How to starch a saree

You can starch your saree at home with home made starch. 

How to prepare starch at home

You can get powdered sago from a shop or powder it in a mixer. Take a litre and half of water in a large vessel. Take two table spoons of sago and mix it well in a cup of water. Let the mixture be smooth without bunched up balls of sago powder. 

Heat the water in the large vessel. Once it is hot, pour the smooth sago and water mixture into it. Again check to see if everything mixes uniformly. Boil the mixture till it becomes transparent. Now pour it into a bucket and let it cool.

Wash a four or five cotton sarees and strain them well to remove the water absorbed by the saree. Fold the wet saree vertically and dip it in to the bucket of starchy water. Dip it a few times, squeeze it well and dry it on a line. Shake the crease off the saree and stretch the border if it bunches up. Now do the same with the other sarees as well. 

Once the sarees are dry, they become stiffer than before and look as good as new.

What are the alternatives to sago powder?

While sago powder is the best bet, you can prepare the starch with maida as well. Another option would be to get packaged starch powder. Here again, you have to follow the instructions on the pouch. If done without proper care, you will find that the starch is lumpy and that only some parts of it are stiff while the others look messy.

Spray on starch is also an option which instantly turns your sari stiff and ready to wear.

Can you starch silk sarees?

If your silk is really strong, you can starch it mildly. But if the silk threads are short, starch may ruin the saree. But if done right, silk sarees look marvellous with a little starch.

Spray on starch is not recommended for silk, as it may damage the delicate fabric.

One word of caution! If any of your sarees keeps dripping color, starch it after you finish with all the other sarees or the colour may contaminate the starch.

Once you get the hang of it and do it regularly, not only will you be as smart as a new pin, but you will save so much on the laundry bill.