How to make your own polyester bags

[Okanagancook]

I recently purchased a Thai rice steamer basket.  The first time I used it I put the soaked rice in cheese cloth to steam it and a lot of the rice stuck to the cloth.  I was in Fabricland today and purchased some polyester drapery fabric called "voile".  It looks like it will work out perfectly since I can cut it to the correct size.

 

Now the catch.  The sales person said it will probably have 'sizing' on it which would not be food safe.  I have googled how to remove it and haven't really found a definitive answer especially seeing I don't know what kind of sizing was used.  I have boiled a piece of it in water for about 10 minutes and think that perhaps I should add some acid to help remove the sizing.????

 

Does anyone know if I should do anything else other than toss the lot and pay through the nose for a 'jelly bag' which may be too small for my purposes.

 

Help?

cheers

[Darienne]

I don't really know the answer but would think that boiling the material should surely be enough.  Maybe someone else can tell you.

 

We ended up with yards and yards of very old voile...at least 40 years old...when we outfitted an empty house for a long stay in Utah 6 years ago.  I brought all the curtains home with me and have used them for a plethora of cooking events.  I've sew pieces into huge bags to keep the fruit fruit-fly free during the summer.  And also to cover an entire table outside to keep it fly and insect free.  I've drained yoghurt in it.  Hung jelly in it.  Covered just-baked cookies to keep the bugs off. Covered chocolate.  You name it, I've done it.

 

I hope you enjoy your voile also.

[AlaMoi]

one can hardly know.

 

sizing is typically starch, which should rinse out with plentiful water.  of course, if it's arsenic infused nuclear cured Neptune starch, that might not work....

 

I do rice the AB way - bring to a simmer on the stove, cover, into oven 15-20 minutes, let "steep" covered for 15-20 minutes, works every time.  no kitchen counter clutter......

[Okanagancook]

Well, I have boiled the cloth in water and then soaked it in vinegar for 30 minutes.  It is rinsed and will be used today.  Seeing that  Darienne is still posting after all those years of use, it should be fine. If you do not hear from me on Egullet, I'm dead!

[Okanagancook]

I'm still here. No funny odour from the material and not ONE grain of rice stuck on it! Success.

Love the texture of Thai teamed sticky rice.

[Edward J]

I used to use cloth baby diapers (new ones, of course...) to strain stocks and jellies

[Okanagancook]

Edward J, that's a great idea.  Sounds easier than using cheesecloth.  But my rice would stick to the diaper material as it does with cheesecloth.  The Polyester fabric was perfect for this job.