Homemade spray starch and other hot ironing tips

 Some clothes when left behind in the dryer can set in more wrinkles than necessary. It is a good practice to remove them as quickly as possible to prevent those added wrinkles. With busy lives we aren’t always there when the signal beeps on the dryer. In that case there is a way to remove those stubborn wrinkles.The first one has been around for ages. Have a spray bottle or sprinkler bottle with some distilled water to give the clothing a light spritz when ironing. That little added dampness will serve as a huge help when wrinkles are stubborn and deeply set into the fabric.A quick way to get your ironing done is to place a piece of aluminum foil under the cover on the ironing board. The foil sheet can also be placed under the garment that needs to be ironed too. The aluminum foil will work as a heat conductor and will help iron out the wrinkles on the opposite side of the clothing while ironing the opposite side.  Now when you flip over a sleeve or pants leg it will be wrinkle free and save you half the time ironing clothes.When you have delicate fabrics or tough fabrics to iron there is no reason to worry.  For silks, corduroy and cashmere just turn the items inside out and iron on the wrong side. This will prevent snags, burns and added wrinkles that the iron seems to add when the fabric bunches up if ironing too fast.For cotton, lace and other delicate fabrics just place a slightly damp cloth over the top of the item and iron the cloth or thin towel instead of the actual item itself. This will help get the wrinkles out and won’t damage the most delicate of fabrics from the irons touch. No one ever thinks of cleaning out the water receptacle on an iron. This is where the water is poured in and should be a big concern. Mineral and salt deposits from tap water collect in here when distilled water isn’t used and can not only damage the iron but will damage clothing when the steam hits the material and leaves brownish colored stains behind.For the avid ironer cleaning the water receptacle should be done monthly. For those who iron randomly then clean the water receptacle every few months.  All you have to do is fill the water receptacle with white vinegar. Set the iron on the steam setting for 5 minutes. Have a towel on the side to press with some of the steam while the vinegar is still in the iron. Turn the iron off. Then flush out the white vinegar with water a few times. Re-set the iron with the water on steam for 5 more minutes and press the towel again to make sure the steamy water is coming out the vents clear so when you iron next there won’t be any stained clothing to fret over. Each week after ironing the base or bottom of the iron should be cleaned off to prevent build up of gunk, starch particles and discoloration from forming which will after time ruin clothing when pressed.Just take a clean cloth and dampen it with white vinegar. Then wipe down the base of the iron to keep it shining and clean. A Mr. Clean magic eraser is also a great item to use to clean the base of the iron on a weekly basis too.If the bottom of the iron is really dirty then you need to mix together 2 tablespoons of salt and 2 tablespoons of white vinegar together to form a paste. Use this paste to polish the bottom plate. The grit from the salt will aid in removing even the stubborn stains and stuck on stuff from the iron.Another trick is to place some table salt over a brown paper bag or waxed paper upon the ironing board. Then set the iron to warm without steam (dry iron) and press the iron back and forth over the salted bag. The salt granules will scrub off the residue on the bottom of the iron so the iron will glide smoothly and save time during the ironing process.View the list »
Homemade spray starch and other hot ironing tips

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Ironing is one of those chores that most put on the back burner until. It is a tiring job if it is left till the laundry basket is overflowing. Most items can be ironed with just steam to remove all the wrinkles but others require a little more help to get them pressed out. That is when we reach for the aerosol can of spray starch. Now we can still starch certain items without the expense of canned starch from the stores. Homemade spray starch is easy to make in your own kitchen for pennies. One can save a lot of money making their own spray starch instead of buying bottles and cans every month.

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As we all know aerosol cans aren’t good for the environment. The less of these we use the better. Here we can also re-purpose an empty spray bottle. Now there will also be one less plastic bottle in the recycling bin because it now has a new and useful purpose. It will hold your spray starch and is easy to use with the trigger pump. Now whenever you need to starch a shirt you will know exactly how much is on hand, something you can’t judge with an aerosol can and be ready to get though that laundry basket of clothes that need ironing.

