Liquid starch

[eddy1210]

I just learned that Canada's only brand of liquid laundry starch (Glide) has been discontined. I am quite dismayed at this as I used it all the time, I much prefer the liquid starch to spray starch. My question is for the U.S. members, is liquid starch still available in the U.S. anywhere? I heard that there was a brand called Linit that still produced it. And what about the European and Australian members, can you buy liquid starch or do you only have the spray and iron type?
Eddy

 

[washendry]

Starch

We have Sta Puf liquid starch here in Michigan, its about $2.99
for 1/2 gallon jug, I use it all the time, would you like some shipped to you? let me know
Kim

 

[retromom]

Starch Still Here!

Hi Eddy!

I believe we have Niagra liquid starch as well as the generic store brand. Some people use it to adhere fabric to walls. It is more temporary and less damaging than wallpaper.

Let me know if you need some.

Venus

 

[westyslantfront]

hi eddy......we have linit liquid starch here in tucson, arizona....let me know if you need some..........ross

 

[petek]

I've never used liquid starch before just the spray type and usually use the spray sizing as it's a bit lighter. To tell the truth I can't remember even seeing liquid starch in the stores, where were you buying it Eddy and I'll take a look around here if there's any still on the shelves.
Now for all you laundry professors why not a home-made concotion using corn or potato starch as that's probably all that's in the stuff anyways with maybe some perfume added?

 

[veg-o-matic]

We have Austin liquid starch here. Lemme know if you want some.

veg

 

[angus]

Here in the Northeast we have Linit and Sta-Flo. Not very available though. Most big supermarkets don't carry either. However, smaller independents do. At our local Kmart, I have also found Faultless liquid starch. OF the three, that is the one I currently like best. But KMart doesn't always have it in stock. It is more concentrated than Sta Flo or Linit - I have never liked Linit. And Sta Flo is OK. My absolute favorite for liquid starching was Vano. Also a very concentrated product and a great fragrance. That was a Purex product available only on the West coast. When I was working a lot in LA I would ship cases home. But then Dial acquired Purex and Staley (makers of Sta Flo) and the Vano was gone. Still have 4 half gallons left.

Truth is no one really wet starches anymore or irons for that matter. I myself however still have the pants stretchers my mother used for years on my father's and grandfathers's cotton pants. And nothing irons like cottons and linens that have been wet starched, line dried, dampened and refrigerated. Perfect results every time.

 

[chachp]

We were just talking about that!

Terry and I were talking about starched shirts in the frig. I can remember when I was little I'd find shirts rolled up in the frig waiting to be ironed. Terry said you can actually get better results if you put them in the freezer. I don't think my Mom ever did that.

My Mom eventally started taking my Dad's shirts to the cleaners. I guess the process got to be too much. It sure sounded like a lot of work.

 

[scott55405]

Yeah, as much as I like laundry, I definitely did not get the ironing gene. I can do it properly, at least as far as shirts and flat work go, I just don't want to do it.

In Minnesota, you could get the StaFlo liquid. I haven't looked out here. I'm sure the sprays are around but not sure about starch mixes. I used the StaFlo for some curtains one time. Haven't seen the boxed Niagra in a long time though. I bet there are some starches to be had on the internet.

 

[DADoES]

I think Niagra powder is still around here. My grandmother sometimes uses it, makes up a batch and stores it in the freezer. She used to dampen shirts and chill them overnight, but doesn't do the chilling part any more.

 

[eddy1210]

thanks for the responses

It's good to hear from you all and am happy that it is still available in the US. My next trip down across the line I will look for some at Kmart and let you all know how I do. Pete, I was buying it at Safeway here but Stongs and several other stores carried it too. Let me know if you come across any. I haven't been to Calgary in ages. BTW, I found my '58 pink GE in a shop in Edmonton!

 

[appnut]

Have Sta-flo here too. No other liquid as such.

 

[foraloysius]

Overhere in the Netherlands there is only spray starch left. A while ago when I was in Germany I had a look at starches in a supermarket and much to my surprise they still had several kinds of powdered starch including a rice based one. No liquids though.

 

[launderess]

Rice Based Laundry Starch

Is streets ahead of corn based, at least for shirts and linens.

Haven't bought the liquid based starch in ages, as I prefer rice based, however yes, corn starch is corn starch. You can buy powdered Faultless or Argo starch and mix up your own to your liking, or mix to make "spray starch".

