Ironing can sometimes feel like a daunting task. If not done properly, you could end up damaging your clothing, sometimes beyond repair. Here are our top tips for successfully getting through your ironing.

• Adjust your ironing board
• Make sure your iron is clean
• Order your clothing
• Boil your iron water
• Make use of the entire ironing board
• Iron your items inside out 
• Make sure to avoid decorative objects
• Have DIY ironing spray on hand
• Iron cotton garments whilst damp
• Hang or fold your ironed clothes immediately

Adjust your ironing board 

Before you begin ironing, it’s important to first adjust the height of your ironing board. Depending on how much clothing you have to iron, you could be stood at your board for a while. Having your board too low can cause back and neck pain, so you want to make sure that it’s at a comfortable height for you. 

Make sure your iron is clean

After you have adjusted your ironing board, you need to make sure that your iron is clean. To clean your iron, begin by mixing a paste of 1 tablespoon of water and 2 tablespoons of baking soda. Apply this paste to the plate of your iron, firstly making sure that it is turned off and cool before doing so. Wipe off your paste with a damp cloth. Next, dip a cotton bud in distilled water and clean your irons steam vents. Pour out any stagnant water in your iron, and re-fill the reservoir one-third full with distilled water. Turn your iron to its highest setting and steam a clean cloth for a few minutes. This will allow the water to flush out the vents of your iron. Finally, pour out any remaining water.

Order your clothing

Before ironing your clothing, it’s important that you check each garment’s care label to evaluate what heat setting is necessary for each individual item. Once you have checked all your garments’ care labels, you can organise them by heat setting. Begin with the delicate, low heat, items as these will be the trickiest to iron, before moving on to the medium and high heat items. It’s much faster for an iron to heat up than cool down, so avoid ironing your high heat clothing first. 

Boil your iron water 

If you live in a hard-water area, it’s best to boil your iron water before use. Hard-water can cause blockages in your iron, which can reduce its efficiency. You may also notice that if you don’t pre-boil your iron water your clothing may end up stained. 

Make use of the entire ironing board

The average ironing board is 54 inches long, so make use of the entire length of it. If you are ironing longer items, iron them vertically down the length of the board to avoid constantly rotating your garment. If you have creases near the armholes of your t-shirts, you can use the slimmer end of your ironing board to place the top of your t-shirt over the board and gently stretch out the creases to iron over them. 

Iron your items inside out 

It’s always best to iron your clothing inside out, especially if your garment is a darker colour. You may notice when you don’t turn your clothing inside out, that your garments are left with a sheen or iron marks. This is due to the heat from the iron. To avoid these marks, always make sure to turn your clothing inside out before you begin ironing. 

Make sure to avoid decorative objects

It’s important to avoid ironing over decorative items on your clothing, such as sequins, embellishments, and fastenings. Not only is it unnecessary to iron over these decorative items, but it could also cause damage to your iron and/or clothing to do so. Simply iron around these items whenever possible. 

Have DIY ironing spray on hand

Sometimes the heat from your iron is not enough to eliminate the creases in your clothing. When this is the case, you can make a DIY spray. To make your DIY spray, mix equal parts of white vinegar and water, and pour your mixture into a spray bottle. Have this mixture on hand for when you have to deal with those harsher creases. 

Iron cotton garments whilst damp

If you are ironing a cotton item, it’s best to do so before your garment is completely dry. Creases in cotton can be extremely hard to get out, so, for the best result, iron your item whilst it is damp. The heat from the iron will create steam when it comes into contact with the damp material of your garment, making creases easier to fall out. 

Hang or fold your ironed clothes immediately

Have a selection of coat hangers readily available to hang up your clothing immediately after you’ve ironed each item. You have taken the time to carefully iron each item, so you don’t want to risk creasing your garment again. If your items need to be folded rather than hung up, fold these items on a flat surface immediately after ironing, and place them away from anything that may crease or stain them. 

You may not always have the time for ironing, and, for those days, Laundryheap is here to help. We will pick-up your ironing, iron all of your items, and re-deliver them to you, within 24 hours.

To book your Laundryheap order, simply head to the Laundryheap website, or download the free Laundryheap app.