Starch water for sarees

kalyani68 · May 23rd, 2008, 02:26

Okay, this isn't exactly about food but it's somewhat related.
I would like to get a recipe for making the starch water used to add body and crispness to cotton clothing and sarees. I know that rice, sabudana (tapioca) or barley water can be used but I need a recipe. Normally, it would be the water left from cooking rice but the way we cook ours leaves no water behind. Any suggestions?

Nick-H · May 23rd, 2008, 02:59

Can you not use the starch sold for laundry?

MangoKulfi · May 23rd, 2008, 04:00

In the US you get a spray starch. You can use that for saris too. Just spray and iron.

Madhu10 · May 23rd, 2008, 04:48

Also at India stores you get Starch powder. You put that in boiling water and then use that. But have to be careful to do it evenly.

I have never done sarees but used it on cotton shirts. But the best so far is to use the starch spray. Not very strong but very convinient.

kalyani68 · May 27th, 2008, 03:47

I have been using the spray starch. Even the heavy-duty kind does not give enough crispness and the nozzle is always clogging. Its also hard to get the spray on evenly. I was just thinking if I got a starch bath going, I could dunk several items at once and be done with it. I'm also just curious to know how it was done in the old days.

Madhu10 · May 27th, 2008, 04:08

In old days from what I remember is that when one was cooking rice they would use that water. This is when you cook rice the "drain" method and not absorption method. That throwaway water was used to starch clothes. To get evenly they would dunk the whole garment in this water stir and even boil a bit (i think that just damages the cotton in the end) and then evenly dry it in blazing sun. It needs to dry fast otherwise it smells a bit.

Gardener972 · Jul 1st, 2008, 07:59

My grandmothers, aunts & mother used to starch their doilies with sugarwater.

Nick-H · Jul 1st, 2008, 11:58

really? In a humid atmosphere I'd expect that to be a permanent syrup, and get filthy in minutes!

May 23rd, 2008, 02:26	#1
kalyani68 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Midwest USA Posts: 211	Starch water for sarees Okay, this isn't exactly about food but it's somewhat related. I would like to get a recipe for making the starch water used to add body and crispness to cotton clothing and sarees. I know that rice, sabudana (tapioca) or barley water can be used but I need a recipe. Normally, it would be the water left from cooking rice but the way we cook ours leaves no water behind. Any suggestions? __________________ My Travel Blog- South India Dec. 2007 www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/wildcat007

May 23rd, 2008, 02:59	#2
Nick-H Loud-mouthed, Noisy Bird Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 26,923	Can you not use the starch sold for laundry? __________________ . Just one member of the IndiaMike Mod Team

May 23rd, 2008, 04:48	#4
Madhu10 Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: On the road (at home in San Francisco, Hyderabad and Goa ) Posts: 96	Also at India stores you get Starch powder. You put that in boiling water and then use that. But have to be careful to do it evenly. I have never done sarees but used it on cotton shirts. But the best so far is to use the starch spray. Not very strong but very convinient. __________________ Flickring away.... http://www.flickr.com/photos/80145936@N00/

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May 23rd, 2008, 04:00	#3
MangoKulfi Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: USA Posts: 60	In the US you get a spray starch. You can use that for saris too. Just spray and iron.

May 27th, 2008, 03:47	#5
kalyani68 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Midwest USA Posts: 211	I have been using the spray starch. Even the heavy-duty kind does not give enough crispness and the nozzle is always clogging. Its also hard to get the spray on evenly. I was just thinking if I got a starch bath going, I could dunk several items at once and be done with it. I'm also just curious to know how it was done in the old days.

May 27th, 2008, 04:08	#6
Madhu10 Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: On the road (at home in San Francisco, Hyderabad and Goa ) Posts: 96	In old days from what I remember is that when one was cooking rice they would use that water. This is when you cook rice the "drain" method and not absorption method. That throwaway water was used to starch clothes. To get evenly they would dunk the whole garment in this water stir and even boil a bit (i think that just damages the cotton in the end) and then evenly dry it in blazing sun. It needs to dry fast otherwise it smells a bit.

Jul 1st, 2008, 07:59	#7
Gardener972 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Dallas, Texas USA Posts: 321	My grandmothers, aunts & mother used to starch their doilies with sugarwater.

Jul 1st, 2008, 11:58	#8
Nick-H Loud-mouthed, Noisy Bird Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 26,923	really? In a humid atmosphere I'd expect that to be a permanent syrup, and get filthy in minutes!

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