the others.

Starch treatment is the final stage of washing. You can starch slightly damp or even dry laundry, but you just have to make sure that the entire fabric is saturated with the starch solution.

However, the protective film noticeably weakens other qualities of the fabric, preventing it from passing air through it. That is why experienced experts do not recommend completely immersing items for daily wear in starch.

Starched shirt collar

It is undesirable to process:

• summer clothes (it is advisable to starch only the details);
• underwear (rigidity can cause discomfort when worn);
• products of dark colors (color changes are possible);
• fabrics of synthetic origin (starch simply does not stick to them).

Only clean items are allowed to be starched. If there are stains on clothing, they should be destroyed first.

3 How does this process happen?

The processing technique is chosen based on the characteristics of the fabric. The meaning of the procedure is to soak fabric or clothing in a mixture of ground plant product and water. The most commonly used grains are processed potatoes, corn, rice or wheat. The first most commonly used product is potato starch. It is quite cheap, easy to use and makes things whiter.

Shirt cuffs after starching

At home, things are usually starched using three methods. How to starch things correctly and which method is best? Various factors must be taken into account, for example, the typology of the fabric and the purpose of the product:

• soft processing methods are used for dresses, blouses and thin bed linen: made of muslin, cambric, calico, chiffon, as well as tulle made of natural cotton fiber and the like;

• the semi-rigid method is used when it is necessary to starch men’s shirts, tulle, tablecloths, napkins (a more concentrated composition is used);

• the hard method is intended for cuffs and collars of shirts, tutus that need rigidity, knitted lace boots, and exclusive hats.

How to starch laundry? For soft and semi-hard starch, the method for making the mixture is similar, only the amount of starch taken for brewing changes.

Correct dosage

When preparing a product for soft starching, you need to stir 1 teaspoon of the product in 1 liter of water. For a larger product, a proportionally calculated share of the mixture is taken.

First, the starch is diluted in plain tap water. The resulting liquid is poured into boiling water in a thin stream, stirring at the same time. The substance should become a thick mass over low heat. Stir continuously to avoid lumps.

Composition for starching

If the product turns out not transparent, but slightly cloudy, it must be boiled for some more time, adding a little water.

You can get rid of lumps in it by filtering the resulting mass through a sieve.

Then the product is mixed and allowed to cool slightly (it should remain slightly warm). The time has come to immerse the product in the solution. The item is kept in it for 10 minutes (and in some cases up to half an hour). Now you can pull it out, squeeze it out slightly without twisting it, then smooth it out and dry it.

Soaking things in solution

If a harsh method of starching fabric is chosen, then it is advisable to dilute the solution with borax. Just 1 teaspoon of borax is diluted in a separate container in a small amount of high-temperature water and poured into the prepared starch, mixed thoroughly and allowed to brew for 2 hours.

4 Possible options and professional remedies

It is possible to starch fabrics not only with the help of starch. Experienced women successfully use gelatin, sugar and PVA glue. To do this, follow these recommendations:

1. Sugar. The syrup brewed from it gives the products rigidity and the required shell. Starch dissolved in cooled water is added to the boiling composition. This mixture is stirred regularly to avoid the formation of lumps. As soon as the composition has cooled slightly, the item is immersed there, kept there for some time, taken out, squeezed out and created the required shape. It is not recommended to moisten the item, which is why after each wash everything has to be repeated again.
2. PVA glue is best for starching knitted items. In this case, prepare a mixture of glue and water in the proportion: 1 part glue to 1 or 2 parts water (taking into account the consistency of PVA). The product can be immersed in the solution, or it can be coated with it and create the desired shape. After this, you need to let it dry completely.
3. Gelatin. Unlike starch, gelatin does not crumble and holds its shape perfectly. This method is also “one-step”. To implement it, you need to pour 1 spoon of gelatin with tap water. After swelling, add water to 200-250 g and heat. As soon as the gelatin has completely dissolved, the composition will be ready for use.

Wipes soaked in solution

Artificial fiber fabrics are poorly susceptible to such processing.

Many handmade products cannot be imagined without starch. This is what they are based on, for example, artificial flowers. To answer the question of how to starch handmade items, you just need to remember to vary the base content in the solution for processing different types of fabric.

