Ironing shirts is a nuisance for many people, but with a planned and effective workflow it can be done quite quickly. In this post, we’ll show you a few tips and tricks on how to save time and effort.
Ironing shirts – tips for preparation
To be able to iron shirts in a relaxed and correct way, we recommend that you use a good and stable ironing board with a fabric overlay that does not slip. If you do not have a suitable ironing board at hand, you can also iron your shirts without an ironing board. You will also need either a steam iron plus distilled water or a plain iron plus a spray bottle.
- Place the ironing board and iron – the iron on your right if you are right-handed and on your left if you are left-handed.
- Tip: Invest in a good iron. If you can’t decide on a model, use our iron test as a buying guide.
- Provide a hanging option and hangers. Garments wrinkle most quickly when they cool. Therefore, fold or hang them immediately after ironing.
- First check the instructions in the sewn-in label of the garment for the iron setting at which the shirt may be ironed.
- It is advantageous to use a steam iron, i.e. an appliance with a built-in steam function. Fill distilled water into the water reservoir.
- Set the iron to the lowest temperature allowed by the care label.
- Prepare the shirts accordingly. If you are ironing more than one, place the shirts in a pile ready for ironing, right-handed on your right, left-handed on your left. Start with the lowest temperature and work your way up to the highest.
- For best results, iron cotton/polyester blend shirts on setting one and then again on setting two.
Ironing shirts – this is how to do it
Now move on to ironing. It is easiest to iron shirts when they are damp – for example, directly after washing. Alternatively, you can dampen the shirts and leave them individually rolled up in a damp towel for a few minutes. You can also use a spray bottle or steam from the iron. Shirts made of high-quality silk should be ironed gently at a low temperature and from the left.
- Start with the loose items first. This will prevent large areas from creasing again. Turn the collar inside out and pull it tight with one hand while ironing with the other. Iron the collar from the right side as well.
- Now iron the button placket, but always from the left, otherwise the buttons may melt. If the shirt has ironed-on prints, iron them only from the left, otherwise they will come off and stick to the iron.
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Next iron the sleeves – always from the right side. Pay close attention that the crease is parallel to the shoulder part. Pull the sleeve very tight with one hand and follow up with the iron. Always iron over the seams too, but around buttons.
- Now work on the shoulder part. Place the shirt tightly and smoothly over the sharper end of the iron and iron firmly and several times over it, as it is usually a double layer of fabric. Also, hold the iron only briefly in one place to reach all parts evenly.
- Now iron the bust part. Pay scrupulous attention to the absence of wrinkles here, as this is where the eye falls first and thus determines the first impression. Start with the large areas and end with the corners. Once a piece is ironed, move the shirt away from you to keep it wrinkle-free. Always iron over the seams as well.
- Finish by ironing the back. Again, always iron from the large areas to the corners and move the shirt away from you.
- If there are still wrinkles anywhere, you can touch them up with pinpoint accuracy using the spray bottle or steam from the steam iron. Now the shirt should be wrinkle-free.
- Hang the shirt on the hanger immediately after ironing, close the first and third buttons and hang it up. Or fold it immediately, taking care not to leave star creases. Therefore, run the flat of your hand between the folded edges once more.
