|
Washing at Home | Drying at Home | Washers | Dryers
Laundry Care Products | Dry Cleaning | Ironing | Laundromat
Ironing: The Finishing Touch
 Green Martha hears tell that there still exist folks who iron laundry, and she remembers when her ironing board was perpetually set up. Thankfully, Island life is forgiving of all sorts of wrinkles, so most Vineyard women are very casual about the need to iron. And with the advent of blended fabrics, (95% cotton, 5% spandex), the popularity of clothes being made from knitted fabrics instead of woven ones, and the prevalent use of clothes dryers, ironing isn't necessary in most cases.
However, when a little heat and pressure is called for to produce smartly crisp and smooth clothes, ironing is the only answer short of sending laundry to a professional cleaner.
The Parameters of Dread
Ironing has changed from being a dreaded task because there was so much of it, to being dreaded because the only things left to be ironed are fussy and difficult. My mother so detested ironing, that some children's clothes laid in the bottom of her ironing basket until that child had outgrown them!
Instead of Ironing
If laundry is removed and hung or folded shortly after the dryer cycle finishes, most everything will be ready to wear. However, if laundry has sat in the machine and wrinkles have set, adding a dampened small towel or a couple of damp socks and running the machine again for a few minutes should solve the problem.
How it Works
Moisture and heat are the workers here, and combining them with light pressure is what makes ironing effective. Before ironing anything for the first time, check the garment's care label for instructions, and if it indicates that ironing is advisable, test the inside of a hem or seam first.
The Requirements of Specific Fabrics
Synthetic fabrics will scorch, melt and crack with too much heat. These do best with low heat, but if wrinkles are still set use a damp pressing cloth between the iron and the fabric and increase the heat slightly. Silk and woolen fabrics also do well with this method, if the iron is set at a medium temperature. Use a pressing cloth made of cotton or linen that is pretty much lint free. Dedicating a good quality dishtowel to the ironing tool kit is a wise investment.
Oh-oh
Before ironing, check the soleplate of the iron for discoloration, especially when using an iron in a hotel room. The heat of an iron will pick up residue from synthetic fabric, which means the textile is melting. Sometimes the fabric still looks OK, and other times there will be a sheen, but the garment is leaving a coating of itself on the iron. This discolors the ironing plate, making it somewhat sticky to the touch if the iron is hot, and causing the iron to drag. If not caught in time, this residue will then be deposited on the next piece to be ironed.
There is a specially formulated product called soleplate cleaner, and Cronig's carries the Whink brand. In a pinch if specialty cleaner is not readily available, gentle scouring with a new soap-imbedded steel wool pad can do the trick. The soap is very important, as it acts as a cushion or buffer between the pad and the iron base. Gentle motions are called for so as not to scrape or gouge the soleplate. While rinsing off the soap, check to see that the vents are clear, otherwise steel wool soap will be pushed out onto the next thing to be ironed by the release of steam.
Nicks on the bottom of an iron can snag delicate fabrics and cause runs. Ironing over zippers, snaps, and metal buttons can also scratch the soleplate.
 Steam
As said before, moisture and heat, or steam, is the worker here, and most modern irons are equipped to produce steam. Some offers bursts of steam for spot applications to particularly stubborn wrinkles. But years ago, irons only produced heat without steam, so the moisture came from the item itself, or damp pressing cloths that were used for touch ups. Ironing damp is still the most effective procedure for a really smooth finish on non-synthetic fabrics.
Front loading washing machines spin moisture out of laundry so effectively that some items can be ironed right from the machine. A tumble in a dryer set at "Air Fluff" will also work, as will a short dry cycle or a brief hanging on a clothesline.
Although moisture is the handmaiden of an iron's heat, it is also the destroyer of uncared for steam irons. Most manufacturers call for distilled water to be poured into the reservoir because it's mineral-free. They next caution users to drain the reservoir after each work session so rust doesn't develop and spit through the steam vents onto whatever is being ironed. Since the water will still be hot, care must be taken with the steam and sputtering that will result.
 How it Doesn't Work
Green Martha once dated a man who was a very talented auto body worker, more like a sculptor really. By hand he could shape a flat piece of steel to perfectly match a corresponding fender, but he was useless ironing his own shirts. I came to see that the basics of easy ironing had a preliminary step to auto body work -- the fabric must be made to lay flat before applying the iron. Wanting to use as few steps as possible, he was ironing as if a shirt was flat to begin with, but a shirt has too many curves for that to be successful.
How it Does Work
Beginning with a collar or the cuffs, lay flat what can be flat at one time and iron just that section. Next go to the yoke, remembering that the pointed end of the iron is one of your allies, and the pointed end of the board is the other. Fit the board point into the top of the sleeve opening, then iron the part of the yoke that is flat, and the top of the sleeve. Repeat with the other yoke and sleeve. Then smooth one sleeve as flat as possible and iron that. Next work on the button plackets and pocket flaps. Finish up by ironing the biggest flattest expanses of fabric. Leave these to last because they are most likely to wrinkle again if ironed earlier in the process.
For trousers, begin with pocket linings (caution: they may be made of fabric that requires less heat than the pants.), then go on to waistband, fly, and anything above the crotch. Match up the inseams on each leg to develop a crease down the front and back, and press.
It may sound like more work, but accepting the effectiveness of breaking ironing into small steps actually makes the task easier, with better results, in less time.
Caring for a Steam Iron
Although moisture is the handmaiden of an iron's heat, it is also the destroyer of uncared for irons. Most manufacturers call for distilled water to be poured into the reservoir because it is mineral-free. They next caution users to drain the reservoir after each work session so rust doesn't develop and spit through the steam vents onto whatever is being ironed. Since the water is usually still hot when an iron is drained, care must be taken with the steam and sputtering that may result.
Tips for care and cleaning of a steam iron: http://www.rowentausa.com/irons/support_use-carefeeding.cfm
Back to Top
Contact Green Martha
|