It is advisable to adhere to the principle: for thinner fabrics, a harsher starch solution should be used.

Napkin after starching

In some cases, store-bought ready-made products are used. The convenience of their use lies in simply spraying the product before ironing. This method is great, for example, for stiffening a veil.

Liquid starch, sold in ready-made packages, is easily diluted in water; it does not even need to be brought to a boil.

Powders and liquids for washing with a starching effect are quite popular; they are used immediately in machine washing.

For those who do not particularly want to starch, there is a simplified option - special ready-made products.

They have their advantages:

• convenience and ease of use;
• applied to individual clothing items, which makes the work much easier;
• For large items, a special powder containing starch is used. It is simply poured into the washing machine during washing.

Before using an industrial starch product, you must read the instructions for use.

5 How things made from different fabrics starch

Cotton and linen products are usually starched. For each type of fabric you need to find your own individual approach. There are separate tips for processing each type of matter.

Starched tulle skirt

Silk. To make sliding silk tough, it can be starched using silicate glue or gelatin. As a result of this treatment, the silk product acquires elasticity and a special gloss:

1. Silk clothes must be washed and stains, if any, must be removed.
2. Now you can prepare the solution taking into account the proportions: 1 teaspoon of glue per 5 liters of water.
3. At the next stage, you need to place the blouse in the resulting mixture, after which you can leave it for impregnation.
4. Next, a light spin is used.
5. It is better to dry the item on a hanger, with the folds straightened.
6. And finally, ironing must be done through special gauze.

Silk napkins after soaking in starch

Fatin. This fabric is widely used for wedding and dance dresses, ballet tutus, and decorative items.

Basic principles:

1. Place the product in the solution and at the same time stir thoroughly so that there are no areas left that have not been touched by the composition.
2. After taking the product out of the composition, you need to smooth out the unevenness on it and let it dry.
3. The fabric must be ironed damp, straightening out any irregularities.

Starched gauze

Gauze. It is most often used to make the basis for dance outfits. So that she can hold the skirt in a full suit, the gauze is starched quite harshly. For this:

1. Dip a gauze piece into the solution.
2. The soaked item is removed and wrung out.
3. Iron such items damp, avoiding the formation of wrinkles.

How to starch gauze? The easiest way is to use special solutions. They are produced on the basis of natural starch and are supplied to the store in finished form. This is the most common pressurized can. You can spray the fabric with this mixture and then iron it.

Tulle. How to starch tulle? Tulle starches quite softly. To do this, use a paste made from 2 tbsp. l. starch according to the most common recipe. The curtains are lowered into it for about half an hour. Then squeeze, lightly dry and iron while still wet.

Lace. How to starch lace? Knitted napkins never go out of style. Skilled craftswomen create real masterpieces. Stylishly laid napkins can be used when setting the table and make the table decoration elegant and graceful. But in order for the product to look decent, it is necessary to starch it.

A starched napkin gives the room a cozy feel, and at the same time, you can cover up any defect in the furniture with handicrafts. Hand-made lace, starched in a semi-rigid way, will look more elegant.

Obviously, starching fabric is not difficult; any housewife can do it if she has such a need.

Starching clothes and bed linen is a very useful procedure and, moreover, not too complicated. All you need is water and starch, as well as a little time and patience. Before starching the fabric, choose high-quality components for the solution, try to take into account our recommendations and you will definitely achieve the desired result.

Why do things need to be starched?

Not everyone understands why things need to be starched. Many consider this a relic of the past, although in fact this method is also used by modern housewives. After all, if you starch a thing, several problems are solved at once:

• Giving the fabric whiteness;
• Extending the service life of clothing;
• Reduced creasing (the item does not require ironing for a long time);
• Giving things the required shape for a long time.

True, such a result can only be achieved if the starching procedure is carried out correctly. The recipe must be followed carefully.

You will read below about how to properly starch things. But first, let's talk about toughness.

Types of starching

Before you starch your laundry, it is important to decide what you are dealing with. For example, light dresses and blouses, as well as handkerchiefs, should remain soft after the procedure. Bed linen and tablecloths, various guipure and lace decorative elements can be made of medium hardness. But the collars of men's shirts should stand up, so they look more presentable. The cuffs can also be stiff.