Homemade spray starch recipe

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon of cornstarch
  • ½ cup of water
  • 1 spray bottle

Directions:

  1. In a medium sized sauce pan mix together the cornstarch and the water.
  2. Heat on a medium flame until the starch solution is smooth and transparent. (Do not boil!) Keep a whisk handy to stir up any lumps that might form.
  3. Once the homemade starch is done heating and is mixed just right remove the pan from the stove and set aside to cool.
  4. After the starch is cooled transfer it to a clean spray bottle.
  5. Enjoy the savings!

Iron maintenance is very important and easy: Check out the list to find out all the extra how-to tips necessary when using an iron.

© 2013 Beverly Mucha / All Rights Reserved

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  •  Each week after ironing the base or bottom of the iron should be cleaned off to prevent build up of gunk, starch particles and discoloration from forming which will after time ruin clothing when pressed.Just take a clean cloth and dampen it with white vinegar. Then wipe down the base of the iron to keep it shining and clean. A Mr. Clean magic eraser is also a great item to use to clean the base of the iron on a weekly basis too.If the bottom of the iron is really dirty then you need to mix together 2 tablespoons of salt and 2 tablespoons of white vinegar together to form a paste. Use this paste to polish the bottom plate. The grit from the salt will aid in removing even the stubborn stains and stuck on stuff from the iron.Another trick is to place some table salt over a brown paper bag or waxed paper upon the ironing board. Then set the iron to warm without steam (dry iron) and press the iron back and forth over the salted bag. The salt granules will scrub off the residue on the bottom of the iron so the iron will glide smoothly and save time during the ironing process.
  •  No one ever thinks of cleaning out the water receptacle on an iron. This is where the water is poured in and should be a big concern. Mineral and salt deposits from tap water collect in here when distilled water isn’t used and can not only damage the iron but will damage clothing when the steam hits the material and leaves brownish colored stains behind.For the avid ironer cleaning the water receptacle should be done monthly. For those who iron randomly then clean the water receptacle every few months.  All you have to do is fill the water receptacle with white vinegar. Set the iron on the steam setting for 5 minutes. Have a towel on the side to press with some of the steam while the vinegar is still in the iron. Turn the iron off. Then flush out the white vinegar with water a few times. Re-set the iron with the water on steam for 5 more minutes and press the towel again to make sure the steamy water is coming out the vents clear so when you iron next there won’t be any stained clothing to fret over.
  •  Some clothes when left behind in the dryer can set in more wrinkles than necessary. It is a good practice to remove them as quickly as possible to prevent those added wrinkles. With busy lives we aren’t always there when the signal beeps on the dryer. In that case there is a way to remove those stubborn wrinkles.The first one has been around for ages. Have a spray bottle or sprinkler bottle with some distilled water to give the clothing a light spritz when ironing. That little added dampness will serve as a huge help when wrinkles are stubborn and deeply set into the fabric.A quick way to get your ironing done is to place a piece of aluminum foil under the cover on the ironing board. The foil sheet can also be placed under the garment that needs to be ironed too. The aluminum foil will work as a heat conductor and will help iron out the wrinkles on the opposite side of the clothing while ironing the opposite side.  Now when you flip over a sleeve or pants leg it will be wrinkle free and save you half the time ironing clothes.When you have delicate fabrics or tough fabrics to iron there is no reason to worry.  For silks, corduroy and cashmere just turn the items inside out and iron on the wrong side. This will prevent snags, burns and added wrinkles that the iron seems to add when the fabric bunches up if ironing too fast.For cotton, lace and other delicate fabrics just place a slightly damp cloth over the top of the item and iron the cloth or thin towel instead of the actual item itself. This will help get the wrinkles out and won’t damage the most delicate of fabrics from the irons touch.
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Writing has been a part of Beverly’s life since the early days of grade school and has continued on through nursing and business school. Writing is an educational experience that is best shared. As a wife, mother and homemaker, there are many things that affect Beverly’s life, family, and...

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