An old shirt is not a death sentence, so you shouldn’t immediately replace it with a new product. You can return to its previous appearance and make your shirt suitable for daily use again using an old forgotten method.
Starching shirts
Starch was widely popular in ancient times. People treated their clothes with it to give it an elegant and solemn look. However, this is not the only reason to use the powder. Starching has a strong effect on the structure of the fabric, making the product more resistant to various damages.
How does starching affect a shirt?
During the processing of the material, starch penetrates deeply into the fabric fibers, filling the spaces between them, providing a number of advantages:
- Due to the compaction of the texture, the shirt takes on a fresh look and may not wear out for a long time.
- Starched items can not wrinkle for a long time.
- During ironing with a hot iron, the starch layer becomes denser, giving the product additional whiteness.
- A powdery solution of starch forms a ball on top of the shirt, which protects the clothing from contamination. During washing, this film dissolves in water along with dust.
Important! Starched clothing is not intended for frequent use, especially in hot weather. A dense layer of starch prevents the body from breathing, having a negative effect on the human body.
What men's shirts can be starched?
You can starch only products made from natural fabrics, the surface of which is covered with small interfiber cells where starch particles are located. These include:
- thin materials (chiffon, cambric);
- dense fabrics (cotton).
Synthetic shirts do not have a porous structure, so the starching process does not make sense for them.
Reference! You can process not only white products. Colored materials are also susceptible to starch. However, it should be remembered that multi-colored shirts must be ironed on the reverse side to avoid leaving iron marks.
How to make a paste for starching clothes at home
When preparing paste, you must first take into account the material from which the clothes are made. Depending on the density of the tissue, the concentration of the solution preparation changes:
Soft method, used for processing light natural fabrics
- Pour 1 liter of cold purified liquid into two containers.
- Dilute a teaspoon of starch in one of the containers and make sure there are no lumps.
- Place another vessel with water on the fire and bring to a boil, gradually adding the solution with powder
- Cook the mixture for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. The result should be a transparent, homogeneous product.
The middle method is used for starching items made from natural cotton.
- Pour 0.5 liters of chilled water into two identical containers.
- In the first, stir 1 tablespoon of starch until completely dissolved.
- Boil water in a second bowl and gradually pour in well-mixed starch.
- Boil the paste for about 3 minutes until a clear liquid is obtained.
Hard method, intended for starching shirts made of dense material, as well as for processing cuffs and collars
- Add a tablespoon of water at room temperature to two tablespoons of starch in a container. Grind the mixture until a homogeneous paste forms.
- Dissolve 15 g of salt in a glass of boiling water.
- Pour the saline solution into the starch slurry and boil over low heat for about three minutes.
- Let the solution sit for an hour.
A method based on a soap solution, which is used for light types of fabrics
Attention! You can get rid of lumps of starch by straining the paste through cheesecloth. It is not recommended to expose starched items to moisture, as the product will have to be washed and the processing process repeated again.
How to prepare a shirt for starching
Before starting work, it is necessary to wash and remove contaminated stains from the shirt, since yellowness or dirt may remain and spoil the entire appearance of the finished product. It is recommended to pay attention to the following points:
- It is better to wash cotton items in hot water, after soaking them for a while. After washing, apply double rinse.
- Light fabrics do not require pre-soaking, and when washing, you can select a low mode. You can rinse such products by hand.
How to starch a shirt yourself
In order for the process of starching things to be successful and quickly, you must follow the basic rules while working:
- depending on the fabric of the shirt, you need to prepare the appropriate paste;
- Place the product in the prepared mixture for 35 minutes;
- remove the item from the solution, hang it on a trempel and dry at room temperature;
- during the drying process, it is necessary to sprinkle the shirt with clean water every 3 hours;
- Without waiting for complete drying, the wet product should be ironed well.
Important! After treatment, items should not be hung near a radiator or in the sun, as the fabric will subsequently not be able to be smoothed out.
Useful tips for starching shirts at home
Basic tips that will greatly facilitate the work process without reducing the effectiveness of the result:
- To starch several products at the same time, you can use a washing machine. To do this, you need to pour a starch solution into the conditioner compartment, without adding any cleaning agents. Then set the washing program and, when finished, pull out the items.
- For a glossy shade, you can add melted stearin to the starch.
- Table salt mixed with the solution will add shine to the fabric.
- You should not dry laundry after starching in the cold, as it will be difficult to iron it out.
The process of processing shirts today is not in demand among the population, but the end result of conventional starching of things exceeds all expectations, leaving behind modern methods used in dry cleaners.
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