Pro's Ironing Tips: Shirts, Sheets and More

Ironing is probably one of the least favorite chores around the house. And, if you’re like me, you probably save up all your ironing and park yourself in front of the TV once a week (or fortnight if you’re really pushing it).  While it’s easier to send out your laundry for a crisp professional iron, with the right tips and tricks you can save a bundle of money.

What’s the Order?

(Photo: classicdrycleaning.net)

As a wardrobe professional, I’ve often been asked what’s the best way to iron a dress shirt.  One of my first jobs was working in wardrobe maintenance on the Broadway production of Mary Poppins.  Co-worker and wardrobe supervisor Carrie Kamerer gave me some words of advice:  “It’s all about the order that you press the shirt,” I fondly recall her saying.  Start with the collar of the shirt, first press it from behind and then press the front.  Then, move on to the yoke of the shirt.  Next, press the cuffs and sleeves of the shirt.  Move on to the back panel of the shirt and then save the front for last.

This orderly method has always produced the most consistently wrinkle-free shirts. And if it’s good enough for “practically perfect in every way” Mary Poppins’ blouse, it’s good enough for any household in America!

Stellar Sleeves

(Photo: bestreviews.com)

To avoid those unsightly rigid creases down the center of your sleeve, you might want to opt for a sleeve board.  But I could probably count on one hand the number of sleeve boards I’ve ever seen outside of a Broadway wardrobe room.  A household hack? Gently press both sides of the sleeve, avoiding putting a stiff crease in your sleeve.  Then, place a rolled up towel inside the sleeve and iron around the sleeve.  Alternately, you could DIY a sleeve board from a cardboard tube covered in soft fabric.

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DIY Spray Starch

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While the spray starch you buy from your local store might contain formaldehyde, you can easily make your own at home to avoid those nasty chemicals.  Plus, corn starch is one of the cheapest items in your pantry—just $1.39 for 16 ounces—cheap and cheerful!

You’ll need:

1 tablespoon corn starch

1 pint water

1-2 drops of essential oil (scent of your choice)

Method: Mix the ingredients together until completely incorporated.  For simplicity, you can combine in a mason jar and shake until combined.  Decant into a spray bottle and voila!  You’ve just DIY-ed your own spray starch.

Helpful Hint: Use sparingly, as a little goes a long way.

Check out onegoodthingbyjillee.com for more information on making your own spray starch.

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Miles of Sheets

(Photo: cherneeshouse.wordpress.com)

When tackling larger items such as king-size sheets, tablecloths or curtains, it’s usually beneficial to set up a chair next to your ironing board.  As you work, you can carefully drape the completed fabric on the chair to avoid it falling into a crumpled wrinkled ball onto the floor (and ruining all your precious work!).  Or, try ironing your bed linens directly on your bed, or even cover your dining room table with a towel to create a larger-than-life ironing board.

Helpful hint: Ensure that any surface you’re ironing on won’t be harmed by steam or the high temperature of the iron.

Damp is Best

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One of the easiest solutions to making your ironing just a little bit easier is to pull your shirts out of the dryer before they are completely dry.  The Art of Manliness goes even further by saying, “better yet, don’t even place them in a dryer and instead put them on a wood hanger and iron them right out from the washing machine.  No need to moisten or use any steam.”

Press Cloth for Perfection

(Photo: etsy.com/storque)

Worried about ironing those delicate fabrics or scared to tackle that silk tie with an iron?  The easiest way to avoid scorching fabric (and consequently giving it that awful, unwanted sheen) is to use a press cloth.  If you don’t have a purpose-bought press cloth, you can easily fashion one out of a square of excess muslin, or even easier an old (yet clean!) hanky.  Just place the press cloth over the fabric and iron as usual; the barrier between the fabric will protect your delicates, while still allowing heat to penetrate the fabric.   Esquire recommends “Remember, never completely flatten your necktie with the iron - it is supposed to keep its tubular texture and shape.”

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·      6 Kitchen Hacks You Need to Know

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