How to starch fabric? Proven way. How to starch things from different types of fabric

Long gone. The modern hostess does not have enough time and energy for such a seemingly trifle. But before this procedure was the logical conclusion of washing shirts, sheets and. The absence of a snow-white stiff collar or a crisp cambric handkerchief was considered a sign of untidiness and even bad taste. Starching a textile product at home is very simple. To do this, you can use ordinary starch or purchase a special product in the form of a spray or powder in the store.

Why Starch Fabric

The essence of the process of processing fabric with starch is as follows: a clean, freshly washed thing is rinsed in a starch solution, after which it is squeezed out and hung out to dry. The smallest particles of starch, together with water, penetrate into the deep layers of the material, forming a protective film on the surface of the product.

As a result of starching, the fabric acquires new properties:

• the structure of the material becomes denser;
• the product is better and;
• matter is less wrinkled;
• dirt and dust do not penetrate into the depth of the fibers, but remain on the surface of the fabric, so clothes are easier to wash.

If you are going to starch clothes, it should be remembered that such processing has one significant drawback, namely, a decrease in the breathability of the material. All gaps between the fibers are filled with an adhesive mixture that dries and prevents the natural passage of air. In this regard, do not starch underwear and summer clothes that are directly adjacent to the body. It is better to limit yourself to the processing of collars, trims, cuffs, hats, aprons, tablecloths and napkins.

How to properly starch

In order to starch clothes, table linen or bed linen, potato starch is most often used. Other types of starch can be found on sale, for example, rice, corn or wheat, but the powder made from potatoes is better suited for this procedure.

Potato powder is best

In appearance, potato starch is a snow-white powder with very small particles, which is dissolved in water, observing certain proportions.

Important! Before starching the fabric, it must be washed and rinsed thoroughly, otherwise the remaining particles of washing powder may appear in the form of yellow streaks.

You can starch wet, slightly damp and even completely dry fabric, as long as it is completely saturated with the solution. Depending on how dense and rigid the matter needs to be made, the method of starching is also chosen.

Weak solution

Can be starched in the washing machine

A weak solution is used to stiffen bedding, snow-white blouses and blouses, light summer dresses. If you overdo it with starch when processing everyday clothes, then things will be uncomfortable to use.

The method for preparing a weak solution is as follows:

• take starch powder at the rate of 1 tsp. for 1 liter of water;
• the entire portion of starch is poured into a small container (glass, half-liter jar) and a little cold water is added;
• the powder is mixed with water until a homogeneous mass is obtained;
• pour the right amount of water into an enameled or aluminum pan and bring to a boil;
• dissolved starch is poured into boiling water in small portions; while the solution must be constantly stirred to prevent the formation of clots and lumps.

The resulting mixture should be cooled to room temperature. The consistency of the solution should be slightly denser than water, slippery to the touch. Things intended for starching are immersed in the solution for several minutes, after which they are gently squeezed out and hung out to dry.

Important! Starched linen should not be over-dried, as it will be difficult to iron.

For processing small parts, you can use a spray gun. A weak starch solution is poured into the flask and sprinkled on the cuffs or collar. This method is convenient in that you do not have to wet the entire product as a whole.

Medium concentration solution

Tablecloths and napkins, lace, curtains and covers for upholstered furniture are best starched harder. To do this, use a solution of medium concentration, for the preparation of which they take 2 tsp. starch per 1 liter of water. Otherwise, the method of obtaining a mixture is completely the same as described above.

Solution for hard starching

In the manufacture of stage costumes or decorative elements, it is sometimes necessary to starch the material so much that it resembles cardboard in density. In these cases, hard starching is used, the solution for which is prepared as follows:

• sodium boric salt (borax), taken in an amount of 1 tsp, is diluted in 200 ml of hot water and cooled to 25 ° C;
• in a glass of cold water, dilute 2 tbsp. l. starch;
• boil 1 liter of water and pour starch solution and diluted borax into it;
• All components are thoroughly mixed and left to infuse for 2 hours.

