How to Iron

Four Methods:Before You IronIroning Your ClothesDealing with Tricky ItemsIroning Specific Items

Whether it's your first time ironing or you've been doing it since you could hold up an iron, here's an overview laced with handy tips to make wrinkle-free clothes!

Method 1 of 4: Before You Iron

1. 
   1
   Check the tag. It should say if it can be ironed and also tell you what setting to use on the iron.
2. 
   2
   Fill the iron. Fill the iron's water reservoir (if it has one) with distilled water or bottled water to minimize mineral buildup on the iron and on the clothes.^[1]
   • If you want to add a pleasant scent to your clothes, soak a few sprigs of lavenderinto the water before you put it into the iron.
3. 
   3
   Set the iron on the right setting. Plug it in and let it sit upright. Wait until it heats up. Many irons have a little light that will light up to show the iron is heating up and ready to start. It will go out when the iron has reached the right temperature.
4. 
   4
   Organize your clothes. If you're ironing more than one garment and they require different settings, organize the garments so that you start with the coolest setting first and work your way up. It's much faster to heat up the iron than to wait for it to cool off, and if it's not cool enough you could ruin the fabric.
5. 
   5
   Place a piece of aluminum foil on the ironing board. The foil will heat up so that it's almost like ironing the garment from both sides at the same time.^[2] You can also purchase a silver ironing board cover that accomplishes the same task.
6. 
   6
   Have a spot to hang things. Clothes wrinkle most easily when they cool down. You'll want to hang or immediately fold your items, if you're ironing more than one, so that they do not wrinkle again while you're busy. Have some hangers available and a chair or rack to put them on.
7. 
   7
   Get starch. Get a spray can of clothing starch or sizing. Spraying this on before ironing items will make them much easier to iron and will keep them from getting wrinkled quickly over the course of the day.
   • Not everyone agrees that spray starch is a good addition. It can over-spray and get all over your floor (which then needs cleaning) and it gets sticky on the ironing (which also needs cleaning). Just empty out the water each time you use it.

Method 2 of 4: Ironing Your Clothes

1. 
   1
   Put the piece of clothing on the ironing board. Put it wrong side out (so that the side that touches the iron is the same side that touches your body). If the fabric is cotton or silky rayon, put the right side out instead.
2. 
   2
   Spray starch. This is optional, but will make your clothes feel more "crisp". You can make your own starch spray by completely dissolving one tablespoon of cornstarch in two cups of water. Put this solution into a clean spray bottle and lightly mist the fabric right before you iron on that spot.
3. 
   3
   Start ironing. Always keep the iron moving; never let it sit still over any part of the garment. If there's a stubborn wrinkle that refuses to iron out, spray some water on it and iron over with steam. Begin at the big areas and finish with the corners. Once you iron a section, move the garment away from you. If you move it towards you, it may wrinkle as you lean over it and possibly push it against the ironing board.
   • Acrylic knits - since they can warp when wet and warm, let the fabric cool and dry completely before moving it.^[3]
   • Corduroy - hold the iron just above the garment so that the steam thoroughly penetrates the fabric, then smooth it along the ribs with your palm.^[4]
   • Pleats - hold them in place with paper clips (just be careful that the clips don't snag or damage the fabric).
   • Sleeves - use a sleeve board; insert the sleeve board in the sleeve so that you can iron it without creases; if you don't have a sleeve board, roll up a towel and put it snugly inside the sleeve, then iron. However, you do not need to use a sleeve board; just place the wrist button side facing upward and iron around the buttons.
4. 
   4
   Turn the fabric over and iron the right side. This will ensure that the right side is immaculate and any creases you accidentally create are ironed to the back, where it matters less. However, ironing both sides is optimal. If you used the aluminum foil as outlined earlier, you may not need to iron the other side. Check out the type of fabric you're using to see whether you need to iron the other side:
   • Cotton and silky rayon shouldn't be ironed on the wrong side at all.
   • Polyester can be ironed on either or both sides; if in doubt, iron the wrong side and stop there.
   • For delicate fabrics or those with vibrant colors you'd like to preserve, try to get all the wrinkles out by ironing the wrong side (ironing on the right side can give dark colors an unwanted sheen).
5. 
   5
   Hang or fold the garment immediately after ironing. Don't forget to turn off the iron and empty the water out. Leaving water in the iron for extended periods of time can cause rust to form inside. That rusty water can shoot out with the steam next time you iron and stain your clothing.

