Ironing is a necessary evil to have beautiful, wrinkle-free clothing. Unfortunately, this task is not exactly pleasant and is very time-consuming. Furthermore, there are several things to consider so that the garment is not ruined. Here, we have collected a wealth of information and household tips for ironing:
What should you keep in mind when ironing?
When ironing, the temperature is particularly important. Pay attention to the fabric type and adjust the temperature setting accordingly. The care label, which is usually found on the inside of the clothing, provides the relevant information.
- For cotton, linen, and ramie, it is best to use medium to high heat. The steam setting can also be used without hesitation.
- For wool, mohair, cashmere, and alpaca, the iron is set to a medium level – steam can also be used.
- Silk and viscose should be ironed at low or medium heat without the steam setting.
- Nylon should always be ironed at a low heat setting, and acetate as well as acrylic should only be smoothed cold.
How do I interpret the care symbols on the care labels?
If the iron on the label is completely crossed out, the garment must neither be ironed nor mangled.
An iron with one star means: Caution – only cold or lukewarm ironing is allowed here. Two stars mean: lukewarm to medium heat, and three stars stand for a medium to high heat setting.
How do I approach ironing correctly?
Before you start ironing, you should naturally prepare the iron. To do this, fill the water chamber with water, plug it into the socket, and release the steam a few times to descale the steam nozzles. If you do not do this, white limescale residues will end up on your fresh laundry.
Ironing a shirt requires some time. Even advanced professionals easily need ten minutes to iron a shirt. Note: despite having the most expensive iron, the ironing work does not automatically become easier. Rather, the weight is decisive: you need less pressure, and the shirt becomes beautifully wrinkle-free. Note: always be sure to follow the care instructions on the labels. These labels are often sewn into the neck area or attached to the sides.
Health tip: always set up the ironing board at an optimal height. This way, you do not have to iron in a stooped posture and protect your back.
If you sort the laundry before ironing, you do not need to constantly change the iron's settings. First, iron the delicate textiles that require low to medium heat, then move on to the garments for high temperatures. Handkerchiefs and smaller accessories can be ironed perfectly with the residual heat of the iron – this also saves electricity.
Be sure to pay attention to the hems of dresses and skirts when ironing. If you achieve a good finish here, there will be no unsightly wrinkles, and the garment will be perfectly ironed.
Tip for steam irons: always use distilled water – this way, the irons last significantly longer and do not calcify.
How do I iron a shirt correctly?
Start with the collar first. Smooth out the seams and always iron the front side first. Now, the cuff areas can be worked on: here too, you first iron the front side, then the outside.
For the sleeves, place the front side on the ironing board and align the closing seam. Smooth the seam from the cuff area up to the upper arm. Then, turn the sleeve over and repeat the process.
The front and back parts are processed last. Iron the front side first and pay attention to the button placket and its hem. Work from bottom to top. The back is always ironed from the sides towards the side seams. Done.
Extra tip: To ensure blouses and shirts are not too wrinkled, dry them into shape immediately after washing. Hang them up while still wet on a clothes hanger and let them dry; this saves a lot of ironing time.
How do I iron trousers correctly?
Trousers should always be turned inside out before ironing, i.e., ironed from the inside! This keeps the trousers looking good for longer because the fabric is protected.
No more wrinkles from the clothes hanger
To avoid creases and wrinkles in trousers hanging on a clothes hanger, cardboard tubes from toilet paper or kitchen roll help. Cut one side of the cardboard tube open and place it on the trouser hanger, then hang the trousers over it as usual.
Another option would be foam, which also prevents the trousers from slipping off the hanger. You can, for example, wrap standard self-adhesive foam window seals around the hanger. This saves you from having to iron them again.
Fragrant laundry
Usually, clothes smell a bit dull when they have been in the closet for a long time. The fresh scent of detergent unfortunately fades quite quickly. Many also do not use fabric softener because they are sensitive to it or do not like the smell. This laundry smells like nothing when you put it on.
A small trick when ironing provides a remedy. Either use special ironing water with fragrance, available at any drugstore, or add a few drops of your favorite perfume to the ironing water. The laundry and the entire closet will now smell simply wonderful; even if the laundry is in the closet for a longer time, it still has the scent of the perfume.
This trick is also very practical if you are flying on vacation, so you do not have to take your potentially expensive perfume with you. Simply iron all laundry items with your favorite scent before packing.
Photo by Janine, meinhaushalt.at
