26 Tips to Make Ironing Easy and Fast: The Easy Ironing Guide

Ironing is probably not one of your favorite chores, but it’s the key to looking good, and sometimes it’s simply unavoidable. Here are 26 practical tips, to make ironing easy and fast. 

26 Tips to Make Ironing Easy and Fast

1. Use a Dryer - One of the best ways to get a quick ironing job done is with your dryer. Spray clothes on both sides, toss them in for about five minutes, and voila! The heat will work wonders as well as making sure you don't have any wrinkles left behind when you're done. This is a great ironing hack if you need to multitask.
   
2. Use the Right Iron - Using the wrong iron is one of the most common mistakes in-home care. If you can, use a good steam-generating iron, which will heat up quickly and produce more steam than cheaper models. However, if your budget doesn’t allow it, look for irons with ceramic heating elements, as they heat up faster and dissipate the heat more evenly. A great new iron called Nori Press just hit the market and is making a real hit.  Its unique design and Fabric Facial solution will not only leave you wrinkle-free but freshen up your clothing with each use.  
3. Use Spray Bottles - You can use a spray bottle to dampen your clothing and make ironing faster and easier. This is especially useful if you’re trying to smooth out wrinkles from pants or skirts. Simply fill it with water, spritz the clothes down, and start ironing.
4. Use a Towel - If you’re ironing a traditional shirt and don't have an ironing board, use a clean cloth or towel underneath it to protect the table from getting stained. This will also help prevent the fabric from sliding all over your work surface as you iron.
5. Use a Cloth As An Ironing Board - You don’t need to spend money on a new ironing board if you don’t have one or prefer not to use it. You can use an old towel as a makeshift ironing board and save some money: just put it over your table and start pressing!
6. Fold Clothes Instead of Ironing - If you have a lot of clothes to press but don’t have time for it all, another trick you can use is folding instead of ironing. Simply fold everything, put it in a drawer and take out the pieces one by one when you need them. A quick trick is to do this as your things come out of the dryer.  This will keep any wrinkles from setting in.  
7. Fold Towels - Folding towels takes up much less time than ironing them. Bath towels don't wrinkle and so no issue there.  Your kitchen towels may but if you fold them while they're fresh out of the dryer the wrinkles will not set in.  
8. Use a Teatowel Over Clothing When Ironing - Some more fragile fabrics will do better if you place a tea towel between the iron and the garment.  This will help protect the fabric while still getting out any wrinkles. 
9. Iron Clothing Inside Out - Ironing the inner side of the clothes is one of those techniques usually not utilized. It can help to maintain the life of the garment and still do the job of taking out any wrinkles.
10. Use Fabric Softener - Adding fabric softener will make the iron glide on the surface of your clothes smoothly, which can cut down ironing time considerably.
11. Add a Little Vinegar - If you're ironing cotton clothing, add some vinegar while the machine is filling with water. I can not only brighten your clothes but will also reduce the amount of time needed for ironing as it helps to. make your iron glide along.
12. Iron Gently - If you are pressing shirt collars or other similar areas, iron the garment very gently. This is especially important for delicate fabrics, as pressing too hard can cause the fabric to break down.
13. Remove Wrinkles with Your Fingers - In a pinch instead of using iron-on garments that are difficult to iron, you can remove most wrinkles by simply stretching them and pulling the fabric with your hands. This is best done as soon as your garments come out of the dryer.
14. Use a Sleeve Board - A sleeve board can really help with a pesky shirt, jacket, or blouse sleeves.  Place it on your ironing board or any elevated surface and slip the garment sleeve over it.  You're done in a flash!
15. Iron Shirts Inside Out - It may sound counterintuitive, but if you’re in a hurry, ironing the collars and cuffs on the inside for the cuffs and the backside for the collar will give you a more professional end result.  You can press both the front and back of the shirts on the outside as you normally would. 
16. Iron Pants Inside Out - Ironing pants inside out can help preserve the fabric of your pants and you can turn them right side out in the end if you want to put a crease in them down the front.  
17. Iron Jackets Inside Out - This trick makes it easier to iron all seams and folds. Plus, if you want to avoid creases near the buttons on the front of the jacket, you can simply press them while the garment is inside out.
18. Iron Your Clothes Dry - If you’re in a hurry and don’t have time to wait for your garments to dry, you can easily smooth down most wrinkles with an iron on the cool setting if they're made of synthetic fibers: just put some water in a spray bottle and spritz the areas that need to be pressed.
19. Hang Your Clothes While Ironing - Before you start ironing, hang your clothes on a hanger and it will allow you to steam iron your clothes.  The new Nori iron is great for this!  
20. Use a Towel  - If your iron doesn’t have a steam function, you can simply lay a hand towel underneath the garment and an ironing cloth on top of the garment.  Spritz your garment and you've got the equivalent of a steam iron. 
21. Iron the Seams of Pants - If you’re in a hurry, ironing seams instead of individual creases will reduce your ironing time considerably.
22. Iron the Inside of Your Jacket - Sometimes it's a good idea to iron the inside of your jacket instead of the outside.  This can help to extend the life of the garment and still do the trick.  
23. Ironing Jeans - Jeans are one of those garments that if taken out of the dryer as soon as possible will not wrinkle. You can then hang them up or carefully fold them and put them away.  They'll be pressed and ready to go.  
24. Iron Your Shirt's Collar and Cuffs - If you're pressed for time and want to look your best without spending too much time ironing, focus on the collar and cuffs first.  This will allow you to iron the body of the shirt without having to go back to touch it up if you press the collar and cuffs last.  
25. Iron Your Shirt's Back First - Once you've done the collar and cuffs, press the back of your shirt first to get rid of wrinkles that occur naturally because of your movements while wearing it. This way you will prevent creases behind the arms, which are much harder to iron when you put on the shirt.
26. Iron YourShirt's Front Last - Pressing your shirt’s front last will allow you to make certain that when you put the shirt on that what is seen first will look good and wrinkle-free!

