10 Ironing Tips from the Professionals

Most of us can agree that ironing clothes is not how anyone would like to spend their time but it’s also not among the most gruesome home chores. Ironing ensures that your clothes are smooth and presentable and if you know how to iron quickly and seamlessly, the otherwise dull task can turn into a somewhat pleasant process.

Watching the wrinkles disappear under the iron can be satisfying but knowing the ironing tips and tricks of the professionals will guarantee you optimal results.

Ironing clothes is often a necessity but it is also something that shouldn’t be rushed through. If you aren’t doing it properly you can damage your clothes or your iron and you may even burn yourself. That is why to help you find out how to iron clothes correctly, we’ve put together some easy ironing hacks that you can adopt the next time you are ironing a shirt.

Keep reading this blog post if you want to learn:

• How to prepare your iron and clothes before ironing
• What are the best ironing techniques 
• How to clean your iron and more post-ironing tips

Use the entire ironing board

You have a whole ironing board, so why not make use of the entire surface? Make sure you are placing long items along the length of the board. Don’t let them hang over the sides or drag at your feet. The narrowed end of the ironing board can be very useful, as well.

It provides easy access to stubborn creases, particularly near armholes, but be careful not to stretch the fabric when you place your item over the end.

Check the fabric

Before you set to ironing, don’t forget to check the heat settings. If you don’t know what is the right temperature for the clothes you are ironing, check the label. Different fabrics demand different heat settings. For example, silk requires ironing at a low temperature while cotton can tolerate slightly higher temperatures.

After all, you wouldn’t want to ruin or shrink your garment.

Ironing technique

You may have been ironing for ages, but have you been doing it correctly? It might sound somewhat surprising but there is a right and wrong ironing technique. If you want to iron your clothes quickly and safely, use long, straight strokes. This will help you achieve the best results.

Avoid wiggling around with your iron because this can stretch the fabric or create new creases instead of removing them.

Iron the clothes inside out

Sometimes the heat of the iron can cause a slight sheen in dark-coloured clothes. To avoid that, turn your garments inside out, whenever possible, and iron them that way. This also goes for when you iron t-shirts with prints. Going with the heated iron over the print will make it peel or entirely ruin it, but if you are ironing the cloth inside out, your print should be safe.

Boil your water before ironing

We know that this technique may be seen as time-consuming and unnecessary but if you live in an area with hard water, you really should start boiling your water before pouring it in your iron. If you fail to do so, you risk a limestone buildup that will leave your iron blocked. This can lead to impaired efficiency and staining.

Fold or hang your freshly ironed clothes

Once you have ironed a cloth, hang it up right away or fold it on a flat surface. Otherwise, you risk your work going to waste. We advise you to keep hangers at hand every time you iron clothes. This way you avoid wrinkling your freshly ironed clothes.

Iron in order

Another ironing tip is to iron your clothes in order from cool to hot. Before you begin, take time to organise the clothes you will iron in order, taking into consideration the fabrics. It is better to start with your delicates using a lower temperature, then work your way to the garments that are more heat-tolerant.

Irons require some time to cool off, therefore it is better to start with a cool iron so you don’t harm your delicates when the iron is already heated.

Never iron dirty clothes

Ironing dirty clothes is a no go in the ironing world. You should always try to avoid it. If there is a stain on your piece of cloth, going over it with the iron will only make the stain permanent. When you expose a greasy or dirty spot to the extreme heat of your iron, it will get baked on the garment and will probably never come off.

Iron cotton items while they’re still damp

Items made of 100% cotton boast easy ironing whilst still damp. Although creases in cotton clothes can be tough to remove, if the item is left slightly damp, the steam created from the water and the iron’s heat will make the creases flatten out. But remember that this method works only for 100% cotton!

Always use a clean iron

Irons also require regular maintenance. They serve us well in our daily ironing tasks, but we shouldn’t forget to clean them regularly. This is important not only for the iron’s long-lasting performance but also if we want to avoid having an ironing tool that leaves stains when being used. To learn how to clean your iron, check our tips below.

How to clean your iron

As we’ve already established, cleaning the iron shouldn’t be overlooked. To tackle the task easily, find some useful methods for cleaning an iron below.

• Acetaminophen tablets for burnt spots: Set your iron to its highest temperature. Once heated, put your heat-protective gloves on and press the pill onto a burned area. The pill will dissolve immediately, turning into a gel that will break down the burnt residue. Wipe clean with a damp cloth.
  
• Make cleaning paste with baking soda: Baking soda has the magical property of cleaning almost anything. To clean your iron, mix 2 tablespoons of baking soda with 1 tablespoon of water to create a paste. Gently rub the paste on the iron plate but be careful not to get it in the steam holes.
  
• Use a cotton swab for the steam holes: Cotton swabs are a great tool when you want to clean those difficult to reach steam holes. Dip them in white vinegar, then insert them inside the steam holes.
  
• The towel and vinegar method: Soak a towel in vinegar, set the iron plate on the saturated towel and watch it do its magic. Wait for 30 minutes, then wipe clean. This is particularly useful for corrosion.
  
• Nail polish remover to clean buildup residue: Dip a cotton pad in acetone and whilst using heat-protective gloves, run the pad along the hot plate. Do this in a well-ventilated room or outside.

Do you need your clothes to be taken care of professionaly?

If you don’t have time or just have something better to do than go through the pile of dirty clothes all weekend, you can easily book online the laundry services or the dry cleaning services and carry on enjoying your day while our cleaning experts do their magic.

In 24 hours or less, you will have all your laundry fresh, clean and professionally ironed and right at your doorstep.

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We hope you found the article useful! Feel free to share your questions and suggestions in the comments below.