Once you have mastered the art of laundering clothes, it’s time to learn an even more sophisticated skill: ironing.
Learning how to iron your own clothing will not only improve your appearance, but it will impress your perpetually unimpressed mother.
Before you begin, make sure there are no stains on the clothing items you have selected to iron. If you apply heat from the iron, the stains will set and be impossible to remove.
Next, you will need a hard and flat surface to iron upon. Typically, an ironing board would be the best option. However, other hard surfaces such as a dining table, vanity or coffee table will suffice. In addition, make sure that the surfaces of both the ironing board and the iron’s base plate are clean.
After choosing your preferred surface, read the garment care label attached to the sizing tag of the clothing item. The garment care label will instruct you as to which heat setting is appropriate for the item. Additionally, you can do an internet search to find out which settings are best for different types of fabric.
Then, turn the article of clothing inside out or onto the opposite side of how you would normally wear it.
For most fabrics, it is best to iron them when they’re slightly damp. This could be achieved by spraying the item with water, removing it from the dryer a few minutes early or using the water tank compartment within the iron itself. Be sure to use only distilled water when filling the water tank.
Now that you are ready to begin ironing, be sure to stretch the fabric out over your flat surface.
Begin pressing the iron upon the fabric and gently move it back and forth over the garment’s surface. Never iron over folds or bunched areas of fabric. This will only create more wrinkles.
Additionally, do not iron over buttons, zippers or decals. After a few minutes of applying this motion, the fabric should start to appear less wrinkly.
Once you’re satisfied with your results, hang the freshly pressed item to avoid causing any further wrinkles.
