Effective, efficient ironing

[Star]

I have one or two MTM cotton shirts that are a challenge but a pleasure to iron......starch spray and steam seem to help.

 

[yachtie]

Originally Posted by 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.

Cleaners use those- one of the reasons I don't send my shirts to the clearers.

 

[MrGimpy]

Originally Posted by Star

I have one or two MTM cotton shirts that are a challenge but a pleasure to iron......starch spray and steam seem to help.

Starch can be risky since many people find that it prematurely ages their shirts.

But there's lots of good advice on this thread. You definitely need to make sure your shirts are damp before ironing them--invest $0.99 in a spray bottle. Using the steam setting on the iron isn't necessary if the shirt is already damp, but make sure your iron is hot enough.

Lots of people are suggesting different orders, but the key is to do the sleeves and collar before the rest of the shirt. If you try to do the body first, you'll end up getting new wrinkles when you position the shirt to iron the sleeves and collar.

And if/when you accidentally press a wrinkle into the shirt, let the section cool, re-spray it with water, then iron it out.

It used to take me 20-25 minutes per shirt, but am now down to about 5.

 

[orthofrancis]

Shiny areas are caused by too much heat and pressure - to see this, iron your shirt over a piece of paper a few layers thick, or a cuff edge. You'll see some shiny edges/areas.

How to avoid this - use a well padded board, dampen your shirt with a spray bottle, and keep the steam on the iron, since it will keep the irons surface around 212 F.

I too, use the square edge of the board, and iron from least visible, to most visible, on the shirt. Collar, back, sleeves, then front. If the piece of cloth cools down, before it moves/bends, then it will be less likely to wrinkle.

Haven't found starch to damage my shirts at all, and use it heavily. Long slow passes with the iron, instead of many quick ones, tend to "set" the starch better, and keeps it smoother longer. I think it polymerizes the starch better. Starch will even help to protect your shirt, since it will absorb any oils/acids and dirt that your body gives off. I starch the INSIDE of my collar, and it helps prevent ring around the collar.

Irons spit because they either; 1) need to be cleaned, or 2) you are using de-ionized water (no sediment to form nucleation spots to boil, thus it boils abruptly). Water that is extremely "hard" (Much sediment), will require more frequent cleanings, and possible mixing with D-I water.

It takes me 6-7 minutes to iron my shirt in the morning. The iron heats while I pick my clothes out ( 2-3 minutes). I use a Rowenta which works perfectly. For cotton, use it at 90% heat, full steam.

 

[sho'nuff]

Originally Posted by Threadbearer

I've tried nearly every dry cleaner in town, and they all make my shirts shiny and/or crush buttons and/or damage the shirt in some other way. For the past couple of weeks, I've tried laundering shirts myself, which is easy, and then ironing them, which is not.

Does anyone have any great tips on how to iron a shirt well yet in a reasonable amount of time? I've already tried ironing them wet. That was better than ironing dry, but it still took a long time.

try to iron while watching a game on television or the news. 3-4 shirts should last you a good hour if you want to do it good enough.

 

[_AMD]

Originally Posted by 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

Interesting. I was never in the forces, but I was trained by my old-school grandmother, and this is the method used. Nobody in my family EVER tries to iron any of my shirts. My wife and my mother have both given up that fight. They know that I will just re-iron after they finish.

Aaron

 

[Tomasso]

Originally Posted by base615

I can iron a shirt in probably 2 or 3 minutes

You should consider going Pro.

 

[base615]

Originally Posted by Tomasso

You should consider going Pro.

What makes you think I'm not already?

 

[mimile]

Originally Posted by FidelCashflow

Get a good ironing board, a good steam iron, and the rest is up to practice. I could do a shirt in 5-10 minutes pretty easily.

+1

 

[Limniscate]

I've read that all irons wear out within 2-3 years no matter how much you spend. I would just buy a Rowenta from Costco since they have a no-questions-asked return policy on everything outside of electronics.

 

[chuckseabreeze]

What is the opportunity cost of ironing all your shirts?

 

[Montauk]

I have a heavy Black & Decker "Classic" iron which gets nice and hot, but I'm concerned that the steam holes are slowly damaging my shirts; they're cut rather sharply into the face of the iron, rather than being more smoothly recessed, and I worry that running these edges over the fabric is abrading it. Anyone had a smiliar concern, or am I just being paranoid?

If i do need another iron, any recommendations? I don't need the world's greatest (or most expensive).

 

[JayJay]

Originally Posted by Montauk

If i do need another iron, any recommendations? I don't need the world's greatest (or most expensive).
Rowenta. I've had several and they all have been terrific. They get nice and hot, and supply lots of steam. My favorite is the Advancer which is a little pricey but their cheaper models work well, too.

 

[Nicola]

Originally Posted by Limniscate

I've read that all irons wear out within 2-3 years no matter how much you spend.

I can't see that happening. Irons are bone simple. I guess if you have really hard water and don't use distilled then it can clog. But an iron just turns electrical power into heat.

 

[Wrigglez]

i've always done my shirts myself.
once they have been laundered in a delicates bag, i take the indervidual shirt out of the bag and iron it, no drying, no spray bottle, no steam from the iron. It takes a little longer because i'm effectivily drying the shirt but they come out beautiful and crisp, usualy the collars and cuffs are not fully dry so i place a wooden hanger in and hang the shirt up on the curtain rail next to an open window to finish drying. i'm in the market for a heavier non steam iron however as my sunbeam is just rubish (it leaks ect)