goaf1968

This is an interesting, brief article I was reading in an old booklet put out by Gulfwax back in what looks like the 1960s. It was about decorative candle making.

"Starching: For a smooth finish, add 1 to 2 teaspoons of Gulfwax to each quart of hot starch (depending on finish desired), and boil for five minutes."

"Ironing: Rub hot iron over a piece of Gulfwax, wrapped in a cloth, to make it smooth and bright."

QUESTION: What, exactly, does paraffin wax have to do with starching/ironing, and why would someone want to introduce a potentially flammable product into something that would end up on clothes or quilts?

Any thoughts on this?

Terry -- in Northern Delaware

quilter1943

NOt sure unless to make something stiffer. In the 60's we wore stiffly starched cotton shirts -- UGH. Remember my boyfriends mother ironing his shirts -- it was quite a process back then. Don't think there was even non-flammable fabric then for clothing. I was still at university so I wasn't in the least domestic.

quilter1943

It would make the iron glide over the fabric more easily if they ironed over the wax wrapped in cloth.

frugalfabrics

..that's funny. I remember my mom putting paraffin wax in a cotton towel and running it across the bottom of her iron. she said it removed all the gunk on the bottom of the iron.

I tried it once and it didn't do anything for me.

quilter1943

Don't you think it's because we have such different surfaces on our irons now?

frugalfabrics

Could be...I have no idea.

I remember her iron being super heavy and huge!

The one I have now is a teflon, cheap plastic made one.

OHSue

First of all folks didn't worry about potentially flamable things back then.
In addition people starched a lot of things besides clothes. I remember doing the ironing as a kid and starching a lot of household linens with lacy edges. They were starched to a very stiff finish, so maybe having some wax in there would help, but can't really think it would be much stiffer than starch. I do remember the rubbing wax on the bottom of the iron thing. Later on my mom would run the iron over a piece of waxed paper.
I guess you should take into consideration who the info came from, they were just trying to sell more parafin.

GwynR

I remember my mom ironing waxed paper too and she had me doing it too. I had forgotten all about that. Tomorrow I will call her and ask why!