Ironing tips: strike while the iron’s hot!

Ironing can still be a counterproductive task if it’s not done properly. So if you’re going to bother going to all that effort, it’s worth finding out all the tricks of the trade to get the most out of your ironing.

There’s nothing more frustrating than spending hours and hours ironing an overflowing basket of clothes, only for your mum to turn around and say “have you ironed that?”

If your mum is anything like mine, it would have been drummed into you from an early age how important it is to have neatly pressed clothes. “How can you ever expect a promotion if you walk out of the house looking like that!” By her standards (and to be fair, the ones observed by most of the professional world) unironed clothes are right up there with chipped nail polish.

Even though I’ve been living out of home for some time now I can still hear my mum’s words ringing in my ears every time I salvage a crumpled garment from the floor. For awhile there I preferred what I like to call the “homeless bum” look, convincing myself that I looked just as presentable with a few creases in my skirt.

I’ve tried every trick in the book to get that “freshly-pressed” look without having to pull out the ironing board. The dryer does a good job of leaving clothes light, fluffy and wrinkle-free, however, I soon discovered it’s also a great way of shrinking clothes. After one too many casualties I tried my hand at a less conventional method – “ironing via hair straightener”. I’d run the hair iron through my hair and then quickly “touch up” my clothes. Singed garments are not a good look!

After exhausting all these makeshift methods I eventually came to the conclusion that my mum was right – nothing beats a good iron.

Here are some of her helpful pointers:

1. Start with garments that need the least heat first (like silk garments) and then progress to items requiring higher temperatures, such as linens. This will prevent those yucky shiny marks.
2. Place a thin towel on top of the item when ironing delicate garments (e.g. garments with embroidery and beading).
3. To save time and iron both sides at once, put a piece of aluminium foil under your ironing board to reflect heat.
4. To prevent collars and cuffs from puckering, iron the wrong sides first. Spray with starch to keep them nice and stiff.
5. Hold pleats in place with paperclips when ironing.
6. Hang shirts on a coathanger straight after ironing to prevent wrinkling
7. Iron the inside of thick garments first and then go over the outside.

Also think of the height and positioning of your ironing board. Placing your ironing station in a well-lit space will help you see what you’re doing, while adjusting the ironing board to an ergonomic and comfortable height will reduce back strain – and might entice you to stay at it that little bit longer.