The joy of ironing – your tips

For some it’s a massive chore, for others it’s a moment of peace in a busy world, while for the hardcore enthusiasts, ironing is a mix of an art form and a competitive sport.

We noticed that a few members of the Which? Conversation community have been sharing some neat ironing tips on a story from 2013 about cordless irons, so we thought we’d gather the pearls of wisdom here.

Choose your weapon

Being faced with a large pile of ironing can be disheartening, but don’t despair! Beryl has some advice about how to come up with an ironing system that works for you:

‘Once upon a time I was encumbered with 14 shirts a week to iron, plus an assortment of other things, so I welcomed the introduction of the steam iron and bought one. I soon got fed up with it running out of steam half way through the ironing and it never seemed to provide enough moisture to get rid of all of the crinkles before I finished the load, so I ditched it and went out and bought a small corded dry iron (do they still make them?), which I still use today. I fill an ordinary fine hand spray container (the type they sell at your local garden centre) with water and spray the clothes with as much water as is needed to iron out the creases. Result, a crinkle free garment without all the hissing and spitting that emanates from a steam iron.’

And what’s the best way to iron dark clothing? Beryl to the rescue!

‘Here’s a tip, always iron dark and strong colours, black, navy blue, brown, red, etc. on the inside, as this will avoid the sheen you sometimes get on the outside after ironing. This will give a nice matte finish, adding depth to the colour of the garment, avoiding the washed out look occasionally visible on well worn clothes.’

Take a scientific approach

Wavechange has a novel approach to tackling creases:

‘I have lived in a very hard water area most of my life and steam irons quickly block up with limescale, so I have a different approach to ironing. I do the ironing straight from the washing machine, so there is no need for a steam iron. I do have a steam iron, but I don’t need to put water in it. It might seem ridiculous to anyone who always uses a steam iron, but do try this approach.’

And it turns out that it pays to be patient, according to Wavechange:

‘My top tip is not to try and use an iron until the heating light comes on for a second time. This is because the temperature can go well above the required temperature when first switched on, which can burn fabrics and cause synthetics to stick to the hottest part of the sole plate. Some designs are better than others but this is a fairly common problem with temperature controls using simple thermostats.’

Give crinkles a chance

Of course there is a radical solution to cutting down on the time you spend ironing – do you agree with Edward Crooks?

‘My problem with cordless irons is the same one as I have with corded irons – they are unnecessary! Ironing is just a waste of electricity and should be eliminated. It is not beyond the wit of man to provide non-iron material for any use, in fact such material already exists and is in use. In the meantime, while we wait for widespread use of non-iron material, I would suggest that everyone should renounce the use of the iron and be proud to be crinkly, for the sake of the environment!’

Could you become a crinkly? Or are your crisp cotton shirts a source of pride? Have you any tips to add, or stories of ironing disasters? No-one will judge you here if you’ve scorched a few tops or melted a t-shirt, honest. Ironing is clearly a complicated business, and something of a fine art.