Effective, efficient ironing

[element02]

I use a Rowenta iron and a spray bottle and it takes me about 15-20 minutes to iron a shirt. I also iron using the square end of the iron board. I do sleeves, back, front then collar.

 

[bbaquiran]

I do the different parts in this order:
collar back then front
yoke
right sleeve cuffs, back and front,
left sleeve cuffs, back and front,
back of the shirt
and finally the front of the shirt.

 

[Threadbearer]

I'm really intrigued to hear how many people think that the brand of the iron is important. I would have guessed that the brand would only make a difference in ironing speed if one were using a really, really horrible iron.

I'm using a Black & Decker Pro Xpress. Lots of bells and whistles. Steam surge and all that. I really don't think it's the iron that's slowing me down. I can't find a brand label on my ironing board, but it's of good quality.

I'm the weak link in this chain. It's my lack of skill and knowledge that's slowing me down. Then again, is 15-20 minutes per shirt slow? Should it really take more than an hour to iron 4 or 5 shirts?

 

[edmorel]

Originally Posted by Threadbearer

I'm really intrigued to hear how many people think that the brand of the iron is important. I would have guessed that the brand would only make a difference in ironing speed if one were using a really, really horrible iron.

I'm using a Black & Decker Pro Xpress. Lots of bells and whistles. Steam surge and all that. I really don't think it's the iron that's slowing me down. I can't find a brand label on my ironing board, but it's of good quality.

I'm the weak link in this chain. It's my lack of skill and knowledge that's slowing me down. Then again, is 15-20 minutes per shirt slow? Should it really take more than an hour to iron 4 or 5 shirts?


I've owned three Rowenta's, they've all sucked. Forgot the model, but it's the one that retails in the $199-$229 range. They "steam" dirty water, they don't maintain the heat and two of them just broke. 15 minutes a shirt sounds good to me, but I am very anal with the wrinkles and all that crap before I wear the shirt, I like it to look emaculate. Once I wear it, I don't care at all about wrinkles etc.

edit: I'll post a pic from a mag that shows a dude ironing a shirt "properly" later today.

 

[TRINI]

Originally Posted by edmorel

edit: I'll post a pic from a mag that shows a dude ironing a shirt "properly" later today.

?

 

[jtang]

Dude, come on. Some people are at work.

 

[jpop]

Originally Posted by jtang

Dude, come on. Some people are at work.

Maybe you should be working, instead of whinging, dude.

 

[jtang]

Originally Posted by jpop

Maybe you should be working, instead of whinging, dude.
Dude, it's cool, dude. I've allotted specific times out of my day to 'whinge' and to work. But seriously, I don't think its too much to ask to keep the NSFW stuff out of threads so I don't get fired. Anyway, when I'm late, I find I can quick iron a shirt in about 4-5 minutes in this order: Left front Left back Right back Right front Left sleeve Right sleeve Collar Yokes With the steam button depressed the whole time. Since I spend less time flipping the shirt around (just shift it on the ironing board to go from front->back) it goes a bit quicker. It's probably not ideal like the other methods posted here but it gets the job done. Just my .02.

 

[jhcam8]

Originally Posted by edmorel

I've owned three Rowenta's, they've all sucked.

+1

I use a Shark iron and a Rowenta European-style board - you need a hot, steamy one and a good, firm board to avoid disappointment (just ask Tom Ford). I've never improved on 15 min/ or so. It's a given that any guy who's ironing is 'fussy,' otherwise, why do it?

 

[scruff]

Originally Posted by triniboy27

?

oh trini, how i miss thee.

 

[SirSuturesALot]

Didn't Kabbaz mention videotaping his optimized ironing process? Did that ever come to fruition?

 

[MiniW]

ironing takes practice. i researched irons and now own a T-FAL ultraglide. it's relatively cheap and gets the job well done. The steamer setting doesn't work well from what I recall but i don't use it anyways. I use a garden/cleaning variety spray bottle that you can get almost anywhere, it costs $1-$2. Spray an area once or twice with mist and it should iron flat relatively easy. For real casual shirts I don't iron the sleeves (as I tend to roll them up) and that saves me the most time.

The order I do it is:

back yolk, entire back, sides (underarms down), fronts, sleeves and sleeve cuffs, and lastly the collar.

It takes 3-8 minutes for a shirt the way I do it, but I also try to make sure there is something good on TV so I'm not dreading the task of ironing. Good luck.

 

[base615]

I can iron a shirt in probably 2 or 3 minutes, fast ironing is a byproduct of being in the forces I reckon.

My method is;

1. Make sure the iron has plenty of water in it to allow plenty of steam.
2. Place collar flat on the board and iron.
3. Place left hand side of the yoke over the end of the board and iron.
4. Place right hand side of the yoke over the end of the board and iron.
5. Place one sleeve along the board, iron the cuff, then iron the sleeve.
6. Repeat for the other sleeve.
7. Place the front right of the shirt over the board and iron.
8. Rotate the shirt around the board until all the front and back is ironed.
9. Admire your work.

With this method I can iron 15 shirts in about an hour.

I'll try and take some video later on if I remember.

Cheers,

Craig

 

[unpainted huffheinz]

Originally Posted by SirSuturesALot

Didn't Kabbaz mention videotaping his optimized ironing process? Did that ever come to fruition?
He claimed it was impossible to properly press a shirt in less than 27 minutes. Would you watch some OCD geezer spend that long ironing? I did 6 in under an hour earlier. The most time consuming are the Barba. I just avoid the sleeve head area to avoid smashing the hand made little pleats into wrinkles - at least they don't have those silly balls on them. edit: My fancy year old Rowenta has started to spit water after about 15 minutes or so. Ripoff.

 

[Schnurretiger]

Dudes, this ist what you should be looking for. An friend of mine owns this thing and she loves it! (Her husband is such a *****, he can't even wash and iron his own shirts...) Unfortunately, the website is in German, so you might have to try and find an english translation somewhere.