One of the commonly used laundry products, liquid starch can be made at home too. Here are some tips for the same.
Unlike our great forefathers, for whom starching clothes was a lengthy and cumbersome procedure, we have a wide range of laundry starch products that can be used with much ease. While some of these products are added during the washing cycle, some others are directly sprayed on the clothes, while ironing. As this laundry product is available in different forms, you may get the best from the market. Liquid starch can be made at home, using some easily available household materials.
Homemade Liquid Starch Recipe
Liquid starch is nothing other than a mixture of vegetable starch and water. Store-bought ones may also contain additives, like fragrances. However, some of these products are said to have harmful chemicals too. So, it is always better to prepare homemade starch that will cost you very little, as compared to store-bought liquid starch. As this starch is also used for other purposes, like arts and crafts, a homemade one will be always cheaper.
Ingredients
- Cornstarch – 1 tbsp.
- Cold water – ¼ cup
- Tap water – 3¾ cup
- Essential oil (lavender/vanilla/rose) – a few drops
How to Prepare
Dissolve the cornstarch in cold water. Make sure to mix well, so that there are no lumps left. Once done, keep it aside and boil the tap water in a pot. As the water reaches a rolling boil, add the cornstarch solution into the pot. Stir the solution, and add two to three drops of essential oil into it. Continue to stir for a minute, before removing the pot from the stove. Allow the mixture to get cool, before filling it in a spray bottle. You can spray this homemade liquid starch, while ironing your dry clothes. You may also use this starch, while washing clothes, but in that case, make sure to mist the clothes with water, before ironing. In this recipe, you may replace cornstarch with ready-made starch powder, and essential oil with lemon juice.
Using Homemade Laundry Starch
So making liquid starch at home is very easy and simple, and you need only cornstarch and water for this purpose. Essential oil is optional, as it is for fragrance only. If you want a stronger starch, then slightly increase the amount of cornstarch in the recipe. As compared to store-bought liquid starch, homemade ones are devoid of chemicals.
So, homemade starch should not be stored at room temperature, for more than a few days. Otherwise, refrigerate it. Such starch must be brought to room temperature, before use. Once you store the starch in a bottle, make sure that you shake the bottle well, before every use. This is because, the starch may get settled at the bottom of the bottle. As far as its application is concerned, you may immerse the fabric in the starch solution and wring out the excess, before drying and ironing. You may also spray it on dry clothes, before ironing.