1 1 20 The Cornell Reading-Courses 



attractive appearance of the nicely laundered new garment as it comes 

 to us fresh from the factory. Starching in the factory and in the com- 

 mercial laundry has been reduced to a science, in which intelligent knowl- 

 edge and skill in the use of materials play an important part. 



The three kinds of starch chiefly used in the commercial laundry are 

 rice starch, wheat starch, and cornstarch. In Belgium and France, as well 

 as in other European countries where laundry work is of noted excellence, 

 rice starch is used almost exclusively. The finer quality of the work done 

 seems to justify the purchase of the higher-priced rice starch. 



Little rice starch is used in this country except in the textile industries 

 for finishing fine fabrics, such as lawns and organdies. It is not used 

 because of its cost, because of the greater convenience of using the starches 

 that are locally produced in large quantities, the possibility of getting 

 very good and nearly similar results with wheat starch, and the American 

 preference for the greater body that wheat starch and cornstarch give. 



The American housekeeper uses, as a nile, only cornstarch, because of 

 the cheapness of cornstarch and a lack of knowledge of the different 

 characteristics of the other starches. It is interesting to note how the 

 exclusive household use of cornstarch has withdrawn other varieties of 

 starch from the shelves of the retail grocery, until it is practically impossible 

 for the housekeeper to obtain wheat starch unless she buys it from the big 

 laundry-supply companies. 



The purpose of the launderer is to blend starch with the fabric in such 

 a way as to make the starch a natural part of the cloth ; to give the desired 

 degree of stiffness and yet keep the fabric pliable ; to give a body as endur- 

 ing as possible and capable of resisting moisture; to give clearness, good 

 color, and any desired finish, whether dull or glazed. That purpose can 

 be accomplished only with a knowledge of the materials to be used. 



The several varieties of starch vary considerably in their ability to 

 penetrate fabrics. The reason for the use of rice starch with finer fabrics 

 by those considered to do a superior grade of laundry work, is because 

 of its penetrative quality. It is said to penetrate the pores of a fabric more 

 completely than does any other starch and to give a finer, smoother finish. 

 Next to rice starch in penetrability comes wheat starch. Com starch is 

 the poorest of the three starches; it has a tendency to limip and show 

 starch spots after ironing. 



Rice starch gives a natural, pure white color to fabrics, while cornstarch 

 gives a yellow color, and wheat starch a color between the two. Since 

 wheat starch and cornstarch are the practical possibilities in the American 

 household, ftuther comparison will be between these two. When good 

 color, smoothness of surface, pliability, and fine finish are desired, wheat 

 starch gives the better results; moreover, it is said to hold up better in 

 damp climates. Cornstarch gives the greater stiffness, or body, to a fabric. 



