How to Iron Clothes

Most people hate doint the ironing.. In fact, a lot of people avoid it altogether. However, the reluctance of many to iron clothes is simply caused by a failure of understanding how to iron clothes properly. Learning the right steps to ironing clothes should make the process somewhat easier for you.

The process starts after washing your laundry in the first instance.   Having dried the clothes, bedding, etc it makes life alot easier if you fold everything flat and neatly or put on hangers, instead of leaving it in a bundle in a linen basket.  The extra time you take in doing this saves you loads of time when it comes to the hideous chore of getting down to the pile of ironing that has been building up because you have been putting it off.

Before you actually begin to start, plug the iron in, adjust it to the correct setting, and allow it to preheat. You will know your iron is ready for use if it sizzles when you spray a bit of water on it. Check the tags on each garment for the correct heat setting. Some clothes, you will find, should not be ironed. Others have a very low tolerance for heat, so you’ll have to iron them at a gentle setting. Use high heat for cotton and linen. Cotton mixes and wool are ironed on a medium level. Use a low setting for silk, nylon, polyester, and other similar fabrics. If you are using a steam iron, make sure there is the proper amount of water inside.

When doing the ironing, take your time to ensure the garment has been stretched flat across the ironing board. This will save you some time in terms of re-ironing wrinkles that you put in. As you iron, make sure to iron clothing evenly with smooth, careful strokes. Always remember to keep the iron moving. Stopping at any point could burn your clothing.

• Start the process by ironing the collar.   Stretch the back of it across the flat surface of the board. Run the iron over the back of the collar several times until you are sure it is correctly pressed. Turn the shirt over and iron the front .
• Next iron the sleeves of the garment. It works best to iron the back of the sleeves first, then  the front. Start by stretching the larger part of the sleeves across the point of the ironing board. Iron all the way around the back of the sleeves, then move it toward the sleeve front until you have ironed the circumference of the sleeve. Stretch the lower back of the sleeve across the large, flat surface of the ironing board. Iron toward the cuffs. Flip the shirt over and do the front.
• Then iron the body of the shirt, laying it as flat as possible on the ironing board. Work from one side to the other slowly smoothing out the wrinkled spots as you go.
• Hang the shirt directly after you finish ironing. If you button the top button it won’t slide off.

• Begin by stretching the skirt portion of the  dress across the point of the ironing board. If the garment has pleats, start at the bottom and work toward the top. Work your way around the skirt with strong, fast strokes.
• If the top of the dress won’t stretch across the point of the ironing board, smooth it as flat as possible across the large, flat surface of the board. Start with the back and work your way to the front. On each side, be sure to work from the top down.
• Hang the dress as soon as possible after you iron it. Try not to wear the garment for a few hours, as it will be more prone to wrinkling again once you’ve heated the fibres.

•  Begin with the top of the trousers and iron the circumference of the waistband, moving down towards the pockets. Be sure to iron both sides of the pockets. Iron the fly, then the seams of the pants, then the hems. Follow that order carefully, and use smooth, quick strokes.
•  Place the waistline of the trousers around the pointed edge of the board. Use the iron to press out the wrinkles of the top front part of your trousers.
• Put the trouser legs parallel to the board, with both of them headed in the same direction. Iron each leg without damaging the current creases.
• Iron the cuffs, and hang the trousers up.

Ironing clothes is really a delicate process. It’s worth learning how to do it properly before you begin as it’s not as simple as flopping a shirt on an ironing board.  However, if you learn how to do it correctly, you can cut the time you spend on ironing.

Ironing is a mysterious process for many. Most people do not learn how to properly iron their clothes until they are well past college. Poor ironing procedure leads to damaged clothing. Ironing tips are there for a reason – to provide you with the ironing help you need for perfect garments every time. Try a few of these next time you get ready to iron.

• Use rainwater or distilled water in your iron’s water reservoir  which gives your clothes a nicer feel.
• If you are going to wear a sweater, you can  get away with only ironing the collar of your shirt.
• Hang your shirts up after washing them and then straight after ironing them so as to keep them wrinkle free. Be sure to button the top button so that the shirt won’t fall off and get scrumpled up.
• You can cut your ironing time in half if you choose to cover your board with aluminium foil. It reflects the heat the iron produces, helping to heat the fibres of the garment on both sides.
• If you are ironingg  a garment which is extra thick, iron the inside of the garment. Then iron the outside.
• If you are ironing corduroy, steam the material first. It will help to iron out the creases and wrinkles.
• Always properly maintain your iron according manufacturers instructions.  This will prevent you from damaging your garments. It may also help your ironing to look as neatly as you want it to.
• Be sure to read the instruction labels on each article of clothing you plan to iron. Ignoring the warnings printed there can be a disastrous experience as I expect many of us have experienced.
• It is essential that you pay attention to what you are doing at all times. Forgetting about the task in hand can seriously damage your garments.
• When using a non-stick coated ironing cover do not have your iron too hot as it may cause your ironto stick to the non-stick coating and damage both your iron and the surface of your ironing cover.