After processing with such a solution, the fabric does not bend or break, it keeps its shape perfectly.

You can starch bulky items, such as bed linen, tablecloths or tulle, in the washing machine. To do this, pour the diluted starch into the air conditioner compartment. After the rinse cycle is completed, starching will automatically occur. It remains only to take out clean things and hang them to dry, and wipe the drum of the machine with a damp cloth from starch.

professional tools

There is not always time and desire to mess around with brewing starch. Buying special tools in a hardware store, you can greatly facilitate this process. Here are some of them:

• spray Domol;
• Luxus;
• Sano Iron Starch.

These starch products are available as a spray, solution or powder and are very easy to use. To starch small parts of clothing, aerosol preparations are best suited. It is enough to direct the jet to the right place and iron the element.

To process bulky products, the powder or ready-made solution must be added to the washing machine. The main thing is to read the instructions and recommendations of the manufacturer before using.

Improvised means for starching

Starch napkins and other interior items

If there was no starch in the house, and it is simply necessary to make the fabric more rigid, you can use improvised means such as sugar, gelatin or PVA glue. Of course, it is not advisable to resort to such means for processing clothes or bed linen, as it will be expensive. However, starching a napkin or homemade flowers is quite possible.

Sugar

In hot sugar syrup, prepared at the rate of 6 tbsp. l. sugar per 1 liter. water, lower the product requiring starching. As soon as the fabric is completely saturated with a sweet solution, the thing is taken out and laid out on a horizontal surface to dry.

Gelatin

Edible gelatin will help to make the fabric denser and stiffer. To prepare the mixture, you need 1 tbsp. l. Soak gelatin for 1 hour in a glass of water. When the gelatin swells, put the container on a slow fire and, stirring constantly, achieve a homogeneous consistency. The product is immersed in the resulting solution.

PVA glue

You can simply and quickly starch the elements of products using PVA glue. To do this, the glue is diluted with water in a ratio of 1: 2 and the fabric is coated with the resulting solution. You can starch not only white, but also colored things. However, white streaks may appear on black fabric after this treatment.

Currently, starching is not a particularly relevant process, however, in some cases, such processing is indispensable. Knowing simple tricks to make the fabric more rigid and dense, you can create unique decor elements with your own hands and always keep the house clean.

How to starch things at home

To starch things, napkins, a tablecloth or linen, you will need starch and water. Clothes must be washed beforehand.

Types of starching

1. Soft starching. Suitable for thin and light fabrics such as chiffon and cambric. The amount of starch for this method is taken at the rate of 0.5-1 teaspoon per 1 liter of water. So you can starch light summer dresses made of knitted fabric, thin chiffon blouses, etc.

2. Medium-hard starching is used for bed linen, cloth napkins, blouses, shirts and skirts. The concentration of starch with this method increases slightly, now you need to take 1 tbsp. spoon for 1 liter of water.

3. Hard starching is used mainly for processing only individual elements of things, such as collars or cuffs. It can also be used if you want to starch the petticoat on a puffy ball gown so that it holds its shape well. With this method, 2 tablespoons of starch are taken per 1 liter of water.

Home starching things

Starching should be started only after washing.

Starch gives the fabric extra whiteness. Therefore, if your favorite white blouse turned a little yellow after washing, but you don’t want to part with it, just try to starch it.

1. After washing, dilute the starch in cold water in a bowl. The exact proportions for each type of fabric have been given above. You can choose any starch, it can be corn, wheat and potato. Most women use the latter.
2. Pour a little hot water into the cold starch solution, mix. You should get a transparent viscous paste without lumps. If the paste is not transparent, but cloudy, then boil it for about 5 minutes.
3. Before lowering the thing, dilute the paste a little more with water so that the fabric can more easily absorb it.
4. When the thing is completely wet in the starch solution, take it out and squeeze it out a little so that the glass is excess liquid.

Dry the starched item at room temperature, but do not do this on the balcony or near the radiator, otherwise the fabric will be very difficult to iron after drying.

Starched fabric should be ironed while it is still slightly damp and stiff. The effect lasts until the next wash.

