Since the first century, we have been using irons or flat heated objects to keep our fabrics smooth and straight. To honor this beloved household essential, here are five amazing tips to get the most out of ironing!
Start Low and Work Your Way Up
Check the garment tags of your clothes to see the ideal temperature setting of each garment. Then, order them from lowest to highest and work your way through the pile in this order. This method ensures every clothing item is ironed at its optimal temperature. No more scorch marks!
Keeping Your Iron Clean
If you notice marks or stains on your clothing after you have ironed them, it is very likely that the iron plate needs to be cleaned. Create a paste of two parts baking soda and one part water, and apply it to the iron’s plate, making sure to steer clear of the steam holes. Use soft cloth or a toothbrush to apply the paste. Afterwards, wipe down your iron with a clean, dry cloth.
Ironing in a Back and Forth Motion
Keep your iron steady and move it at a slow and consistent pace over your garment. Apply a little pressure, and use a back and forth motion instead of a circular motion to avoid stretching out your clothes.
Save Time With Aluminum Foil
Remove your ironing board cover and apply some aluminum foil to the exposed top. Cover the whole topside of the board, making sure that the shiny side of the foil faces up. Replace the cover and begin ironing like you normally would. The aluminum foil will reflect the heat back onto the underside of the garment that you are ironing, thus creating the effect of smoothing the wrinkles on both sides of the garment.
Hang Your Ironing ASAP
As soon as you finish ironing a piece of clothing, hang it up to preserve that crisp, wrinkle-free fabric. It might mean setting up your ironing board in your bedroom or installing a clothing rack in your laundry room, but it will be well worth it!
BONUS TIP: Keep your ironing board cover clean. Most are machine washable and will have a tag with care instructions. If your cover is not machine safe due to a special coating, fabric or protective film, dip a sponge in some soapy water (dish detergent or laundry soap works great) and scrub out all of the scuffs and stains by hand. When your cover is clean, be sure to place it back over your board to ensure it keeps its shape.
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