Ironing
In the old, old days, women used irons that had to be heated in hot coals,
that weighed a ton, on clothes that had to be sprinkled with water for the
wrinkles to come out. In comparison, ironing today is simple and quite easy,
and with more wrinkle free fabrics, very few things actually need ironing.
Still, some shirts and pants and blouses and skirts will need to be ironed.
It is vitally important to understand the settings on the iron and to match
them to the item you are ironing. If you use cotton or wool settings for
your rayon shirt, it will melt. Read labels on clothes to see what temperature
your iron should be. Low iron means rayon/acetate or silk setting.
Steam helps get wrinkles out fast, but it is not recommended for all fabrics.
Again, check the garment label for ironing instructions.
A good ironing board is as important as a good iron. Get a new one that
has a padded cover. (Replace the cover when it gets worn or too stained).
Most irons come with standard features like automatic shut-off and non-stick
surface. Some include spray features which are nice for heavy cottons and
stubborn wrinkles. Some are self cleaning. All have steam functions. Check
what kind of water your iron will use. Some say any tap water is fine; others
specify distilled water. Also, read the instruction manual for filling procedures
and follow the directions.
If you have a lot of clothes to iron, start with the delicate, cool iron
things first and finish with the cottons or hot iron things last. Have hangers
nearby so clothes can be hung up immediately after ironing.
Iron by pushing
the iron out from the center in most cases. Use a smooth, firm motion; don’t
wiggle the iron around.