How to starch laundry in a washing machine

How to starch laundry in a washing machine Today you can count on one hand the number of housewives for whom the procedure of starching laundry remains an obligatory step in washing. Various special detergents, conditioners and rinse aids already give things freshness and a pleasant aroma. Modern products, together with smart automatic washing machines, do their job, allowing you not to spend a lot of time and effort on cleaning laundry.

But still, relaxing on starched sheets, creaking from cleanliness, wearing snow-white shirts that smell of freshness is many times more pleasant. And a person’s personal feelings are not the only advantage achieved through the “starching” procedure. Let's figure out how to properly starch laundry, what is the meaning of such treatment, what products to use when washing in a machine to achieve a similar effect.

Refresh in the SM drum

Is it possible to treat items in this way during automatic washing? It is very easy to starch bedding and other items in an automatic washing machine. This procedure is performed with the onset of the “Rinse” mode. The algorithm of actions will be as follows:

prepare the starching agent. The solution is diluted according to the general rules used when carrying out the procedure manually;
pour the resulting starch solution into the section of the tray for conditioner-rinse aid;
start the desired washing program;
at the end of the cycle, remove the laundry from the drum, shake well;
dry in the fresh air or in a well-ventilated area;
Wipe the detergent tray, the surface of the drum and the inside of the hatch door with a wet cloth, then wipe dry;
Leave the washer open to allow it to air out.

When starching products in a washing machine, it is prohibited to use any other rinsing agents.

Today in specialized stores you can find laundry detergents that have a starching effect. Then the procedure will take even less effort from the housewife, since there will be no need to prepare a starch solution.

Starch the traditional way

You can give your linen incredible freshness and “squeaky” cleanliness using the classic method of starching, which our grandmothers told us about. To carry out the procedure manually, at home, you should perform the following sequence of actions:

Place the washed items in a basin with a cool starch solution (not hotter than 35 °C);
leave the products in the container for 15-20 minutes. If you don’t have that much time, you can simply rinse your clothing or bedding thoroughly in the solution;
lightly wring out the laundry and shake it to prevent wrinkles from forming on the fabric;
dry the products.

Ironing starched clothes or bedding when the linen is slightly damp. It is important to set the minimum heating temperature for the soleplate of the iron; this measure will prevent the fabric from sticking to the metal.

If the traditional starching procedure seems too complicated, you can use another method. Prepare a weak paste, pour the liquid into a spray bottle and spray the laundry that has already been cleaned and prepared for ironing.This method will take much less time and will simplify starching of large items.

What is it for?

The meaning of the starching procedure is to immerse or rinse things with a starch solution. Absorbed into fabric fibers, starch forms a very thin protective film on the surface of products.

Fabric impregnated with starch paste becomes more durable, less susceptible to wrinkles, and retains its shape well. The protective layer also prevents clothing from getting dirty. If you periodically starch your laundry, you will notice that it does not get dirty as much. It is impossible not to note the improvement in the quality of washing: the starch film, in contact with soapy water, instantly dissolves, and at the same time all contaminants disappear.

If you starch white linen, you can achieve the perfect whitening effect. Also a pleasant addition will be the exceptional freshness of things and a pleasant aroma.

Useful tips

It is important to know that not all fabrics can be treated with a paste substance. It is permissible to starch only products made from natural materials: linen, cotton, chintz, calico, satin, cambric. Silk and synthetic underwear cannot be starched.

Let us present to your attention the procedure for preparing a starch solution, which can be used for both automatic and manual washing. Here's a step-by-step guide to action. preparing a solution for starching

Dissolve starch in cool water. For 1 liter of liquid you need to take a quarter teaspoon of powder.
Boil water in another saucepan, then carefully pour starch milk into the boiling water in a thin stream, stirring constantly.
Reduce heat and cook the paste for 5 minutes.The solution should turn out transparent, similar in consistency to regular jelly.
Cool the starch paste.
If there are lumps in the composition, strain the sticky liquid using a sieve.

Before starching the laundry, the paste is diluted with ordinary cool water to the required consistency. If you want to give your laundry an interesting blue tint, you can add a little blue to the adhesive solution.

A spoonful of salt added to the paste will give your accessories a glossy shine after ironing. Table salt will also help the products not to freeze when dried in the fresh air in winter. Another useful tip: to prevent starched material from sticking to the sole of the iron, it is better to add 3 drops of turpentine or 0.5 caps of liquid laundry gel to the adhesive composition.

What is the best way to starch?

The starching agent can be prepared from either potato or corn starch. There is no significant difference when choosing one type or another. Therefore, focus only on the availability of the food product in your kitchen.

You can starch your laundry using a spray while ironing Potato powder dissolves well in water, is easily brewed with boiling water, quickly acquires the desired thickness, and has a snow-white tint. In some cases, the adhesive solution may appear sky blue. However, if the paste is not prepared correctly, you can achieve an unpleasant yellow tint to the fabric being processed, and this is perhaps the only drawback of potato polysaccharide.

Corn powder will protect you from yellowish stains on products. To prepare a high-quality starch paste, you need to keep the composition on low heat for about 7 minutes.

If you have no desire to prepare a solution at home, you can purchase special synthetic products. They are available for sale in many retail outlets. The range of “store-bought” starching products is incredibly wide: from liquid formulations to various sprays and aerosols. The preparations are either added to the water when rinsing clothes, or applied to the products after washing, before direct ironing. To avoid mistakes in use, you should carefully read the instructions before use.

As you understand, starching laundry is quite simple. The process does not require much effort; the products used for starching are affordable for any housewife. But fresh, “crispy” laundry that stays clean for a long time will certainly justify the few minutes of time spent.