How to spend less time ironing – expert tips to take the wrinkles out of your laundry
- It’s true, some people love to iron, but for most of us it is a chore. As two experts explain, though, there are some tricks for making the task easier
- How you use your washing machine, and unload it, and how and where you dry clothes make a difference. Then there are things that don’t need ironing at all
There are people, it is said, who like to iron.
Yes, you read that correctly. This tribe irons to unwind after a busy day, for instance. But most of us look at a pile of freshly washed laundry that needs ironing with only slightly more excitement than going to the dentist.
Here are some helpful tips for smoother clothing.
Your washing machine’s spin cycle whirls, creases and wrinkles your clothes as they’re forced against the drum. To save yourself some work at the ironing board, reduce the spin speed, says fashion consultant Stephanie Grupe.
And don’t overload the drum – leave about a hand’s breadth of space under the top of the drum so the clothes aren’t squeezed against it during the wash cycle and can tumble properly.
“A teaspoon of washing soda, three tablespoons of vinegar or fabric softener help prevent wrinkling,” says Grupe, since the softer the fabrics become, the less they’ll need ironing.
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It’s also important to remove the clothes immediately from the drum after washing and “then shake them out well and smooth them out”, Grupe says. Wrinkles in wet laundry will set as it dries.
Fabrics become softer, stretchier and less wrinkly when they’re exposed to plenty of air during drying, whether in a dryer or outdoors.
Laundry is easier to iron when it’s damp. If it isn’t, you can sprinkle it with water beforehand or, even better, use a steam iron.
“A steam iron that produces 90 grams of steam per minute is all you need to only have to iron just one side of clothing,” says Martina Schäfer from the German Society for Home Economics (DGH). You should start at the front, and delicate fabrics should be ironed inside out.
Grupe advises unbuttoning shirts and blouses before ironing. “Iron the small sections first: the collar, yoke, cuffs, and – inside out – button placket (the strip where the buttons are),” she says. “Then do the larger areas: sleeves, back, and finally the front.”
Speaking of steam, the bathroom is a good place to hang laundry. “Rising steam from a hot shower can smooth out a blouse,” points out Schäfer.
Although you may have been taught otherwise, you don’t have to iron socks or underwear – they smooth out when worn. The same goes for close-fitting T-shirts and other undergarments.
What’s more, Grupe says, “If you know you’re going to be wearing a blazer all day, you only have to iron the parts of the shirt or blouse underneath that will be showing: the collar, cuffs and button placket.”
But to look your best, she adds, you should always make sure that your outer clothing is wrinkle- and crease-free.
If you want to quickly get rid of a few creases, you can also use a garment steamer, Grupe says. “Instead of washing garments you’ve worn only briefly, spray them with fine, hot steam.” This, she notes, can be very helpful in smoothing out viscose tops with draping or pleats.
After you iron clothes with a steam iron, Schäfer says you should allow a little time for residual moisture in them to evaporate before putting them in the wardrobe.
