It may be interesting to know
that starching originated in 1564, when Madame Van der
Plasse came with her husband from Flanders to London for
their greater safety," and there professed herself a starcher.
The whiteness of the " Dutch linen," as it was called, soon
attracted attention, and the ladies sent their ruffs to be
starched, which she did so excellently that it became a saying
that if any one sent her a ruff made of spiders' web, she
would be able to starch it. Fashionable dames actually took
lessons of her in the art of starching, for which they paid a
premium of four or five pounds, and for the secret of
seething starch a further sum of twenty shillings.
Clear Starching. — ^Miss L. Smith, the instructress of
Forsyth College Laundry Class, says that this branch of
laundry work is the most difficult, and I think her directions
will be best to follow ; therefore I will quote them in
these pages. The first thing to be done is to collect
collars, cuffs, and shirts, put them into luke-warm water
and rub the collars, wristbands, and all dirty parts vath a
little soap, and let them soak all night. The next morning
the articles should be wrung out of the water in which
m
THE housewife's KEFEBEE
they have soaked and placed in a basket. Pour away the
dirty water, and fill the tub with hot water. The articles
should then be put into the pan, and each one rubbed
separately with soap. Loose cuffs should be doubled and
both edges rubbed at once, to save time. Borax soap should
be used if possible. After the clothes have been rubbed
they should be put into a bag kept for the purpose and
tied round with a piece of tape, a small opening being
made so that they may keep under the water while
boiling. Before they are put into the copper half a packet
of Calif ornian Borax soap powder should be dissolved in
the water. Whilst boiling, the things should be stirred
occasionally with the copper stick. When the clothes
have boiled for ten or fifteen minutes they should be taken
out, placed in a basket and allowed to drain, then rinsed in
cold water, and afterwards passed one by one through blued
water. A square of blue should be placed in a flannel bag
and tied firmly round the top, but not in a knot ; great
care must be taken in rinsing the clothes in the blue water,
so that it does not settle in patches, and they should be wrung
out and laid on a dish. The articles must now be dried ;
of course in the country they should be dried out of doors,
but for those living in towns they should be put on a clean
clothes horse before the fire. As soon as they are all dry they
should be starched. While the hands are still clean from
the wash, take two ounces of starch and borax, and pour over
them without stirring fully half a pint of cold water✪ Clear Starching. Mix
all together, taking care the borax is thoroughly dissolved or
it will leave shiny patches on the collars and cuffs, and keep
a little borax water by your side to add to the starch should
it get too thick. This amount is sufficient for one dozen
collars and six pairs of cuffs. The articles must be dipped,
one at a time, into the basin of starch and well rubbed
between the hands, so that the starch gets well into them.
Then they must be wrapped in a clean cloth, laying them
very straight, and allowed to remain in a cool place all
night.
Page 37 · 1 recipe record on this page
Presented as published in 1898. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
It may be interesting to know that starching originated in 1564, when Madame Van der Plasse came with her husband from Flanders to London for their greater safety," and there professed herself a starcher. The whiteness of the " Dutch linen," as it was called, soon attracted attention, and the ladies sent their ruffs to be starched, which she did so excellently that it became a saying that if any one sent her a ruff made of spiders' web, she would be able to starch it. Fashionable dames actually took lessons of her in the art of starching, for which they paid a premium of four or five pounds, and for the secret of seething starch a further sum of twenty shillings.
Clear Starching. — ^Miss L. Smith, the instructress of Forsyth College Laundry Class, says that this branch of laundry work is the most difficult, and I think her directions will be best to follow ; therefore I will quote them in these pages. The first thing to be done is to collect collars, cuffs, and shirts, put them into luke-warm water and rub the collars, wristbands, and all dirty parts vath a little soap, and let them soak all night. The next morning the articles should be wrung out of the water in which
[illustration: decorative element]
THE HOUSEWIFE'S REFEREE
they have soaked and placed in a basket. Pour away the dirty water, and fill the tub with hot water. The articles should then be put into the pan, and each one rubbed separately with soap. Loose cuffs should be doubled and both edges rubbed at once, to save time. Borax soap should be used if possible. After the clothes have been rubbed they should be put into a bag kept for the purpose and tied round with a piece of tape, a small opening being made so that they may keep under the water while boiling. Before they are put into the copper half a packet of Calif ornian Borax soap powder should be dissolved in the water. Whilst boiling, the things should be stirred occasionally with the copper stick. When the clothes have boiled for ten or fifteen minutes they should be taken out, placed in a basket and allowed to drain, then rinsed in cold water, and afterwards passed one by one through blued water. A square of blue should be placed in a flannel bag and tied firmly round the top, but not in a knot ; great care must be taken in rinsing the clothes in the blue water, so that it does not settle in patches, and they should be wrung out and laid on a dish. The articles must now be dried ; of course in the country they should be dried out of doors, but for those living in towns they should be put on a clean clothes horse before the fire. As soon as they are all dry they should be starched. While the hands are still clean from the wash, take two ounces of starch and borax, and pour over them without stirring fully half a pint of cold water. Mix all together, taking care the borax is thoroughly dissolved or it will leave shiny patches on the collars and cuffs, and keep a little borax water by your side to add to the starch should it get too thick. This amount is sufficient for one dozen collars and six pairs of cuffs. The articles must be dipped, one at a time, into the basin of starch and well rubbed between the hands, so that the starch gets well into them. Then they must be wrapped in a clean cloth, laying them very straight, and allowed to remain in a cool place all night.
Records on this page
Clear Starching