Ironing a Shirt

The whole reason that Iron Maids exists is because there are many of you out there that just don’t like ironing………. and I can hear the cries of “that includes me” from here……..and most of you seem to hate ironing shirts more than anything else.

So, for on the weeks that you don’t use us or when you absolutely have to iron a shirt as an emergency e.g. hubby will be meeting the boss in his Stranglers T-shirt or you will be going to that networking event in your comfy jumper, I thought a few tips on how to best do this may be useful.

There is an art to correctly ironing a shirt and following these step by step details can help you achieve a crease free garment.

Prepare your shirt - Start with a freshly laundered shirt. When your shirt comes out of the washing machine or off the clothes line shake it out, smooth it with your hands and hang it up. Button the top button.  Do not screw the shirt up and throw it on your ironing pile – that will make getting the creases out more difficult.  Personally, I hang all shirts up immediately on taking them out of the washing machine and dry on hangers.

If you have committed the cardinal sin of crumpling your shirt up and leaving it after washing it, you will need to put it on a hanger and spray if all over with a fine mist of water, making it damp again.

Fill your iron – If possible, only use distilled or bottled water in your iron.   Tap water contains small amounts of minerals which build up in your iron over time and lead to the steam vents becoming blocked. If you notice that your iron occasionally spits too much water out, it is because it is becoming clogged up underneath on the plate’s vents and it won’t function effectively for you.

Select the right temperature for your shirt – if your shirt is “minimum iron”, as a number of modern shirts are, then it will need a much cooler setting  than a cotton shirt; a linen shirt will need an iron set to its maximum heat setting.  If you hung your shirt straight after removing it from the machine, it should also need a cooler iron.  If the iron is too hot for the fabric, you may even burn your shirt.  Pay attention to the laundry label on the garment.

And this is optional……..spray on some starch. Lightly spray the hanging shirt with spray starch and then remove the shirt from hanger. Unbutton the top button.

Collar - lay the collar out flat on the ironing board and press. Iron from the points of the collar inward to back of neck.  This avoids the material bunching up towards the points of the collar.  Do the underside of the collar as well.

Shoulders  - Position the shirt so the yoke is across the end of the board and press the yoke and move the shirt round to press the shoulder. Reposition for the opposite shoulder. Then turn the shirt, and do the rear side of the yoke and shoulders

Sleeves - If you have a sleeve board, now is the time to use it as you can position it inside the sleeves and gently move the shirt around to iron the sleeves without creases.  If you don’t have a sleeve board, lay one sleeve out flat on the ironing board.  Align the sleeve following the bottom seam as guide. Press carefully, moving both layers of fabric flat as the iron glides across front surface of sleeve. Repeat for the other sleeve. Turn the shirt to do the other side of sleeve.

For a long-sleeved shirt, press the cuffs next, similar to the collar instructions. Turn the shirt to press the other side.

Body  - Position the body of the shirt on the end of your ironing board, buttonhole panel first. Press from the bottom tail progressing upward to the collar. Do not allow puckers or folds to press into fabric. Turn the shirt to iron the inside of the body of shirt also.

Move the shirt position to the next body panel, half of the back. Press from the tail progressing upward to the collar.

Move the shirt position to next body panel, the other half of the back. Press as before. Be aware of any pleats or vents in the back of the shirt where the yoke joins the back panel – you will have to iron these in to ensure the shirt hangs properly.

Move shirt position to the last body panel, other half of the front, the button panel. Press as before.

Et voila!  Return the pressed shirt to its hanger, buttoning the top two or three buttons to help keep it straight and stop it slipping off the hanger

Hopefully you will never be in this situation because you’ll always send all your ironing to the Maids.  After all, that’s what we’re all about……. Iron Maids: Ironing Maid Easy!