I use a lot of spray starch during quiltmaking. Once upon a time (just this year) was able to purchase Niagara Starch in a non-aerosol plastic spray bottle. Now the stores no longer carry starch in this type of bottle, they are back to the cans. I would like to empty the contents of the aerosol can into the plastic sray bottle. Does anybody know how to do this? Mickie
Good Morning Micki
Have you tried Sta-Flo liquid starch. It comes in a 64 oz bottle. I buy it at most grocery stores and of course Walmart. It equals 7 cans of spray starch.
It has the formula for light, medium or heavy starch printed on the label.
I haven't seen Niagra in anything other than spray cans for many years. As a matter of fact I can't find it in the box either. The first thing I learned to cook was Niagra starch. :>}.
A word of caution, those cans are pressurized and might go boom if you try to open them.
Kate T. South Mississippi
Howdy!
Why not make your own starch? Then you can add it to your spray bottle, saving the cost & disposal of the aerosol cans.
There's no way to do it safely. But you can buy liquid starch in bottles and dilute it to suit your needs, and use it in any spray bottle. I use that all the time for quilting and when I iron my clothes.
Sometimes the nozzle clogs, but a quick rinse in water seems to put it right again.
You can still get the boxed starch you have to cook, I buy it here NAYY, it lasts a *long* time!
I also mix my own starch from the jug of liquid to put in a hand pump spray bottle, haven't bought the aerosol kind in years. One little tip; after you get done for the day unscrew the spray top gizmo, put the long tube in a glass of HOT water and give it few good sprays until the water runs clean and then rinse the nozzle thingy with hot water. This keeps the starch from drying and gumming things up so that the next time you use it you get a spray instead of a drippy stream from the dried clog.
I still cook up the powdered starch to do my grandmother's doilies, it just seems to work better than even dipping them in the undiluted liquid for some reason.
Val
Mickie, when I want to use spray starch I use regular liquid starch, diluted to the strength I want, in a regular spray bottle. Lots less expensive than the cans, and I can have a very heavy or much lighter starch as I choose. Do keep the mixed liquid in the fridge though, because it can go moldy if left out for any length of time.
Pati, in Phx
Mickie Swall wrote:
Here in the Swamp, we would have to be creative about cooking or diluting starch. The well water is so loaded with stuff that the starch would possibly discolor the fabric. A good reason to drink beer. Don't know if beer would work with starch or not. Polly
Aren't 'carbs' a starch?......so with the proper quantity and combination of starchy pretzels *with* the beer even the gators wouldn't give a flippen hoot if the iron ever got plugged in.
Val
That's what I use, too. I like it because you can mix it up as stiff as you want. Plus, it's more economical. It just works better. There's really no reason that I know of why spray starch has to be in an aerosol can. And, thanks to Pati for the tip about keeping it in the fridge! I did not know this! I *had* noticed a funky odor developed if I didn't use it all that day. I'd just be sure not to mix up too much, and throw out what was left over in the bottle. It *never* occured to me that was mold! Duh!
Sherry
Just remember that the basis for starch is cornstarch. It is a food product and needs to be treated as such. Also why you don't want to store starched fabric, bugs like the starch too.
Pati, in Phx
Sherry wrote:
Try my recipe for spray starch for all your pressing/piecing needs. Produces a super flat stable quilt: Dissolve half a teaspoon (or 1 teaspoon - you can always dilute it) of regular Argo cornstarch (in your cupboard probably) in a few tablespoons of cold water in a heat proof 2-cup measuring pitcher like Pyrex. Add boiling water to make one cup, stirring constantly. Then add cold water to the 2 cup line. Let cool and use in a pump spray bottle. Shake it every time you spray. You may have to dilute it a little if it is too thick or builds up white flakes. Lasts a week or so as there are no preservatives, no chemicals, no nothing that harms us or the environment, and it's practically free, except for the spray bottle! Don't starch fabrics for storage as it will attract critters such as centipedes, and mice. Works especially well for quilt backing fabric so the quilt will move freely.
This info is from Diane Gaudynski's webpage.
Elly - in England, cornstarch is cornflour - in the US, it is not. Wheatflour in England is regular flour and is NOT wheat starch - Confusing, isn't it? I haven't seen wheat starch in Canada either but tapioca and potato starch are available. You could try out the recipe using more cornflour (UK) or google search another free recipe for spray starch - there are other pages which offer this type of recipe. jennellh
Opps! Thanks for correcting my slip!! I confess, I didn't understand the English! Sorry! Barbara in SC
back to the cans.
plastic sray bottle.
Lakeland
Sally at the Seaside~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~uk
Elly wrote:
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