Which starch to choose

Naturally, the main ingredient for this procedure must be of good quality. Here we will discuss a slightly different question: potato or corn?

In fact, both starch solutions are acceptable. You can even get a rice or oatmeal variety of this product (they are rarely found on sale) or even mix all four. The main thing is that before brewing starch, make sure that its shelf life meets the standards and that there are no impurities.

However, experienced housewives advise preparing a solution from potato starch. It thickens better than others and gives the fabric a beautiful snow-white hue, sometimes with a bluish tint.

Regular potato starch is used to starch fabric.

By the way, in grocery stores you can find ready-made mixtures, which are sprays and powders. From a financial point of view, this option is more expensive, but if you follow the instructions, you won’t have to worry about how to dilute the starch correctly. In addition, there are also special fabric softeners and washing powders on sale that have a similar effect to starch.

Description of the procedure

Starch is added to cold water and mixed. The resulting liquid is heated with regular stirring, but is not brought to a boil. If everything is done correctly, the result is a homogeneous, transparent paste with a light tint; it must be filtered with gauze or a strainer to remove lumps.

Preparation of a solution for hard starching of fabric has its own characteristics, for example, the addition of borax and boiling water.

To impart rigidity to the fabric, borax can be used as a component

So, how to dilute starch so that collars and cuffs become stiff? Read step-by-step instructions for preparing the solution.

1. Pour a liter of cold water into the pan and add 3 tablespoons of potato starch into it, stir;
2. Separately, add a teaspoon of borax to a glass of boiling water, mix and wait until it cools;
3. Combine both resulting solutions. Leave for an hour and then stir. Ready!

And now about how to starch laundry and how much time it will take:

• Dip clean items into a container with starch solution and straighten them out.
• Soak the clothes in the liquid for several minutes (5 to 15). Keep in mind that increasing the time has virtually no effect on the hardness; you just need to make sure that the fabric is completely saturated with the solution.
• Next, squeeze it out, give it the desired shape and wait until it dries completely. Do not twist the material too much, otherwise creases will form that will be impossible to correct until the next procedure.

Video: How to brew starch for laundry

There is another way to starch things at home, but it is only suitable for adding a little stiffness. Simply pour a weak solution into a spray bottle and spray the fabric with it. Subsequent steps will be exactly the same as described above.

Different types of fabric

Before you starch an item, you need to determine what type of fabric you are dealing with. Each material has its own characteristics that are important to consider.

Canvas

Those who love to embroider are probably wondering how to starch canvas. Some needlewomen use a special spray for this purpose, as it is very convenient. But here we will also look at the classic method.

Pour two tablespoons of any starch into a liter of water and mix. Dip the canvas into the solution and let it soak thoroughly, then lay it out on a flat surface, leaving it to dry completely. The next step will be ironing, but before it you need to lightly spray the canvas with clean water from a spray bottle.

It is advisable not to starch the finished embroidery, as the floss threads will stick together and lose their shine. But if you really need it, then it’s best to spray it on the underside with a weak solution from the same spray bottle.

Gauze

You don’t often have to think about how to starch gauze. This is usually done in order to give the carnival costume splendor and a certain shape. And if so, you should resort to hard starching (the preparation of the solution and the method itself have already been described above).

Tulle, muslin, chiffon, guipure and lace

How to starch clothes made from light and translucent fabrics? The answer in this case will be ambiguous. If a chiffon or guipure blouse fits too tightly to the body, then starching it is not recommended at all.

To give shape to decorative elements, for example, a child's lace crown, the rigidity should be maximum. In other cases, the medium or soft method is used. They are exactly the same as hard, only less starch is added to the solution (soft - 1 teaspoon, and medium - 1 tablespoon per liter of water).

To give decorative elements increased rigidity, a high concentration starch solution is used

Cotton

The paste is brewed using a soft method. Towels can be immersed in the solution itself and then hung to dry. But starching bed linen in this way is not very convenient, since it is too bulky. In this case, a spray bottle will come to your aid.

