6 Tips for Perfectly Ironed Clothes Every Time

If you're like me, you hate ironing. It's a necessary evil, but there are ways to make it less painful. We've got 6 tips for perfectly ironed clothes every time, but first, let's remind you of the benefits of ironing your clothes:

Benefits of ironing your clothes:

1. Improved Appearance

When your clothes are ironed, they look nicer, make you feel better, and people perceive you as more organized and put together.

2. Extended Wear

Unironed clothes gradually become messy and creased. When they're ironed, you can extend the wear of your clothing for several additional days.

3. Safety

Unironed clothing can become slippery. When your work uniforms and clothes are ironed, they're less likely to slip on surfaces, keeping you safer at work and during sports and other outdoor activities.

4. Health

Bacteria love unironed fabrics; unironed work uniforms can contribute to the spread of illnesses in your home. Ironing kills the germs that make your clothes stink!

Now that we know the benefits of ironing, let's hop into the 6 tips for perfectly ironed clothes every time!

6 tips for perfectly ironed clothes every time:

1. Prepare the Iron and Pre-stretch Fabrics

The key to fast ironing is getting your clothes ready ahead of time. Take a few minutes before washing to carefully check for loose seams and other repairs needed. Pick up your ironing board and take a quick look at our tips below on how to prepare your iron and fabrics for ironing:

• Clean the iron. The iron must be clean to prevent smudges and wrinkles. You can use stovetop cleaners or wipes designed for irons. Take a minute to check your settings; if your iron is too hot, you'll create puckers and not smooth out fabrics well.
• Choose the proper heat for the fabric. This might seem obvious, but depending on what you're wearing and what fabric it is, you may want to adjust your iron's setting slightly. Linen, for example, has a low melting point, so you don't want to use high temperatures.
• Pre-stretch knit fabrics. Knits can have a lot of residual tension, so you'll want to pre-stretch them before putting them on. Pull the fabric slightly in opposite directions, then flat iron from the selvage to set the stretch.

2. Take Time to Prepare Your Clothing

Don't rush the ironing process; take a few minutes to prepare your clothes right away. Here are a few things you should do before starting to iron:

• Remove accessories, zippers, and buttons. These will only create bumps and cause wrinkles along the length of your seams.
• Take off hanging dresses and tops. Hang dresses and tops by the shoulder so you can easily pull them down over your head for wear.
• Iron the backs of your dresses so you don't get a hump on your shoulder when wearing them.
• Unpick stitches if necessary. If there are stitches that are creating permanent bumps in your fabric, unpick them. The fabric will then lie flat again, and you'll be able to iron out the wrinkles created by the stitch.
• Lay garments flat. To pre-stretch knit fabrics mentioned above, you'll want to lay garments flat rather than pulling them in opposite directions. Let gravity do the work for you.

3. Start at the Edges

Ironing clothes is a breeze when you start at the edges and work your way into the middle of the garment. Ironing the edges builds up steam which is then applied to the body of the garment, allowing you to quickly and easily remove any creases. So don't be aaint no wrinkles in yo' shirt!

4. Use Steam

Ironing with steam is not only quicker but also safer for your clothes. The steam helps to release moisture from the fabric, which softens the fibers and makes wrinkle removal much more straightforward. So forget about those pesky wrinkles - steam is the way to go!

If you're looking to really spruce up your clothes, we recommend using a garment steamer. But if you don't have one handy, a traditional iron with a steam function will do the job quite nicely.

5. Use Pressure to Set the Wrinkles

Gliding your garment back and forth over the ironing board might seem like the best way to get those creases out. But there's a better way! Give your garment a good spanking if you want to eliminate those pesky wrinkles!

This pressure helps to set the wrinkle and release moisture from the fabric, which allows it to lay flat. But it also has a more playful side: it can help you achieve those perfect creases in your clothes!

6. Use the Back of the Iron

The front of your iron is designed to ensure even heat distribution. Still, it isn't particularly good at releasing moisture from the fabric. However, if you flip it over, the back side is perfect for steam-releasing action. So if you want to get rid of wrinkles and add a little extra oomph to your clothes, make sure to use both sides of your iron.

If you're having trouble getting wrinkles out of your clothes, we recommend using the back of your iron. The metal coils help release steam and make wrinkle removal easier.