Listen | Bleaching And Starch Factories
In the 16th and 17th centuries, Oostzaan experienced an industrial heyday. Many inhabitants found work in the bleaching and starch mills spread across the area. At this first point in the tour, we would like to tell you a bit more about these special trades.
In the bleachers, white laundry from the pasture surroundings was restored to a bright and fresh colour. After washing, rinsing and special treatment with lye, the laundry was spread out on the surrounding bleaching fields to 'bleach' in the sun. Can you see the fields full of laundry in front of you? Then followed another milk bath as well as a wash with bleaching soap, after which the laundry was finally dried in the sheds.
Nowadays, it is hard to imagine so many operations to do laundry! In the starch mills, some pieces were then also treated with starch. Rinsing the textile in starch produced a transparent layer on top. This layer made the fabric less likely to wear or get dirty, and it also protected the colour.
The st...
In the bleachers, white laundry from the pasture surroundings was restored to a bright and fresh colour. After washing, rinsing and a special treatment with lye, the laundry was spread out on the surrounding bleaching fields to 'bleach' in the sun. Can you see the fields full of laundry in front of you? Then followed another milk bath as well as a wash with bleaching soap, after which the laundry was finally dried in the sheds.
Nowadays, it is hard to imagine so many operations to do the laundry! In the starch mills, some pieces were then also treated with starch. Rinsing the textiles in starch produced a transparent layer on top. This layer made the fabric less likely to wear or get dirty, and also protected the colour.
Starch mills could be found along streams where the water flowed well and was clear. This was necessary for washing the starch. The starch itself was made from wheat. This process left a protein-rich water, which was used as food in pig and poultry fattening. For there were many of these in Oostzaan as well. A final unique industry formed the tear-distilleries, which we will tell you more about in the next section.