Modern methods

Hardware stores sell special starch sprays and liquids. They are very convenient to use.

You do not have to dilute any paste, just spray the thing with a spray during the ironing process. This is especially useful if you only need to starch the collar or cuffs of your shirt.

If you need to starch large items, for example, bedding or a long skirt, then special powders and liquids with a starching effect are suitable. They are added to the washing machine when washing. There is always a detailed description on the packages, so there will be no difficulties.

Not every housewife knows how to starch things at home. Our grandmothers received this knowledge from their mothers. After all, wearing a blouse without starched sleeves or a collar was bad form. At the same time, almost all things were starched: starting with certain elements of clothing and ending with sheets. Nowadays, not everyone uses this method. However, a properly starched item allows you to create a more rigorous and businesslike look, as well as give collars and cuffs a stable shape.

Why starch

Before answering the question of how to starch a thing, it is worth considering: what is it for? The principle of the procedure is quite simple. The thing is carefully lowered into water, which contains starch. As a result of such manipulations, a kind of protective film is formed on the clothes, which has a positive effect on the condition of the fabric:

1. Matter becomes denser.
2. The thing does not lose its shape.
3. The fabric practically does not wrinkle.
4. Dirt does not penetrate too deeply into the structure of matter, but remains on its surface.
5. Clothes that have turned yellow over time become white and fresh in appearance.
6. An environmentally friendly barrier is created.

Almost anyone can starch a thing with starch. However, it is worth considering that the fabric after the procedure ceases to pass air well. Therefore, summer things are not recommended to be processed entirely. It is better to starch a certain part of them.

The main methods of starching

How to starch a thing made of a certain matter? It is worth considering that fabrics are different and can only be processed in a certain way. At the moment, there are three main methods of starching. It all depends on the concentration of the solution:

How to starch things

To get the desired result, follow the sequence:

1. Clothing to be processed must be washed thoroughly to avoid stains.
2. Pour water into the basin, and then add the remaining components. Their number should correspond to the type of fabric.
3. Pour hot water into the prepared solution. The result should be a transparent mass without lumps, viscous consistency and slippery to the touch.
4. The thing should be lowered into the resulting mixture.
5. When the fabric is completely wet, it can be removed from the solution.
6. It is recommended to squeeze out excess liquid. The processed product should be dried at room temperature, straightening all the folds.

How to starch a knitted thing? For processing, the same solutions are used as for ordinary fabrics. However, it is recommended to dry such clothes only in a horizontal position. Otherwise, things are deformed.

How to process in a washing machine

As practice shows, you can starch clothes both in the washing machine and manually. In order not to bother with such processing for a long time, many use household appliances. For this:

1. The prepared starch solution should be poured into the compartment of the washing machine, which is designed for air conditioning.
2. Turn on the washing mode by selecting the desired program and temperature.
3. In conclusion, clean and starched products should be removed from the drum and dried.

This method has several features. First of all, in the washing process, you will have to abandon the usual air conditioner. After the procedure, it is necessary to thoroughly wash the door and drum of the unit.

Ironing process

How to iron starched things? First, remember: you should not dry them on the battery, as it will be difficult to get rid of the wrinkle. Secondly, it is best to iron damp processed products on both sides. In this case, it is worth starting from the inside out. The ironing process is very delicate, so you need to follow a few rules:

Since far from everyone can starch a thing, you need to know the features of the process. For example, you should not use this method for processing stained fabric. Things must be clean. To remove a stain from white clothes, you can rub it with 3% hydrogen peroxide and then leave it on for a few minutes. This method allows you to remove traces of tea and wine.

Almost any starch can be used: potato, rice, wheat, corn. However, the first option is used more often than the others. After all, potato starch thickens well and has a bright white color.

After treatment, minor specks may disappear, since the solution has bleaching properties. If after adding hot water the mixture becomes cloudy, it is recommended to boil it for 5 minutes.

Do not dry things after processing in the cold.

