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I have to brag on my husband for a minute today, which is something I don’t do nearly enough here on my blog! He’s a pretty terrific guy, puts up with a LOT (he’s married to me, after all), and has always done all of his own ironing.
He’s been doing so since we first got married, and while it took him awhile to get the hang of it, he’s since gotten it down to a science. He uses spray starch to keep his white dress shirts looking crisp and sharp — one Sunday, I even had a woman approach me at church to tell me she was always so impressed by how nice his shirts look.
Naturally, I smiled at her and responded, “Why, thank you!” (I told you Dave puts up with a lot.) ;-)
My curiosity compelled me to find out if I could make a decent spray starch at home, and I eventually landed on a formula that was ridiculously easy to make, worked great, and even earned Dave’s stamp of approval. Learn how to make it below!
Related: 13 Uses For Cornstarch That Go Way Beyond Cooking
For even more money-saving laundry solutions, be sure to check out my eBook The Homemade Laundry Guide! You can buy it in my shop, or download it for free if you’re an OGT Plus member!
How To Make DIY Spray Starch
You’ll need:
- 2 cups warm water
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch
- 1-2 drops essential oils (optional)
- Spray bottle
Directions:
Fill your bottle with warm water.
Add one heaping tablespoon of cornstarch. Put a lid on the jar, and shake it until the cornstarch has dissolved completely. The mixture should look a bit like skim milk.
You can also add in a couple drops of essential oil for fragrance if desired. (Lavender oil or lemon oil would be nice!)
Bonus Tip: Make it easier to make more of this spray starch with set of my spray bottle labels printed with my favorite laundry recipes (including this one!) The clear labels have the names and recipes of my favorite homemade laundry products printed on them in white text, which shows up beautifully on my go-to amber glass spray bottles.
How To Use It
Before each use, give the spray bottle a good shake. Spray the item lightly while ironing for a crisp, neat look. (A little bit of this spray goes a long way, so start with a light spritz and add a bit more if needed.)
I’ve used this spray starch on everything from cloth napkins to dress shirts, and I’m always so pleased at how well it works! I shudder to think of how much money we’ve spent on store-bought spray starches over the years, but you live and learn.
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Do you buy spray starch? Are you kicking yourself right now like I am? ;-)