In fact, there are a huge number of types of fabrics, and it will still not be possible to cover them all in this article. Just remember the basic principle: the thicker the material, the richer the solution and the longer the time.

Secrets of experienced housewives

We learned how to properly starch fabric. But how to iron starched items is another task that confuses many housewives. Often the fabric begins to stick to the iron, leaving yellow spots on it.

To prevent this from happening, before starching your clothes, add a couple of drops of turpentine to the solution and mix. Also make sure that the iron is not too hot. And one more thing: with strong rigidity, ironing is not required.

To facilitate the ironing process, add a few drops of turpentine to the starch solution.

• Before ironing bed linen, it is necessary to slightly dampen it with water. This way, sheets and duvet covers will not only become durable and white, but will also be pleasant to use.
• To make starched linen shiny, add a small amount of table salt to the solution.
• If the resulting starch liquid seems too cloudy to you, you can correct the problem by boiling the solution for 5 minutes.
• Drying laundry treated with starch solution at home should be done carefully, avoiding proximity to heating appliances. Low air temperatures also have a negative effect on such fabric, so you should not hang it outside in winter.
• Starched knitted napkins should be dried on a horizontal surface, stretched with pins to give shape.
• You can give things shape and special rigidity with sugar. True, you can’t do without starch here either. You will need 3 tablespoons of sugar and 100 ml of hot water. Mix these ingredients and place on the stove. In a separate container, mix a teaspoon of starch with cold water to the consistency of sour cream and pour into the sugar syrup. Cool before using to avoid burning yourself.

Video: How to starch knitted items

Not all things can be starched. For example, you shouldn’t do this with clothes made of dark fabrics - white stains will almost certainly remain on them. It is also better to avoid such a procedure with underwear, as it will stop allowing air to pass through, and this is bad for the skin. And finally, synthetic fabrics simply cannot be starched; it would be a waste of time.

Advice! If you doubt whether a particular fabric can be starched, first do a small test on a separate piece.

Let's sum it up

If you read this article carefully, you learned information not only about how to starch fabric at home, but also why you need to do it. Many modern housewives mistakenly believe that starching is necessary only to give things a rigid shape. But this procedure really extends the life of clothes and bed linen and gives a beautiful snow-white shade. Don’t be too lazy to treat your favorite items with a starch solution after washing.

Just some fifty years ago, no self-respecting woman would leave the house if her blouse or lace collar were not tightly shaped and, of course, would not let her husband go without starching the cuffs and collar of his shirt.

Our grandmothers knew how to starch fabric and used it. Starching was given great importance, and it was used for almost all textiles.

It was mandatory to starch the collars and cuffs of shirts, blouses and school uniforms, aprons, bed linen and tablecloths with napkins.

About twenty years ago they stopped attaching importance to starching, but today housewives are again returning to this type of caring for things. We’ll talk about how you can starch a fabric or product at home in this material.

A starched item has a clearer shape, looks fresher and is less susceptible to contamination. If you jealously monitor the appearance of your loved ones and your own image, then you should definitely know how to starch things and use this knowledge.

So, a method of caring for things that has been proven over the years is the use of starch.

There are several types of this product on sale: potato starch, corn starch, wheat starch, rice starch.

Depending on the basis of production, they have differences in taste and price, but from the point of view of caring for things, their properties are the same, so you can use the one you have at home, or buy a more affordable one.

Depending on the density of processing, starching can be harder or softer.

• Soft Suitable for thin fabrics. Starch milk is prepared at the rate of 1 teaspoon per 1 liter of water.
• Average you can treat bed linen, tablecloth, favorite blouse. In this case, you need to take 1 tablespoon of starch for 1 liter of water.
• Hard used for collars, caps and various decorative elements. To create a solution you will need 2 or 3 tablespoons of starch.

The processing principle for these types is the same. To begin with, wash the laundry very well, because the applied solution will create a light crust on the clothes.

It will prevent dirt from penetrating into the fibers, but existing dirt will also be packed into the fabric. After washing, soak the items in the solution for five minutes and lay them out to dry.

Then iron without using steam to set the applied crust.