Special funds

How and how to starch a thing if you don’t want to mess with starch? In this case, special preparations are suitable. They can be purchased at the household chemicals department. As for the process of processing things, everything should be done in accordance with the instructions, which will necessarily be indicated on the packaging. Among the advantages of such funds it is worth highlighting:

What not to starch

Now you know how to starch a knitted thing (it was crocheted or knitted - it doesn’t matter), a shirt or a tablecloth. However, not everyone knows whether it is possible to process colored products with this method. Any fabric can be starched. To avoid trouble, do not process the following products:

1. Underwear. Things after processing do not pass air well. Underwear becomes unhygienic.
2. Dark fabrics. After complete drying, whitish streaks may form on the product.
3. Products made from synthetic fibers. Such things are practically not amenable to starching.

In addition to the above, it is impossible to process products that are embroidered with floss threads using similar methods. Such material begins to stick together and fade.

Starching clothes and bedding is a very useful procedure and, moreover, not too complicated. All it takes is water and starch, and a little time and patience. Before starching the fabric, select 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 starch

Not everyone understands why starch things. Many consider this a relic of the past, although in fact modern housewives also use this method. After all, if you starch a thing, then several problems are solved at once:

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

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

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

Types of starching

Before starching 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", so they look more presentable. 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, a starch solution is acceptable for both. You can even get a rice or oat variety of this product (they are rarely found on sale) or even mix all four. Most importantly, before brewing starch, make sure that its expiration date meets the standards and that there are no impurities.

However, experienced housewives are advised to prepare a solution of potato starch. It thickens better than others and gives the fabric a beautiful snow-white tint, sometimes with a bluish tint.

To starch the fabric, ordinary potato starch is used.

By the way, in grocery stores there are 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, special fabric softeners and washing powders are also on sale, which have an effect similar to starching.

Description of the procedure

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

The preparation of a solution for hard starching of fabric has its own characteristics, such as the addition of borax and boiling water.

Borax can be used as a component to stiffen the fabric.

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

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

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

• Dip clean things into a container with a starch solution, straighten.
• Soak the clothing in the liquid for several minutes (5 to 15). Keep in mind that increasing the time will have little to no effect on stiffness, just making sure the fabric is completely saturated with the solution.
• Then wring out, give the necessary shape and wait until it dries completely. Do not twist the material too much, otherwise creases will form, which will be impossible to correct until the next procedure.

Video: How to make laundry starch

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

Different types of fabric

Before you starch a thing, you need to determine what type of fabric you are dealing with. Each material has its own characteristics, which 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 consider the classic way.

Pour two tablespoons of any starch into a liter of water, mix. Dip the canvas into the solution and let it soak properly, then lay it on a flat surface, leaving it to dry completely. The next step will be ironing, but before it you need to lightly sprinkle 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 luster. But if you really need it, then it is best to sprinkle it from the wrong side with a weak solution from the same spray bottle.

Gauze

It is not often necessary 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 (preparation of the solution and the method itself has already been described above).

Tulle, muslin, chiffon, guipure and lace

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

To give shape to decorative elements, for example, a children's lace crown, the rigidity should be maximum. In other cases, the medium or mild method is used. They are exactly the same as hard ones, 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 starch solution of high concentration is used.

Cotton

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

In fact, there are a huge number of types of fabrics, and it’s still impossible 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 got acquainted with how to properly starch the fabric. But how to iron starched things 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 clothes, add a couple of drops of turpentine to the solution and mix. Also, make sure 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 should be slightly moistened with water. So sheets and duvet covers will not only gain strength and whiteness, but will also be pleasant to use.
• To make starched linen shine, add a small amount of table salt to the solution.
• If the resulting starch liquid seems too cloudy to you, you can fix the problem by boiling the solution for 5 minutes.
• Dry linen treated with a starch solution at home should be carefully, avoiding proximity to heating appliances. Low air temperature also negatively affects such a fabric, so it should not be hung outside in winter.
• Starched knitted napkins should be dried on a horizontal surface, stretched to shape with pins.
• You can give things a shape and special rigidity with sugar. True, and here you can not do without starch. You will need 3 tablespoons of sugar and 100 ml of hot water. Mix these ingredients and put on the stove. In a separate container, mix a teaspoon of starch with cold water to the consistency of sour cream and pour into sugar syrup. Cool before use to avoid burning.