Liquid starch is nothing more than laundry corn starch with borax, scent, "ironing aids" and perservatives. If you can find powdered corn starch, you can make laundry starch, but one has to know how to make "cooked/boiled" starch as the powdered starch must be cooked to make the starch better for laundry. Hot or boiled starch is streets ahead of spray starch, and even liquid starch added to the final rinse water or separate starch rinse is better than spray starch.

Back in the glory days of laundry, when it took three days of boiling, scrubbing, washing, and ironing, there were several types of starches used for laundry. Each was chosen depending upon the items to be starched. Potato, rice, corn, arrow root, and, arabic gum were all used.

By the way, speaking of "the good old days", there was a time (up until the 1950's or so), when EVERYTHING, included brassieres, and men's shorts that was laundered was ironed and starched if it was cotton. Many wives, either out of not knowing, or perhaps to get their own back on their husbands would put heavy starch on the man's shorts. Thus the joke about someone having "starch in their shorts", since the resulting effect was very uncomfortable.

Am told starch still sells well below the Mason-Dixon line. Iindeed Texas seems to be the starch leader, where heavily starched and creased shorts are the norm.

Launderess

 

[jamiel]

Other reason that it sells well in the south is pica, which is a disease/condition in which you crave eating dry starch. The thought is that it's a dietary deficiency creating the compulsion to eat the starch.

 

[michaelman2]

Laundress is right...there is no shortage of powder,liquid and of course spray starches in the south. I still put a cup of liquid starch in the fabric softner dispenser for my sheets. This gives them just enough body when they are pressed. Jamiel...that compulsion to eat starch is wild..I have heard of people eating clay and other odd things.

 

[Unimatic1140]

Hi Eddy, I looked in the supermarket yesterday and yes we do have Sta-Flo liquid starch here.

 

[rayjay]

Linit Starch

In Jersey, we have Linit Starch.

 

[tomturbomatic]

All of mine is in IV packs for my monthly wrist infusions.

 

[frontaloadotmy]

monthly shmunthly

try daily!!!!

 

[golittlesport]

I can remember my mom starching my dad's white dress shirts. She used Linit starch and had to mix it in a jar before adding to the washer. Our Westinghouse Laundromat had a "starch" setting/cycle on the dial. After a while, however, she got over it and sent his shirts to the laundry.

 

[gmpayne]

Sta-flo here in Indy.
I prefer cooking my starch. I order Fautless online from Long Ago. Have to buy it by the case. I feel it is much cheaper buying the Faltless and cooking it. Three heaping tablespoon full in a cup of water, add to pan of boiling water, cook until clear. Mix with 2/3 sink full of water and dip items. Wring them out by hand, and i spin them in my Frid-more F/L.
Spins them dry, ready to iron

 

[sudsmaster]

About 10 years ago I got into starching my office dress shirts - a woman at work would OOOH and AAAH over them.

I recall trying to make my own liquid starch. I think I just dissovled corn starch in warm water. It worked well enough - I guess the "cooking" was completed during the ironing process, albeit with some flaking.

One of these days I'll try gmpayne's recipe.

As I recall from cooking... cornstarch is a bit unique in that it only thickens once. After first cooking it, it thickens. If you let it cool, and cook it again, it will thin. Weird.

Rice starch is available; I may try that someday. A super starch is lotus root powder. I bought some at an asian grocery a while back, and it thickens far more readily than cornstarch. It might make a good laundry starch too.

 

[launderess]

Thing with corn starch for is it never totally launders out of fabric, which can lead to build up. This what causes yellowing and items to turn hard and scratchy. Also over use of corn based starches cause laundry to wear out faster. This is because the large molecular size of corn starch actually abrade and eventually weaken fibers. This is why many makers of fine men's shirts advise against the use of laundry starch, or suggest it not be used at each laundering.

L.

 

[sudsmaster]

The pica for corn starch and chalk is thought to be due to a nutritional need for minerals.

This need is answered by the custom in some cultures of actually collecting and eating mineral rich clay soil. It is more or less sanitary, selected from outcroppings that are not contaminated by toxic substances. These clays may also function to help absorb toxins in the body, in a way similar to the clay based Kaopectate.

Birds such as tropical parrots also eat clay to help detoxify substances in the various foods they eat.