Taking out that old steam iron does not have to be a frightening experience. If you follow some of the ironing tips available, you should be able to make your wardrobe wrinkle-free in just a short time. Moreover, by using these ironing tips, you’ll develop the confidence in your ironing and the ability to save money by not lugging all your shirts and other garments to the dry cleaner!

While the iron is a common household tool, very few people actually understand how to clean an iron properly. Remember to wait until the iron is cool before you begin the cleaning process. Cleaning a hot iron is not only dangerous to you, it is also ineffective. Here are a few tips that might help you learn how clean your steam iron.

• If the substance stuck on the bottom of the iron is waxy, you should turn the iron onto its highest setting and run it across newspaper until the residue disappears.
• If the substance is oily, then just wet a cloth in hot soapy water and wipe the iron until the mess has come off.
• Vinegar works as a cleaning agent for many irons. Pour some on a clean cloth, and wipe the surface of an iron throughly. If that doesn’t work, combine vinegar with baking soda. With a soft cloth, scrub the surface of the iron.
• You can get rid of any build-up in the vents of the iron by taking a cotton swab or a pipe cleaner and gently sweeping the residue out of the area. Do not try using something any harsher such as a tool or a knife, as you could scratch the base of the iron.
• To clean the reservoir of your iron, pour a solution of one part white vinegar to one part water in. Turn the iron on.  Allow it to steam for around five minutes. Drain the iron and  repeat the process with clean water before you iron any clothing items.

One of the best ways to learn how to clean an iron is to prevent build-up problems in the first place. Read your manufacturer’s instruction manual carefully. It should contain a number of tips to not only prevent the steam vents from clogging, but also to prevent materials from building up on the base of your iron. Maintaining a clean iron can make the process of ironing clothes move faster and smoother.

Virtually every home in the developed world today has an ironing board. They are taken for granted as an essential piece of household equipment. But as little as 100 years ago, ironing boards were a novelty, which were only just starting to appear in the United States.

The purpose of an ironing board is to keep clothes flat while the wrinkles are being ironed out. They normally have a rounded point at one end, which makes it easier to iron shirts. trousers, dresses and skirts.

The ironing surface is normally a flat metal base, covered by a foam pad and often topped by a decorative cover made of heat-resistant fabric. The pad usually contains small vent holes, to allow the steam to penetrate clothes and then escape.

At one end of the board, there is normally a heatproof area where a hot iron can be rested. A well-designed iron-rest is large enough to hold the iron safely, without risk of it falling off.

Modern ironing boards also have extra features, to make ironing easier. These include ‘sleeves’, which are about 2 feet long and 6 to 8 inches wide, attached to the board, for ironing sleeves and small items of clothing.

There are three main types of ironing board – portable, table-top and wall-mounted.

Portable Ironing Boards

Portable ironing boards are still the most common type. They can be moved around your home to where you wish to do your ironing and have extendable legs that fold out for use, and fold away for storage.

Portable ironing boards are designed to be both sturdy enough so they will not collapse while ironing and also lightweight enough so they can be easily moved around. An advantage of portable ironing boards is the ability to adjust the height to suit their user. But a downside is that portable ironing boards can be cumbersome to carry and awkward to set up.

Table Top Ironing Boards

The second type of ironing board – the table-top board – has short legs and, as it name suggests, is designed to sit on a table top or counter. These ironing boards are popular with some students because they are easy to carry around and set up in a confined space. The disadvantage is they are usually too small to allow clothes to be placed properly on the board. This is a particular drawback when ironing sleeves or anything that needs to fit around the end of the ironing board.

Wall Mounted Ironing Boards

The third type of ironing board, which is becoming more popular, is one that folds out from the wall. These wall-mounted ironing boards are particularly convenient in smaller houses or flat, where space is limited, as they can be stored away virtually flat against the wall.

Many people prefer wall-mounted ironing boards, even in larger houses, as they are so convenient. They are huge time-savers, taking only a few seconds to erect and put away, avoiding the need to carry the board and unfold awkward collapsible legs. Wall-mounted ironing boards are strong and sturdy, and can be swiveled out at any angle into the most convenient position for ironing.