Using corn starch for your laundry: 3 useful and affordable ways to take advantage of this common ingredient
Corn starch is used for many dishes in the kitchen, as it is an excellent thickener which gives the right consistency to sweet and savory sauces. There are also those who use it instead of flour to make crispy fries. It is easily found in all supermarkets and we probably already have a pack in the pantry. But why limit yourself to just using it in the kitchen, when it can also be useful in other situations?
For laundry and more, starch is a very low cost ally that is worth trying. Read on to find out more:
Grease stains on clothes
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Before putting a garment in the washing machine which is stained with sauce, oil or other greasy and oily substances, try to eliminate the bulk of the dirt by absorbing it using corn starch.
- Put the garment flat on a surface.
- Sprinkle the stain with corn starch, but without rubbing in or tapping down.
- Leave the starch to act so that it absorbs as much of the oily or greasy stain as possible: generally, it takes at least ten minutes but half an hour is recommended.
- Now remove the bulk of the corn starch which will have absorbed the stain.
- Proceed with a regular wash.
Combat bad smells
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Corn starch can also be used in some DIY air fresheners because, like baking soda, it can absorb smelly odors.
- Sprinke corn starch on the smelly areas of clothing when you can't wash them immediately.
- If you want to make a deodorizing spray, fill a half-liter spray bottle with cold water, stir in a tablespoon of cornstarch and if you want, add a few drops (5 will be fine) of an essential oil of your choice. Shake well each time you use it and spray on the clothes.
- A variant of the latter remedy involves the use of distilled white vinegar or a pure alcohol such as vodka (low quality will be fine, as long as it is not flavored) mixed in equal parts with water.
Starching
As the name implies, we cannot fail to mention the traditional use of this very fine powder: to starch laundry.
- Fill a 500ml spray bottle with cold water.
- Add 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and let it dissolve completely.
- Close the bottle and shake very well (before each use).
- Spray on clothes like any other starching product when you do the ironing.
Do not keep corn starch for more than a month (so prepare corn starch-based products in smaller quantities). Do you know of any other ways to use cornstarch?