Video: How to starch knitted things

Not all things can be starched. So, for example, you should not do this with clothes made of dark fabrics - white stains will almost certainly remain on it. It is also better to avoid such a procedure with underwear, as it will stop letting air through, and this is bad for the skin. And finally, synthetic fabrics simply do not lend themselves to starching, it will be a waste of time.

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

Summing up

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

For many housewives, the starching procedure, despite its obvious advantages, has sunk into oblivion, and some of them will not be able to explain at all what starch is good for, in addition to making the fabric stiffer.

In fact, starch not only fixes the shape and gives the material a characteristic “crunchiness”: it forms an invisible film on the surface of the fabric that prevents dirt from penetrating deep into the fibers, which facilitates washing. The appearance of the product will also benefit, it begins to hold its shape and becomes more voluminous.

For processing things, it is best to take potato starch, but corn or rice are fine.

OPTION 1

The most delicate and simple option that is suitable for any fabric is starch in a spray. It should be used during ironing, such a "factory" starch improves the sliding of the iron on the fabric, gives freshness and a smooth shape to linen and clothes, making them more resistant to contamination. By and large, the thing is optional, but it has a number of undeniable advantages.

ADVICE. YOU CAN MAKE STARCH SPRAY BY YOURSELF. FOR THIS YOU WILL NEED CORN STARCH AND DISTILLED WATER (1 TABLE OF STARCH TO 1 TABLE OF WATER), AS WELL AS A SPRAYER. SHAKE THE BOTTLE BEFORE EVERY USE.

OPTION 2

This is the traditional way of starching. First you need to determine the optimal concentration of starch, depending on the type of your tissue.

For things made of light fabrics, for example, cambric, muslin, chiffon, a soft method is used to starch children's underwear. Proportions: dilute a teaspoon of starch powder in 1 liter of water.

For starching shirts, napkins, tablecloths, the concentration is increased to medium: a full tablespoon of starch per liter of water.

For cuffs, puffy petticoats, collars, the maximum concentration is used - you need to dilute 2-3 tablespoons of starch powder in a liter.

STARCH SOLUTION RECIPE: STARCH IS PILLED INTO THE CONTAINER, FILLED WITH A SMALL Amount OF COOL WATER, STIRED UNTIL THERE IS NO LUMPS. THEN SLOWLY, IN A THIN STREAM POUR INTO BOILING WATER, STIRING CONSTANTLY. THE READY SOLUTION MUST BE CLEAR. IF THE MIXTURE IS MUDDY, IT MUST BE BOILED FOR ANOTHER TIME.

If the material you are going to starch is colored or patterned, the solution must have a temperature not higher than room temperature - otherwise the product will shed.
To make things easier to iron after starching, ordinary milk is added to the starch solution - 2 teaspoons per 1 liter of water. For white things, there is also a little trick: a drop of blue added to starch will return its former whiteness.

WHAT THINGS SHOULD NOT BE STARCHED?

• underwear, since starch makes things practically airtight and non-hygroscopic. Doctors go a little further and recommend never starch and bed linen.
• things in dark shades, otherwise whitish starch stains will ruin them.
• synthetic fiber items

If your material is on the "banned" list, but it still needs to be hardened, there are several ways to help achieve the goal, but you will not call them sparing.

SUGAR

Boil the sugar syrup, remembering to stir constantly. The product is lowered into the syrup, allowed to lie down for a while, after which it is squeezed and given the desired shape. If water hits, the effect will disappear.

PVA

We take one part of the glue to one or two parts of water, depending on the density of the PVA. The product is dipped in a solution or coated with it, given the desired shape and allowed to dry completely.
.

GELATIN

Soak one tablespoon of gelatin in cold water. After swelling, bring the volume of water to 200-250 grams and heat. When the gelatin is completely dissolved, the solution is ready for use.