How to starch bed linen

Home textiles, some items of clothing sometimes have to be treated with starch to give them rigidity and a clear shape. In modern times, this is done much less often than, for example, at the end of the last century. Starched items are much less susceptible to contamination, have a completely different appearance than simply washed ones. How to starch bed linen, tulle, clothes, using a washing machine or without it, is described in more detail in the text of this article.

Why starch bed linen

Starched clothes and underwear have some distinctive characteristics:

• the textile becomes noticeably denser, its fibers are strengthened;
• the underwear has a pleasant crunch and smells good;
• the material practically does not wrinkle, maintaining the required shape;
• even if the clothes were yellowed, they can be bleached;
• dirt is absorbed into clothing to a lesser extent.

But it is not always worth starching bed linen – starched fabric “does not breathe” because its pores become clogged. This can create unpleasant sensations for the skin, promote the development of fungus, mold, and the proliferation of pathogenic bacteria. It is for this reason that bed linen is starched very, very gently.

It is also undesirable to starch underwear, summer clothes, with the exception of individual parts. Starch can change the shade of dark fabrics, and it does not "stick" to synthetic fabrics. Textile elements embroidered with floss can generally stick together, be hopelessly spoiled by starch. Calico, cotton, satin, linen, chintz, and cambric tolerate this process perfectly.

How bed linen was starched in the last century

In the past twentieth century, bed linen, table linen, and clothing were processed mainly independently, at home, with various types of starch:

• potato;

  

• wheat;

  

• rice;

  

• corn;

  

• barley.

There are different types of starching:

• soft – underwear, bed linen, summer dresses, curtains;
• medium – used for men’s shirts, table linen, textile napkins;
• hard - exclusively for collars, cuffs, and details of masquerade costumes.

  

It makes no difference what kind of starch to use, the only difference is in concentration. In the last century, every woman had to know how to starch clothes - there were no special products for various textile materials on sale, and not everyone had a washing machine.

How to starch bed linen, tulle at home

Bedding, as well as most types of tulle and curtains, are starched softly, after being washed and thoroughly wrung out.

Then prepare the following solution:

• composition of the mixture: one teaspoon of starch per liter of cold water;
• First, the starch is diluted in a small container, adding two glasses of water;
• the more linen needs to be starched, the more of this liquid is prepared;
• stir until the consistency is uniform, without lumps;
• then put the water on to heat up – as much as needed for rinsing;
• after boiling, pour the starch solution from a small container into the water and stir;
• the mixture is cooled - the result should be a “slippery” water, denser than usual;
• The bed linen is rinsed in the above-described mixture for several minutes, and the tulle for up to half an hour.

  

Before hanging out to dry, do not wring out the bed linen - let it hang down a little, after which you can squeeze it out slightly. Before starting to dry, it is important to shake the linen, straighten it well, and it is better to iron starched linen while it is still slightly damp.

To starch already dry fabric, the above-described liquid is collected in a spray bottle, clean textiles are treated. This process significantly saves time and effort.

How to Starch Shirts at Home

A well-starched shirt emphasizes the status of the owner, giving him elegance. The method described below is suitable for both women's and men's shirts:

• a medium-hard solution of starch or a purchased synthetic agent is prepared;
• the mixture is thoroughly mixed in a basin so that there are no lumps, and it is filtered through several layers of gauze;
• the shirt is placed in the mixture for about fifteen minutes;
• then the product is lightly squeezed out;
• To prevent the shirt from becoming deformed, it is dried on hangers - wide ones are preferred;
• It is not recommended to dry the item completely; iron it slightly damp, as yellow spots often appear on over-dried items when ironed.

Particular attention should be paid to the collar and cuffs - these parts are starched separately, with the harshest solution, and ironed, giving them a strong stand.

How to starch items made from different types of fabric

Knitted fabric is also treated gently, but it should be dried exclusively on a horizontal surface, otherwise the product will stretch and lose its shape. For knitted products, to give them rigidity, it is recommended to treat them with a gelatin mixture:

• a large spoon of gelatin is poured with half a glass of water and heated in a water bath until completely dissolved;
• then add another glass of water;
• the product is impregnated with the resulting solution.

