Homemade starch recipe? (x-posted)

[julie anne]

Hi, I'm looking for a homemade starch recipe for fabric that I'm ironing. Thanks!

[nathansmum]

I don't iron or starch - but my grandmother was telling me recently how they used to make it from potatoes. Not sure of the finer details (beyond grating potato, draining off the liquid and the residue in the bottom is starch), but maybe google will throw something up for you.

[hibana]

From a 1940s homemaking book:

1 part corn starch (original recipe calls for ½ cup)

Slowly add 1 part cold water, stirring into a paste

Add 16 parts very hot water, stirring as you add

Cook about 5 minutes over low/medium heat, stirring to prevent lumps (the starch should become clearer, so cook until this happens! It always takes much longer than 5 minutes for me, but I thought I'd put the "suggested" time here for reference)

Strain, cool and put into a clean spray bottle. The recipe says to dilute to the consistency of thin cream, but I use it nearly straight. It may leave residue on your iron, but it should come off with a damp cloth and some elbow grease. (obviously, don't try to clean a hot iron!) Keep this stuff in the fridge if you aren't going to use it up in a few days, otherwise it goes bad and smells awful.

[Benji'sMom]

I think you can just boil a little dry rice in some water (like a tablespoon of rice, doesn't have to be a lot) and that makes the water starchy enough. Someone told me once (an older man) that you can boil the shirts in starchy water and that makes the shirt super duper starched.