No starch

There are also other types of processing to make things more well-groomed. Although they are called starching, they are based on other products.

It is better to use this method to add density to a decorative product, rather than to linen.

You can starch without starch:

• using– first, make a gelatin base at the rate of 1 tablespoon per glass of water, stir, heat and after the gelatin has dissolved, lower the product into the solution. It is necessary to dry the item in a straightened form;
• granulated sugar– to do this, dissolve 7 tablespoons of granulated sugar in a liter of water and heat it to a boil. Dip the items to be treated into the hot solution and leave until they cool. Then dry also in a straightened form;
• PVA glue– this method allows things to become denser, it is ideal for interior items. Dissolve 1 part glue in 2 parts water and you can immediately lower the product into the solution. After it is soaked, straighten it and dry it in a lying position.

Thanks to the latest technologies, caring for clothes has become much easier than in the days of our grandmothers.

Washing clothes in an automatic washing machine does not take much effort or even a lot of time. But in addition to washing, you can immediately starch your laundry in it.

How to starch fabric when washing? There are several types of powdered formulations and gel solutions on sale, which already contain substances that create a starching effect; they are sold in stores selling household chemicals.

To obtain the desired effect, add the purchased composition to the rinsing compartment and take out the soaked item. After drying, all you have to do is iron it and you're done.

This method is effective if you need to process a large piece of fabric, bed linen or the entire thing. How can you starch individual parts of clothing without resorting to making a solution?

For this purpose, there are also assistants on sale, and they can also be bought in household chemical stores. They are sold in spray form. When ironing, apply the product to the linen, and under the action of a hot iron it is fixed to the clothes. Everything is very simple.

Now you know how to starch bed linen, cuffs and collars, tablecloths and napkins at home. It also became known how to starch using a washing machine, modern means and grandma’s methods.

Try it, you will definitely succeed, and, in addition, you will notice that your clothes absorb less dirt and are easier to care for.

Beautiful clothes are easy, you just have to try.

Today, few people starch their clothes at home, but once upon a time a decent person was ashamed to go out without starched collars. Let's find out how to starch fabric and why you need to do it at all.

Why starch fabric?

The starching process involves rinsing clothes, lace, bed linen or some other items in water in which starch has been diluted. When things dry, a thin film forms on their surface, penetrating into the structure of the fabric. It makes the fabric thicker and a little crispier. As a result, the clothes keep their shape, do not wrinkle, and become more rigid. In addition, dirt that remains on the fabric during wear is easier to wash off, because starch prevents dirt from being strongly absorbed into the fibers.

This method does have one drawback. If you starch clothes, they allow less air to pass through. For this reason, only some parts of the wardrobe were starched: collars, cuffs, caps, chef's and baker's hats, aprons, etc. Quite often, curtains and tablecloths were starched.

Basic principles

In order to be able to starch fabric, you must first understand what the solution is prepared from. And it is prepared from just two ingredients: water and starch itself.

The most commonly sold starch in stores is potato, rice, wheat and corn. There is a slight difference between them, which cooks know about, but it is not too significant for our procedure. In Russia, mainly potato products were and are used for starching. It is bright white, sometimes even blue, and thickens very well. Cornstarch, for example, thickens worse.

Before starching any fabric, it should be washed and rinsed well, and then dipped into the solution. You can starch slightly damp laundry, or you can starch dry laundry, the main thing is that the starch solution saturates the material.

Soft starching

The weakest solution is prepared for linen, snow-white blouses and light dresses. We don't need to starch them to a very hard state, since the things will be uncomfortable to use.

Brew the solution as follows:

• take starch at the rate of 1 teaspoon per liter;
• pour it into a glass and dilute it with cold water. It is necessary to stir until the lumps disappear;
• Boil the required amount of water, and pour dissolved starch into it, stirring constantly.

The result is a mixture in which we will starch the fabric. It needs to be cooled and the concentration checked. The result should be a liquid without lumps, a little denser than water, a little slippery. Rinse bedding or other items that you want to lightly starch in this liquid. You can soak the fabric for a few minutes until it is thoroughly soaked, and then wring it out.

There is no need to twist the clothes too much. Wring it out and shake it to remove any wrinkles. You should not over-dry starched items, because it will be difficult to iron them later.

