Originally Posted by Shelbie
Are any of these liquid starches available in Canada? In the last couple of months, I bet I've checked at least 10 grocery stores including Walmart and the only starch that I've found is Easy On Spray starch in a blue can at $2.49 in a grocery store right near the army base. I guess they have to starch and press their dress uniforms. I can buy Best Press at $9.99 for a small bottle. We have a Mennonite grocery store about 30 miles away and when I asked there she asked me if I wanted to iron my husband's go to the meeting shirt or bake cookies? They usually have starch but were out. I guess I'll keep trying.
Actually, I think most of the powdered laundry starches are just cornstarch -- the same stuff you use for cooking. I just Googled because I have always wondered if there was a different old-fashioned powdered starch than the cornstarch recipes that people have posted. Found Argo and Peal powdered laundry starches, and it looks to me as if they are just powdered cornstarch in a larger box or bag.
As I mentioned before, I buy Sta-Flo liquid laundry starch in a blue quart jug. I just went upstairs and pulled my jug to look at the contents: water, corn starch, borax, processing aids, preservative, ironing aid, perfume. So, even the commercial liquid starch is primarily corn starch!
As others have mentioned, there are other forms of starch too. One website even gave directions on how to make potato starch. You start by peeling the potato!