This composition is also used for lace napkins, textile flowers and other similar decor. Starch is unacceptable for processing dark or colored fabrics, as it leaves whitish stains. For such fabrics, an adhesive composition is recommended:

• Depending on the purpose of the textile material, soft or hard processing is performed;
• for soft processing, PVA glue is diluted with warm water in a one to one ratio, for a hard version - in a two to one concentration;
• The fabric is placed in the solution, after complete soaking it is taken out and wrung out.

This method is not suitable for underwear, excessively large items. There is also a sugar syrup treatment:

• six to seven spoons of sugar are boiled in a liter of water;
• the textile is placed in a hot solution, soaked, and wrung out;
• There is one drawback - the "sweet" fabric will attract insects.

To starch the most delicate silk fabric, a solution of gelatin or silicate glue is suitable - in this case, dilute one spoon per five liters, soak the product, and squeeze it out a little. After processing, silk acquires elasticity and a beautiful shine.

Tulle is used for sewing elegant dresses and ballet tutus. For this, you will need a starch solution of medium hardness - two teaspoons per liter of water. The product is thoroughly soaked, taken out, and straightened.

Multilayer gauze products are processed in the most severe ways - at least two large spoons of starch and a small spoon of sodium boric acid are added to one liter of water, the product is immersed there, and when it is sufficiently soaked, it is wrung out.

You can starch knitted napkins and a school white apron with numerous laces with a medium-hard solution.

The product is pre-washed by machine or by hand, placed in a starch mixture for twenty minutes, taken out, no need to wring out the apron. Alternatively, a freshly washed apron is simply sprayed with a solution from a spray bottle or blotted with a wet starch cloth.

The canvas for embroidery is starched to simplify the process of embroidery on it. To do this, the textile is placed in a hard starch solution for about fifteen minutes and squeezed out well. The already embroidered canvas is pre-washed and soaked in a medium-hard solution for no more than fifteen minutes.

How to starch bed linen and clothes in an automatic washing machine

Ready-made starching compounds are sold in household chemical stores - some are applied to the fabric before ironing, others - during washing. Starching bed linen in a washing machine is as easy as pie:

• To begin, prepare a “soft” starch solution according to the scheme described above;
• the composition is poured into the engine compartment for the air conditioner;
• the washing machine switch is set to rinse mode;
• after the process is completed, the laundry is taken out, shaken and dried;
• The machine is wiped from the inside and ventilated.

When starching in a washing machine, special synthetic liquids are often used, for example, based on polyvinyl acetate, which cope with the task no worse. Additionally, you should not use any conditioners.

To starch clothes and table linen made from various types of fabric, a solution of the required composition and concentration is prepared and poured into the machine as described above.

How to iron and dry starched items

All fabrics are ironed while still damp, on both sides, but slightly differently:

• silk - through smooth fabric;
• tulle - iron while damp, smoothing out the folds;
• embroidered items - only on the reverse side;
• lace - through smooth fabric or gauze;
• gauze - iron while damp, straighten out folds immediately;
• A white school apron is ironed with a warm iron.

If you add a little salt to the starch solution beforehand, the fabrics will not stick to the iron and will acquire a unique shine.

They should also be dried differently:

• a silk blouse or dress is carefully hung on hangers;
• tulle and gauze are dried in a straightened form;
• the lace school apron is dried by laying it out on a horizontal surface;
• canvas for embroidery is also dried horizontally;
• thin embroidered napkins or lace are dried on a towel, pinning the edges with invisible pins and straightening them out.

Any starched items should not be dried in the cold or under direct sunlight.

Conclusion

Starching at home using different types of starch, special compounds, and a washing machine is very relevant in some situations. "Hard" white collars and cuffs add severity and solidity to the appearance. When processing any fabrics that directly touch exposed areas of the body, interact with them for a long time, it is advisable to use the weakest solutions or refuse them altogether.

Video: How to Starch Linen