A weak solution can be poured into a spray bottle. By spraying your laundry with it, you can thus starch it. This is a very convenient and fast method, since the laundry does not need to be completely wet, then wrung out and dried.

Medium starch

The middle method is used if you want to starch:

• table linen (tablecloth, table napkin);
• lace;
• men's shirt;
• furniture covers.

The solution is prepared in exactly the same way as in the soft method, only more starch is taken: a level tablespoon or two teaspoons per liter of water.

The finished liquid will be translucent and homogeneous. You can always dilute it with warm water if you accidentally add a lot of starch and the substance becomes too thick.

Hard starching

The hard method is used if it is necessary to starch a petticoat, which must hold several skirts on top, or to make a collar with cuffs or some decorative element particularly rigid and resistant.

The solution recipe has changed:

• a teaspoon of borax and dilute in a glass of hot water and cool to room temperature;
• Dilute 50 grams of starch (approximately 2 level tablespoons) in a glass of cold water;
• boil a liter of water and pour diluted starch into it;
• Pour borax into the brewed starch solution, mix everything and leave for 2 hours.

If you need to prepare 2, 3 or more liters of solution, then you proportionally increase the amount of borax and starch.

Peculiarities of starching of some fabrics

Many people are interested in the question of how to starch a fabric called tulle. Ballet tutus and petticoats for ballroom dresses are sewn from tulle. Tulle is often used for sewing wedding dresses, carnival costumes, for making decorative bows, artificial flowers and many other accessories.

It can be starched with the weakest or medium solution. After soaking the fabric in the liquid, mix it so that there are no untreated areas left. Squeeze and dry, carefully straightening every detail. Iron when wet.

If the petticoat is made of gauze, then a harsh method is used on it - this is the only way to maintain the shape of the full skirt. In the same way as tulle, gauze is carefully straightened and ironed damp. If after hard starching the fabric dries with at least one crease, then you will no longer be able to smooth it out.

The middle method can be used to starch crocheted lace or embroidery. First, the lace is washed, and then I lightly wring it out, straighten it and iron it through gauze or smooth material.

You can blot clean, dry lace with a cloth soaked in a starch solution and then iron it with a warm iron. The embroidery is moistened and ironed from the reverse side.

Any lace in a starched state retains its shape for a long time and shows all the beauty of every detail. A lace braid on a dress or a snow-white napkin on a table looks especially good.

If you don’t want to waste time and prepare a starch solution with your own hands, you can buy a product in the store that is added during the last rinse. In addition, there are aerosols that allow you to give the elements of your wardrobe a stable shape and an elegant look.

Alternative option

In addition to using potato starch, there are alternative ways to shape textiles. Some housewives have gotten used to using sugar, gelatin and even PVA glue for this purpose.

Sugar

Pour water into a saucepan and place it over medium heat. Take sugar at a 1:1 ratio, slowly pour it into the water, stirring, and bring the solution to a boil. When the syrup is ready, pour the starch pre-dissolved in cold water into it, stirring thoroughly. Immerse the fabric in the resulting viscous liquid, leave for a few minutes, and then remove. Press the product and give it the desired shape. With this method, the starched fabric cannot be wetted, so the procedure will have to be repeated after each wash.

PVA glue

With its help, needlewomen usually starch knitted items and fabric for embroidery.

To prepare the solution, take PVA glue and water in a ratio of 1:1 or 1:2, depending on the thickness of the glue. Thoroughly stir the glue in the water, and then dip the product into the solution. After a minute, remove it, shape it and leave it until completely dry.

Gelatin

This method is also “one time”. Pour 1 tbsp. spoon of gelatin with a small amount of cold water. When the substance swells, add more water to make 200-250 grams and place the mixture on low heat. It needs to be heated without boiling. Gelatin should dissolve completely in water. When this happens, the solution can be used.

The above methods are rarely used to starch clothes or bedding. They are more suitable for use in needlework, for example to give shape to knitted flowers.

What fabrics should not be starched?

• underwear;
• things black or dark in color;
• clothing made from synthetic fabrics.

