Ironing - Help!

I have a pile of clothes that need to be ironed, and when the pile gets big enough it goes to the goodwill, as I do not iron. Hopefully some other mommies will have more helpful advice! (although I do think my system is genius.)

What is this term you talk of 'ironing" Oh just kidding. We always try to get everything out of the dryer, hang it up and don't worry about it. The minute one gets in a car, on the train or whatever it gets wrinkled and clumpy. Personally unless it's a wedding or something I spray it with Febreeze and throw it in the dryer for a second.

People iron? Really?

Iron when they are damp. Use extra strength starch or sizing. Very hot iron with the steam on. Start with the collar, then do the yoke (the bit on the back at the top), then do the cuffs on the inside and the inside of the buttons, then back next the front then the sleeves. I hope that helps. :)

We buy wrinkle-free shirts when we can. I also never put hubby's shirts in the dryer. We live in an apartment with no clothesline, so I just take them immediately from the washer and hang them on hangers on the shower rod in the bathroom. As long as you are careful about smoothing out the collar and placing the shoulders right on the hanger, you don't get any wrinkles.

hi E....
well, what i do is make sure the shirt is well stretched out and flat and i use the steam button as well as the spray button. i don't use any starch and they come out nice n crisp. good luck!

I iron for people as an income. I found that the fabric and color play a BIG part in how a shirt looks.

For darker colors:
I use Faultless Premium starch. It is made for darker colors and is pretty good for most colors except red. Somehow red always looks bad to me. I spray the starch above the fabric and just let little bits on the surface. Just lightly on the fabric. For the iron I use Perma Press or less, darker colors tend to change colors when they get too hot. It goes back to normal, usually, unless it's burned.

For shirts with a poly/cotton blend:
Lighter colors, I use either Faultless Heavy or Faultless Premium. For the lighter, or white, colors the starch can be a bit heavier on the fabric. I use the iron on the setting below cotton. Not all the way on hot, that can burn the polyester in the blend.

For 100% cotton:
Light colors, I use Faultless Heavy starch or Faultless MAXX, it's in a black pump spray bottle and is very heavy duty. 100% cotton is very difficult to get right, I usually iron those lightly then turn around a bit later and iron them a second time. These are usually for people who work in offices and wear suits or at least shirts and ties.

For the colors I use the Premium spray starch. It just works well on the darker colors and is just right.

If you need a heavier starch on a darker shirt then spray the starch on the inside of the shirt. I hold it up and just lightly spray the inside of the area I am about to iron.

I always use less heat than I need until I get used to that particular shirt, then I just remember that one's particular needs. Like this one red shirt I iron, it shows every press mark of the iron, it shows every line on the ironing board, etc...I always have to iron it first so that the ironing board is clean and the iron is not gunked up yet.

Good luck on your ironing.

Maybe a better pad. I never use starch, I would say unless he wants that stiff feel, don't worry about it.

Check the composition of the fabric (on the tag) and make sure the iron is set to the right temperature for that setting. Iron the collar and yoke first, then the sleeves pulled over the end of the board as far as it will, then (pull off the end) creased. Then do the main body, and the buttons last. Make sure that the shirts is lying just right (especially in the shoulders). It will hang however you press it. Then hang it up immediately, make sure that it is hanging right.
Hope that helps :D

Lol sara thats funny. I agree with Jenny or you can use a stronger? starch. Or buy one of those things that turn your dryer into a dry cleaner. Or have your husband iron his own stinkin shirts lol :P

My mother-in-law worked at an alteration shop and showed me the simple secret. You have to use a steam iron.

I dont iron, even for myself! My husband was from Houston and when we lived in the NYC he would have his shirts cleaned and pressed with heavy starch at the cleaners. The shirts stood up on their own! Since the invention of Non-Iron fabrics, which he agreed to try, I have been washing and drying them myself. Heavy starch Houstonian thinks they come out "good enough" to wear. He still has some really nice iron dress shirts that he sends out to press. No way would I touch them! Biggest tip if you do get the non-iron is to get them out of the dryer before the load stops spinning.

Iron them when wet. I don't mean a little squirt squirt I mean WET. It will make your life much easier.

You don't really mention what the problem is except they don't look wonderful. I miss dumping them in the laundry bag. My ironing got better with time.

I don't know how big your hubby's shirts are, but sometimes I feel like I am ironing the bed sheets.

I start with one of the button panels and spray water and then starch on the shirt. I use various brands of starch, whatever is on sale. When I iron it, I move the iron quickly to avoid the dry white flakey layer of starch. I press the back side and don't worry about that pleat until the entire back panel is pressed. Then I put that pleat together for only about 2 - 3 inches and press it. I used to go all the way down the back, but find I do a neater job by not trying to press the pleat all the way into his pants. The same goes for the sleeve pleats. I just press a small amount of the pleat and the rest is ironed flat-without any pleat.

I can't wait for the economy to pick back up so I can dump them in the bag again!

Hi E., Do you use a steam setting? If not, my mom used to sprinkle the shirts, roll them up and iron them damp. Also apply as much pressure as you can and hang them up quickly. Does he want them to look fantastic or is it you? Just do your best. Grandma Mary

Ugh, I hate ironing so I can't offer any tips but let me ask you this, if you were to wash the shirts and just have them pressed at the dry cleaner would that be cheaper?

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I agree that the Faultless starches are very good. I always used them on mine and my hubby's military uniforms and they looked very crisp. Are you making sure to heavily starch the button-hole side of the closure? Many people skip ironing this part altogether and this is the one thing you could do to make a big difference. The collar and cuffs are next on the list of importance. After that it's just regular ironing.

And don't feel bad, but they're probably never going to look as good as the professionals can get them. They have specialized equipment and they have tons of experience that you just can duplicate at home.

For my husband's dress shirts, that he almost never uses (thank God) I iron, and after that I use a steamer, and they look like new!!!
Everything else I dont iron I use a steamer and love it!.
Good Luck!!

I know you are trying to save money but my husband buys these really nice no-iron shirts at Nordstrom that are pretty easy to iron. I also use lots of steam. If I don't take the shirts out of the dryer promptly I still have to iron and it takes me about 10-15 minutes per shirt. It's slow.

I like Sara's answer. From now on buy "no iron" shirts, then they are easier to touch up. You might just be over scrutinizing your work, I'm sure you are ironing them just fine.