Method 3 of 4: Dealing with Tricky Items

1. 
   1
   Iron cuffs using a handtowel. The easiest way to iron the cuff on a sleeve is to roll a handtowel (until it is roughly the size of a wrist) and place it in the cuff. Iron with the towel in the cuff to get a nice, round look.
2. 
   2
   Use steam to deal with serious wrinkles. For wrinkles that just won't come out, add more water into the mix. You can get a towel damp and iron the item with the towel underneath. If that doesn't help, try the cheap man's clothes' steamer: hang your items in the bathroom, turn on the shower as hot as it will go, and close the door. Ironing the item after steaming should be much easier.
3. 
   3
   Be careful with items with raised patterns. If your item has a raised pattern, such as eyelets or embroidery, you can iron it face down with a towel underneath. This will keep the pattern from getting flattened or warped.
4. 
   4
   Be careful with knitted items. Wool items cannot usually be ironed with steam. Acrylic knit items will require you to iron by pressing, rather than moving the iron in circles or straight lines. Ironing most knit items in circles will stretch the fabric.
5. 
   5
   Iron corduroy and velvet carefully. You should not touch the iron to the surface of velvet or corduroy, but you can steam it. Use the steam function on your iron, while holding it roughly 1/2" from the surface of the wrong side of the item. Smooth with your hand. ^[5]

Method 4 of 4: Ironing Specific Items

1. 
   1
   Learn to iron pants. Pants can be more complex than they look when it comes to ironing. Do them correctly to avoid extra seam lines.
   • Whether to iron a crease down the front or not depends on your personal preference. Arguments abound for having one and not having one. To some, this is ugly, to others it's the height of elegance. Whatever you prefer, it is easier to avoid adding one––just lay the pants flat, seam on left side, seam on right side and iron down the middle.
2. 
   2
   Learn to iron a dress shirt. Probably the most difficult item to iron and yet one of the most common is the dress shirt. If you're having trouble with an item like this, we've got some helpful advice for you!
3. 
   3
   Learn to iron a shirt. Ironing general shirts is less problematic, but there are plenty of tips and tricks if you want to do it really well!
4. 
   4
   Learn to iron pleats. You will find few ironing jobs more challenging than pleats, especially if there are a lot of them! With a little work and some helpful advice though, your pleats will look Sunday School perfect in no-time.
5. 
   5
   Learn to iron a tie. Because many ties are made of materials which do not iron well, it can be tricky to iron them. Read the instructions on your tie's label. To get the best look, trace your tie onto some cardboard and stick it in side the tie before you iron.
6. 
   6
   Learn to starch items correctly. Starching shirts is very effective but uncommon among younger generations and in certain regions. If you find your ironed items could use a little boost, try starching.
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Tips

• If you want to crease your trousers, don't do it with the trousers inside out. For best results, just iron them right side out.
• Clean your iron regularly so that the steam vents don't become clogged and the metal plate doesn't get sticky. A wet cotton swab can be used to clean out the steam vents. A soft, damp to wet cloth works well to clean dried starch from the ironing plate that accumulated from the previous ironing session.
• For areas like the seat area of trousers that are difficult to iron directly, you can hover over the area as close as possible with the iron set on high steam. Carefully tug on the material to straighten it out and release the wrinkles. Keep those hands away from the steam!
• Hanging clothes on a rolling rack is a good way to shape them as they dry.
• Keep a clean spray bottle of water handy. You can lightly spray the clothes in advance and put them in a plastic bag. Pull them out one at a time to iron. Moist clothes iron easier. Do not leave them in the bag as they will mildew (and be ruined) after a few days.
• Take clothing straight out of the dryer once dried, to prevent wrinkling. Hang or fold clothes straight from the clothesline rather than leaving them scrunched up in a basket. A lot of ironing can be avoided this way.