How to Iron Your Clothes in Four Easy Steps
January 2, 2023 Leave a comment
Ironing is a chore few of us actually enjoy doing. But we can make it easier on ourselves by following some simple guidelines, and no, avoiding ironing altogether isn’t one of them! Here are four things we do to keep our clothes looking sharp no matter how long we’ve had them.
1. Invest in a great ironing board
The folks at Good Housekeeping do a lot of ironing, especially as they test everything from steam irons to spray starch. When it comes to ironing boards, their recommendation for best overall ironing board is the Brabantia ironing board B with a steam iron rest.
This model earned points for its solid metal iron rest (which can be adjusted for left or right-handed use), adjustable height, slip-resistant feet, and built-in child safety lock so it doesn’t collapse on your little ones. Its cotton cover in a variety of trendy styles and it comes with a 10-year warranty.
Although the price is higher than what you may have paid for ironing boards in the past, this one is planet friendly and built to last.
2. Remove every wrinkle with a steam iron
Better Homes and Gardens recommends buying the Rowenta DW9280 digital display steam iron. While it may be heavier than most of the competition, it also has an angular tip which gets all those hard-to-iron crevices, such as shirt sleeves and cuffs.
We’ve relied on the Rowenta brand for years for its automatic safety features, reliability, and ease of use. It comes with plenty of control options and adjustable steam options that make it easy to get the wrinkles out of practically any fabric.
This model comes with an LED display that also makes it super easy to see when the soleplate has reached the desired temperature. There are also 400 microholes to distribute steam perfectly, along with a built-in electronic steam pump for 30 percent better delivery and a motion sensor so you don’t waste steam when the iron isn’t moving. It comes with a 5-year manufacturer’s warranty.
3. Replace ironing board cover if you iron often
Ironing board covers are important because they protect your ironing board from the heat and steam from your iron. The top is usually made of cotton, and it has a foam felt layer underneath. Typically, the better padded your ironing board cover is, the easier it is to smoothly iron your clothes.
Most of us tend to iron about once a week, and over time, ironing board covers need to be replaced about once every three years in general, but more frequently if you iron often. (We have some friends who iron every item they wash, but that wouldn’t be us!)
Thankfully, replacing your ironing board is a breeze. It usually just involves unfastening the straps under the board, pulling it off and putting on a new one. Also, ironing board covers are fairly inexpensive, and typically range between $9 to $25, depending on which one you get.
In recent years, our favorite is the Whitmor reversible ironing board cover and pad because it is machine washable, extra thick, fits easily on the board with its drawstring cord for a snug fit, and its scorch coat protects it from stains and scorching.
4. Watch and learn how to iron the right way
You may think you know how to iron, but so did we until we watched this video from Martha Stewart which shows us how to iron a shirt. We’ll admit, we never thought to iron the inside of our cuffs! That’s a game changer for us.
The home keeping maven also shows us how to actually use the steam cleaning function on our irons for maximum effect.
If you’re not sure how to iron your pants, the good folks at Real Simple are happy to teach you. And as always, they make it much easier than we ever thought it could be.
Finally, if you love crisp linens on your bed, remove them from the dryer 10 minutes before they are done drying, then iron them while they are still a little damp if you want to get all the wrinkles out. (They’re harder to remove once the sheets have cooled down.)
About Jathan Fink
Jathan & Heather 