Tall Mens Fashion Advice

How To Starch Jeans At Home: Your Full Guide

This is how you starch jeans at home.

Welcome to our article on how to starch your jeans at home. 

Starching jeans is commonly known to be done by cowboys on the ranch because starching seals the denim fabric, making dirt particles slide off instead of getting embedded into the jeans.

If you are not a cowboy or cowgirl, you can still get value from starching your jeans. The starch will keep your jeans clean for longer; add a sheen to them (for personal style preferences) and keep a crease longer. 

How To Starch Jeans At Home

How To Starch Jeans At Home

Before you starch your jeans, let this short article explain exactly why people starch jeans.

To start starching you will need to decide on what type of starch concoction you want to use. You can buy liquid starch at the store or make your starch spray at home. 

Starching doesn’t have to stop at your jeans, you can starch all of your clothes.

What's needed to starch your jeans

  • Liquid starch
  • Laundry detergent
  • Washing machine
  • Iron
this is a photo of liquid starch in a bowl
Liquid starch
this is a photo of a washing machine needed to starch jeans at home
Washing machine
this is a photo of splendid laundry detergent
Laundry detergent
this is a photo of an iron which is needed to starch your jeans
Iron

How to make liquid starch

  • Mix 1 cup of water with 1-2 tablespoons of corn starch.
  • Put into a spray bottle. 

How to starch jeans in the washing machine

1. place your jeans in the washing machine

Place your jeans in the washing machine and set the cold or warm water cycle (how long does a washer take?). 

this is a photo of tall paul placing jeans in the washing machine to be starched

2. Add laundry detergent to the wash

Add laundry detergent to the wash and start the wash cycle.

this is a photo of laundry detergent being added to the wash when starching jeans

3. During the rinse cycle, add liquid starch

During the rinse cycle, add 1 cup of liquid starch.

this is a photo of liquid starch being added to the rinse cycle of a washing machine

4. Dry your starched jeans once complete

When the washing cycle is complete, hang your jeans to dry on a clothesline or put them in the dryer.

this is a photo of starched jeans drying on a drying rack after being starched

5. Iron your starched jeans for a crease

Iron them if you would like to add a more significant crease.

this is a photo of an iron on jeans after they were starched

Drying your jeans without a dryer is the safest way to dry them. There is a good chance your jeans will shrink in the dryer. If you are short on time and want your jeans ready to wear the same day then read our guide on how to use a dryer properly.

If you are not short on time then you should line dry or let them dry flat. After they are dry you can hang the jeans up or fold your jeans and tuck them away in a drawer.

How to starch jeans by ironing them

  1. Wash and dry your jean.
  2. Lay flat on an ironing board and turn on medium-high heat.
  3. Shake the liquid starch bottle before spraying. 
  4. Starting with small areas, such as the waistband & around the zipper, spray the jeans with starch spray, so they are slightly damp. 
  5. Let it sit for a minute or two before ironing.
  6. Iron your jeans fully

When washing and drying your jeans before starching, don’t shrink your jeans in the process.

FAQ

Yes, you can starch your own jeans at home. All you need is to put together a corn starch and water solution and wash your jeans in it in the wash.

Cowboys starch their jeans because it seals the denim fabric making the dirt particles bounce off. This allows the cowboys to wear their jeans longer before washing them.

You don’t need to starch your jeans. Starching your jeans will let you wear them longer before they are required to be washed, plus it will help keep a professional-looking crease in them.

You can stiffen your jeans by starching them. Buy liquid starch from the store and spray your entire jeans until they are slightly damp. Then lay them on an ironing board and a medium-high heat iron your jeans. 

Written and reviewed by
Tall Paul
Tall Paul
Paul Marlow, standing at an impressive 6'7 (201cm) and weighing 225lb (102kg), is a mental health speaker, fashion expert, and ex-athlete who excels at helping tall men find well-fitting clothing and teaching them how to style it effectively. As a model in the fashion and film industries, Paul shares his expertise in tall men's fashion, offering valuable advice on measurements, tailoring, and alterations. In addition, he founded Never Alone, an organization that provides mental health and therapy inspiration, and started the Mental Growth Newsletter to support those facing mental health challenges, drawing from his own experiences.

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