Starched collars and bed linens are almost entirely a thing of the past since synthetic fabrics took a firm hold in our closets. But sometimes women still have to remember their grandmothers’ secrets for caring for clothes: in their youth, each of them knew how to starch a skirt or blouse to look neat and feminine. This almost forgotten procedure is sometimes necessary today. Especially when we are talking about lush evening or wedding dresses made of tulle: the complex cut does not allow such things to keep their shape well, it is greatly distorted under the weight of the fabric. Correctly and moderately starched outfits look solemn and fit perfectly on the figure. To master this centuries-old trick, you need to carefully follow the simple instructions.
Fabric preparation
First you need to prepare the item for contact with starch. The fact is that this product instantly and firmly sticks various small particles, including dust, to clothing. Therefore, if the item is not thoroughly washed or pre-cleaned, starching will provoke the opposite effect, giving it an unkempt appearance.
To remove yellow stains that sometimes form on clothes due to long storage, use hydrogen peroxide. A few drops are enough so that after a couple of minutes the stain can be washed off with cold water. Dry your skirt or petticoat in the open air.
When preparing the item, pay special attention to the rinsing stage: powder, gel or any other laundry detergent must be completely washed out of the fabric. Do not forget also that this time you will have to stop using fabric softener.
Alternative methods
Many users are interested in how to starch a dress using other means.
There are several of them:
- Special spray. It allows you to quickly process small details of a dress and does not require fuss with preparing the solution. The spray should be sprayed and the product should be ironed immediately.
- Powder or commercial liquid starch for use in the washing machine. Before using it, you need to read the instructions and see if the product is approved for those things that require processing.
- Gelatin. You need to dilute 1 tbsp in warm water. powder until it is completely dissolved. Add another 250 ml of warm water to the pulp. You can put the dress in the resulting solution. After some time, when the fabric is saturated with the product, it needs to be slightly wrung out and laid out to dry.
- PVA glue (polyvinyl acetate). Embroidery and knitted items are starched in this way. To prepare the solution you will need 1 part glue and 2 parts water. After processing the product, it must be straightened and dried.
Starching things is a simple procedure that will give them a beautiful appearance and protect them from dirt longer. You can cope with it at home, you just need to follow all the specified nuances. If you have to take your dress to the dry cleaner, they will starch it with the addition of synthetic substances.
Making a solution
To make it yourself, buy potato starch. Corn or rice, by the way, are also suitable.
Before you starch your skirt, decide how stiff you want it to be. If, for example, you only need to slightly “strengthen” your petticoat, 5 g of starch per liter of water will be enough. If this detail of the outfit will support several heavy skirts, prepare a more concentrated solution:
- Boil 500 ml of water.
- Dissolve a tablespoon of starch in a glass (200 ml) of cool water. Stir thoroughly until lumps disappear.
- Pour the starch into boiled water, keep the solution on the fire with constant stirring for about 5 minutes, until transparent.
- Strain the liquid through cheesecloth to remove any lumps.
Where to begin?
Before you starch the dress yourself, you need to inspect it for stains and remove them. Removal of stains is carried out using folk or professional means, for example, Vanish stain remover.
If there is no stain remover in the house, you can use hydrogen peroxide. Apply the product to a clean cloth and wipe the contaminated areas.
This method removes wine, coffee, tea stains and yellow marks from sweat.
After removing the dirt, the dress is washed in a machine to remove dust and get rid of traces that were not noticed. You can also add a capful of 3% hydrogen peroxide to the machine. After this, you can starch the dress for pomp.
Starching procedure
As soon as the jelly is ready, pour it into a bowl of cold water. If you are going to soak a white skirt in the solution, you can add a little blue to refresh its tone.
Carefully lower the item into the water. The skirt or petticoat should be completely covered with the solution, but not float freely in it. Move it from side to side to completely saturate it with starch. Take the item out and squeeze it out as gently as possible, trying not to twist it. Finally, give it the desired shape and leave it on a clean, horizontal surface until completely dry. You can also use a hanger for drying.
Other methods
To starch a dress, you don't have to do it by hand. You can use a washing machine by pouring the solution into the conditioner compartment and turning on the normal wash cycle. You can also purchase ready-made products with starch for use in automatic washing. They can be in powder or conditioner form.
You can use a washing machine to starch things
The DIY solution may remain inside the washing machine. In order not to spoil things during the next wash, you need to remove the clothes treated with starch, close the machine and turn on the rinse mode. Once completed, you need to wipe the inside of the drum.
In household chemical stores you can purchase a special spray that is convenient to use to quickly make individual items of clothing lush and beautiful. This product will be indispensable for dresses decorated with embroidery. Decor that cannot be treated with starch is covered with film and then sprayed with a spray. You can starch a dress quickly and accurately by pouring liquid you prepared yourself into a spray bottle.
In stores you can purchase a special spray that is convenient to use to quickly make individual items of clothing fluffy/hard
Try starching a dress once, and you will understand how easy it is to make clothes especially beautiful without the help of specialists.
note
- If you decide to starch a multi-layered full skirt, you should not dip it completely into the mixture: the item may become excessively full. Remember also about the difficulties of caring for starched fabric after drying. In such cases, only the lower layers are usually dipped into the solution, carefully holding the upper ones.
- You can also apply the mixture to the fabric by laying the skirt out on a flat oilcloth surface or securing it on a hanger. It will take much more time, but the result will pleasantly surprise you! This item must be dried in a vertical position.
- Not only tulle products are starched. If you wish, you can add fluffiness to both cotton and linen clothes.
For what?
This method has been used for a long time. It is necessary to give shape to fluffy dresses so that they have a snow-white appearance and do not wrinkle.
Starching allows you to:
- maintain a presentable appearance: the dress wrinkles less;
- look more formal;
- keep your outfit fresh longer;
- emphasize the shape;
- give snow-whiteness;
- highlight small details.
After treating clothes with a solution, a thin film is formed on the fabric, which protects the dress from dirt and dust. A starched outfit will be easier to wash after wearing. Dirt is not absorbed, which makes stain removal much easier.
If a knitted dress is subjected to such processing, the pattern is visible more clearly, and the threads fit more tightly to each other.
Make a child's dress more elegant
With a festive children's dress, do the same as with a wedding dress. That is, petticoats are starched and then ironed. Such dresses are usually decorated with small details: ruffles, flounces, frills, which after washing look drooping and wrinkled. They should also be starched and ironed with a small iron.
We recommend: 8 ways to stretch skinny jeans
When to dry clean
The newlywed can handle light soiling herself. If the stains are complex and cannot be removed, it is better to take the item to the dry cleaner. If you can’t deal with the dirt on your outfit, use the help of professionals.
Choose your dry cleaner carefully. Use the services of those who use the latest technologies. If you use old methods, the decorative elements will fall off. It's better to pay more than to get a damaged item. Cleaning takes 3-4 days. If you choose the right dry cleaning method, your item will look like new.
After putting the dress in order, feel free to return it to the salon or sell it. Or leave it as a keepsake: admire it, remember your happy wedding day, show it to your children.
Blog author. Experience in the field of cleaning services - 11 years. I love cleanliness and order in all areas of life. Beloved wife, mother of 3 children and attentive housewife. I have tried in my practice all the methods listed on the site. glad to meet you
