How to Starch Your Clothes

You might have heard about the famous saying, "clothes make a man". Just wearing clothes is not enough to make an impression. You must wear the right ones in the right way. Some clothes look good when they are properly starched and ironed. You may do this task yourself, or get it dry cleaned if you're not sure of how to go about doing it. While dry cleaners may charge you a good amount for starching clothes, the same task can be done at home. So, if you are interested in saving some money, you can starch the clothes on your own.

Tips to Starch Clothes at Home

Starching clothes is not a difficult task, if you know the right methods. Even though, there is no conclusive evidence to the origin of laundry starch, history of its use has been traced back to the fifteenth and sixteenth century Europe. Then, it was a lengthy and tiring process that required at least three to four days.

Nowadays, the advance in technology has facilitated manufacture of different types of laundry starch products. While some of them have to be added to the clothes, before drying, there are starch sprays that can be directly applied to the clothes, before ironing. So, the procedure of applying starch to your clothes has become very simple and easy, so that you no longer need the help of dry cleaners for the same. If you have enough time, you can starch your clothes on your own.

• Starching clothes can be done in three ways. You may either go for liquid starch that has to be applied to the clothes, before drying or spray starch that can be sprayed to the clothes, before ironing. Another method is to prepare starch at home and use it.
• If you are using starch spray, all you have to do is to wash the clothes and dry them. Remove them from the washing machine, when they are almost dry, but still have little bit of dampness. Spray a light and even coating of starch over the area, you are about to iron. Repeat the process till you cover the whole garment.
• One of the important points to remember while using dry starch is that you have to apply it in small amounts. If you think that, after ironing the cloth is not stiff enough, you may spray another coat and press the garment once again. In case you use large amounts of starch spray, it may flake off, as you iron the cloth.
• Another method to starch your clothes is to use liquid starch. This type of laundry starch can be added to the clothes, while washing. Follow the instructions of the manufacturer for adding starch to your clothes in the proper manner. Once done, take out the clothes from the machine, when they are almost dry. The clothes will turn stiff, once they are ironed.
• The next method is to prepare the starch on your own. For this purpose, you need a tablespoon full of cornstarch, which has to be mixed with two cups of cold water. You may also add 2-3 drops of essential oil for fragrance. Mix them well without any lumps and fill in a spray bottle. Spray the starch on the clothes, before ironing.
• Another method to prepare homemade starch is to dissolve a tablespoon full of cornstarch to ¼ cup of cold water. Boil 3¾ cup of water in a pan and mix the cornstarch solution in it. Let it boil once again, before removing from heat. Once cool, fill the mixture in a spray bottle and use as and when required. You may also use ready-made starch powder for clothes, instead of cornstarch. But, in that case, follow the instructions on the label, before using it.

If you don't want to prepare starch at home, you may opt for ready-made ones. Aerosol cans and spray versions are very useful in applying an even coating of starch over the cloth. So, try these methods to starch your clothes at home.