Homemade starch problem

**abbieb** · 02-05-2015, 05:56 PM

I decided to try my hand at making spray starch yesterday, and it seemed all was going well until I actually tried to press my pieces and discovered a lot of the starch got burned into my iron! I didn't have this problem when using Faultless aerosol spray. I decided to give up on homemade and bought a jug of Sta-Flo, though I haven't tried it yet.

So can anyone tell me what I did wrong? I think I used a tablespoon of corn starch to two cups of water, sprayed it on, let it set for a few minutes, then pressed with the heat on cotton setting. (I tried it on a cooler setting later with not much difference.)

**Tartan** · 02-05-2015, 06:05 PM

When I make homemade starch, I put the water in a saucepan on the stove. When the water is boiling, I add the cornstarch (mixed with a bit of cold water) to the hot water and wisk. I let it cool and put it in my spray bottle. Homemade starch does not keep longer then 2 weeks for me. I have tried adding lemon juice and alcohol but it still forments eventually.
Sta-flo is the better alternative if you can get it.

**Peckish** · 02-05-2015, 08:31 PM

Spray the starch, then spritz a little bit of water on top. This works every time for me.

**Onebyone** · 02-06-2015, 05:20 AM

It's hard to get the cornstarch completely dissolved in the water. The iron steams away the water leaving the cornstarch to stick to the iron. I buy powder starch at the Walmart and StaFlo concentrate when I want to make my own stiffness level.

**Joy.lynn** · 02-06-2015, 06:08 AM

I have an old that does not steam anymore. I use it only when I use starch. Keeps my other iron clean.

**luvstoquilt301** · 02-06-2015, 06:39 AM

I use the Staflo mixed with water and have zero problems.

**pocoellie** · 02-06-2015, 07:40 AM

When your iron gets all gunky, it's because when you ironing the starch, instead of ironing the fabric.. I starch every piece of fabric I'm going to work with, at least 2 hours ahead of the time, throw it in a plastic bag, and let it sit, then I'll take it out, either line dry or throw in the dryer for a few minutes, then iron, have never had a problem with the iron getting all gunky then, I do spray mist with water since I don't use the steam on my iron. I use the Sta-Flo and mix 50/50.

**Snooze2978** · 02-06-2015, 09:18 AM

I use the home made recipe of vodka, distilled water and to make mine stiffer, I had some Sta-flo starch to it. Just made up a gallon last night to soak my fabrics for the next project. Yes, I soak my fabrics and hang them over the sink to dry over night and then iron them the next day. I use a steam iron but still spray mist them with regular water a little. This also lets me know if I have any bleeders in the bunch of fabrics before hand so I usually start with my lightest fabrics 1st and end with the darkest in case they bleed as it discolors the starch mixture which I will throw out once I'm done. I put just enough in the wash tub to soak the fabrics so I'm not wasting too much. I like my fabrics stiff as a board when I'm working on a project with thin strips in them. Next project is a log cabin using 1.75 wide strips.

I used to spray the starch onto the fabric over my ironing board so got a lot of starch build up on the pad which in turn would burn eventually onto the backside of my fabrics. I quit doing that and have washed my pad cover more frequently.

**abbieb** · 02-06-2015, 05:04 PM

Thanks for the suggestions! I will probably save myself the trouble and just use the Sta-Flo from now on

**AnitaGrossmanSolomon** · 02-06-2015, 06:50 PM

Originally Posted by abbieb

...So can anyone tell me what I did wrong? ...

When fabric is overly damp with starch solution (whether corn starch or StaFlo concentrate) residue might build up on the soleplate and burn. Perhaps that's what happened.

I once posted about my use of starch here:
http://www.marcusfabrics.com/feature...ossman_solomon

Thread: Homemade starch problem

Thread Tools

Search Thread

Display

Hybrid View

Homemade starch problem

Posting Permissions