How to starch things and why do you need to do it at all? When starching, a thin film is formed on the surface of the fabric, which makes it denser and holds its shape better. In addition, due to this film, any contaminants are not absorbed deeply into the structure of the fabric, which means they are easily washed off. And if it is a light-colored item that has slightly yellowed over time, then starching will slightly whiten it and give it a fresher look. The only drawback of starched clothes is that they allow less air to pass through, meaning that on a hot day they will not be very comfortable.

To starch things at home, you can use any starch - corn, wheat, potato. There is no significant difference in the result in this case. Although many housewives note that corn starch thickens worse than potato starch.

Depending on the material of clothing or linen, different amounts of starch are added to the water per liter of water.

1. For thin fabrics like chiffon, organza, cambric, tulle, half a teaspoon is enough.
2. For bed linen, various decorative napkins and clothing, a whole teaspoon is usually added.
3. For individual elements of clothing that should be especially tough, collars or cuffs, for example, or a petticoat, two teaspoons of starch are already used.

The starch must be diluted in a container with cool water, stirred thoroughly, and then pour in a small amount of hot liquid. The result should be an absolutely transparent thick paste. If the mixture is not clear enough, it can be heated for a few minutes.

If it was not possible to make a starch solution without lumps, then the mixture can be strained through cheesecloth to get rid of them.

How to starch correctly? This should only be done with clean items without any stains. They can be either dry or slightly damp, it doesn't matter. You should dip the product into the starch liquid, let it soak thoroughly, and then take it out and squeeze it a little to remove excess water. Starched items are dried at room temperature at home. You should not place them near heating appliances, otherwise they will dry unevenly and will be inconvenient to iron. Speaking of ironing, it should be done on slightly damp items. But how to starch a bow, which is better not to iron, so as not to melt the fabric? It will have to be shaped by hand.

Why don't we starch?

1. You should not starch or gelatinize underwear, because the procedure makes it airtight, which is bad from a hygienic point of view.
2. Black and simply dark things are not suitable for starching - noticeable white stains remain on them.
3. It makes no sense to starch, sugar or gelatinize synthetic clothing - there will be no special result.

How else can you starch something?

Starching “the old fashioned way” is a rather long and labor-intensive process. Now there are much more convenient ways to starch things. You can purchase starch-containing sprays or liquids that are extremely easy to use - you spray the item with them during the ironing process.

To starch large items, for example, bed linen or long clothes, it is worth purchasing powders or powders with the appropriate effect, which are simply added when washing in the machine. In principle, you can also add a mixture of starch and water to the machine. But how can you starch fabric this way without ruining the technique? The solution should be poured into the conditioner compartment (and strictly instead of it, and not together with it), and after washing, you need to wipe the drum and machine door with a dry, clean cloth to remove whitish deposits from residual starch.

It is convenient to starch and gelatinize laundry by pouring a weak solution into a spray bottle. But more saturated mixtures will be difficult to spray due to their thickness.

Alternative options

In addition to these familiar ways to any housewife to give things shape and make them more rigid, there are other, less popular, but no less effective.

1. Mix sugar with water(about 200 g of sugar per 100 g of water) and heat the mixture until the sugar is completely dissolved. The main thing is not to overcook the syrup, otherwise it will turn things yellow.
2. Dilute PVA in water. It is better to use construction glue, because it is whiter and does not give yellowish stains on light-colored products after they dry. This method is often used by needlewomen when making crafts from thin fabrics, such as tulle.

Instead of starching the linen, it can also be gelatinized to achieve the same result. To do this, dilute 3-4 tablespoons of gelatin per liter of water in cold water, heat the mixture almost to a boil, but do not bring it to a boil, stir until the consistency is uniform and the gelatin is completely dissolved. Next, the solution should be allowed to cool slightly so that it is still hot, but no longer scalding, and then soak the product in it for several minutes, then squeeze lightly and hang to dry.

Ideal ways to give shape to a specific product and the proportions of components in mixtures for processing a particular thing cannot be foreseen in advance; each housewife selects them empirically. But the general rule applies - the thinner the fabric, the less saturated the solution should be, i.e., for example, tulle will require much less starch than a cotton shirt.