Laundry starch
With laundry starch (also laundry stiffness ), lat. Amylum , the tissue of laundry and clothing from is linen and cotton yarns after washing treated to bring it to solidify and form. In addition, the laundry starch is considered "dirt-repellent". While in the past laundry starch was mostly mixed by yourself, today there are ready-made laundry starch in various forms, in liquid form or as a spray, and with fragrances . The stiffening of the laundry is based on the physical effect of the starch gelatinizing when heated.
history
According to Meyer's Konversationslexikon of 1895, starching linen became fashionable in England in the 16th century:
- “The fashion of starch is not as old as many might think. It is said to have come up first at the court of the 'Virgin Queen' Elizabeth of England . The inventor was a Dutch woman, Mrs. Guilheem. She knew how to cover up a small flaw in the bust of the high mistress with artfully stiffened collars and mad pleats. The noble ones imitated the costume […] ”.
The laundry, which was almost dry and then carefully smoothed, was strengthened, as otherwise wrinkles were permanently fixed. In general, starching has long been a real luxury that should not only give shape to the laundry, but also hairstyles (hair powder) and confectionery products.
Many housewives used starch made from potatoes or rice for starch; in the 19th century the first ready-made laundry starch came onto the market. Products from Hoffmann's starch factories came onto the market in Germany in 1876 and developed into well-known branded articles. Above all, the collars and cuffs on men's shirts , ruffles on blouses , aprons , bed linen , curtains and tablecloths were strengthened .
Katharina Prato gives detailed instructions on starch in her book Instructions for domestic business , the seventh edition of which was published in Graz in 1899 . It says:
- "For starches (stiffening) of the large laundry is usually takes [...] potato starch [...] In order to give [...] the laundry gloss, it is also something white wax in the water [...] is allowed to the strength then to excessive heat boil until bubbles form, because if you boil it too little, it has no strength […], then presses it through a cloth […] into a bowl and dips the still damp items one after the other as long as the starch is still warm [ …] If you use the starch cold or if the laundry is starched dry, the ironed will get patchy spots. [...] "
Starchy products turn a deep blue when treated with iodine tincture.
present
Today, the original treatment is no longer generally used, as the quality of the textiles has been improved and the so-called finish ensures dimensional stability. Nowadays, so-called cold starch is used for the treatment of laundry, in particular cotton shirts, which is sprayed and ironed onto the laundry during ironing.
Starching has become rare in private households today, which is also due to the increased use of synthetic fibers in textiles. In laundries and in some cases also privately, however, laundry starch is still used for bed and table linen , napkins , blouses, aprons and hats.
Even today, some of the starch is made in-house, from potato, corn or rice starch. The advantage of the natural starch is that it does not contain any fragrances or preservatives which could cause intolerance in allergy sufferers and which can be perceived as annoying. Starch comes in several forms, such as:
Pure starch dissolved in water
Spray starch
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- Pure Starch - Pure starch in dry form is dissolved in cold or warm water and used in a bucket or put in the washing machine.
- Liquid starch - liquid starch is put directly into the washing machine or into the appropriate compartment for washing .
- Starch spray - spray starch is only sprayed onto the laundry when ironing.
In addition to starch, liquid starch and starch sprays often contain fragrances and preservatives and sometimes other additives such as lubricants. Commercially available starch products are offered in four strengths, whereby the light strength 1 is usually used for underwear and terry goods, the highest dosage for tablecloths and serviettes, which thus reliably retain their shape even with complicated folds.
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Felix Rehwald: The starch production and the production of dextrose. Vienna 1876. [1]
- ↑ Felix Rehwald: The starch production and the production of dextrose. Vienna 1876, p. 1 [2] .
- ↑ Quoted from: History of laundry washing - strength of the laundry. waeschepflegemuseum.at, accessed on June 24, 2013.
- ↑ anzug-lexikon.de: Laundry starch for post-treatment of laundry as crease protection.
- ↑ Useful information about laundry starch and laundry detergent , accessed on January 12, 2015.