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What Causes Clothes to Wrinkle?

To spend less time ironing, it's useful to understand what causes clothes to become wrinkled in the first place. 

• The Fabric Type Matters - Cotton fabrics wrinkle more than other types of fabric due to their fiber content. You can eliminate some wrinkles in cotton by using a fabric softener or dryer sheet. Synthetic materials such as polyester tend to retain their shape better during washes, so they require fewer ironings.
• Washing Method Matters - You'll first want to read the label on your clothing to decide the temperature you wash them in.  The label will also tell you which cycle is best for your garment.
• How Long It Takes to Dry Matters Too - Once again follow the instructions on the garment label.  It will let you know if you should hang dry or put the garment in the dryer and at what setting.
•  What Temperature Was Used During Wash Cycle Matters - Whenever possible cold water is best for most fabrics and the environment.
• Detergent Types Matter - You may get some direction on clothing labels but most detergents today are suitable for a wide range of fabrics.  Some are biodegradable and better for the environment and some are for HE (High-Efficiency) washers.  It's your choice and a. good idea to pick one if possible to keep it simple.
• Handling After Washing Matters Most Of All - Once your laundry has dried completely, handle it with care! Avoid touching wet items until they've had ample time to air dry. Also, try not to touch any item directly after drying; instead, let it sit flat before handling. This will help eliminate wrinkling.
• Don't Overload Laundry Baskets - When using multiple baskets for clean clothing just out of the dryer.   remember to use them to separate loads and don't overload them to help eliminate wrinkling.
• Choose a washer and Dryer That Suits Your Family Size - No need for an oversized washer and dryer tub for one or two people.
• Keep Colors Separate From Each Other - Clothing labels will let you know if the item should be washed with like colors.  
• Amount Of Water Used During Washing - Your washer will most likely allow you to regulate the size of the load so that there is enough water for the load.  You want enough water to properly wash and cleanly rinse the load you're washing.  
• Temperature Setting For Washer & Dryer - Read your clothing labels to determine the proper temperature for your clothing.  Sort clothing not only by color but proper temperature.  Keep in mind that cold water is always a great option as it's good for clothing and the environment.  Coldwater also helps with wrinkles as won't' set-in wrinkles.  
• Time Between Wash Cycles - Time between cycles is typically determined by the washer setting.  No need to worry about it.  

Best Ways to Keep Clothes From Wrinkling

Some of the best ways to keep clothes from wrinkling include:

1. Use a cold water setting for both the wash and rinse cycle.  Hot water tends to set wrinkles into the fabric. 
2. Another reason to use cold water when laundering your clothes is to avoid color runoff and of course, it will not set wrinkles.
3. Try to cut down on the use of stain removers and harsh chemicals. These products can eventually break down the fabric and lead to wrinkling.
4. If you have small children there's no getting around the fact that you're gonna have lots of dirty clothes.  Just try to shake or brush off any excess dirt such as mud, sand, or any heavy grime that will not only make it harder for your washer to get clean but can make wrinkling an issue if you need to use hot water. 
5. If you decide to hang dry clothes rather than put them in the dryer hang them away from direct light to avoid shrinkage and wrinkling.  Keep dry-cleaned on hangers to keep away wrinkles. i
6. Dry your clothes as soon as possible after putting them in the washer. A drier's heat accelerates the evaporation of moisture, preventing wrinkles and mildew from forming.

If your clothes do get wrinkled - try this!

What is the Purpose of Ironing Clothes?

Clothing has a special place in our lives because we all have our particular style that portrays a part of our personality.  It's part of our first impression and ongoing "look".We can spend time shopping for clothes and then more time putting an outfit together at home.  Face it, you wouldn't be reading this if you didn't care about how you look. We want everything about us to be perfect, including how we look. That includes our outfits. To help us maintain that look you will have to have a good iron.

Now that we're done with the basics, here are some tips and tricks to help you achieve perfect results every single time.

Tip 1: Use an appropriate temperature

The first thing you should do is choose the right setting for your iron. Check the clothing label. You may think that any old iron will do but not necessarily. If you don't know what settings work well for different fabrics, then try a few trial runs before settling on a final choice. Always start with a low setting and work your way up in temperature if necessary.  

If you want to get rid of those pesky wrinkles, set the dial at medium-high. However, if you prefer softer cotton materials like towels, sheets, pillowcases, etc., a higher temperature will usually work.  Try low and go higher if needed. 

Tip 2: Press lightly

When pressing your shirt, avoid applying too much pressure. Instead, apply just enough so that the wrinkles are released.. Also, be careful not to push hard against the seam allowances because this could result in puckering.

Tip 3: Hold the iron steady

When holding the iron, place one hand on the iron and the other on the garment.  Sometimes you can hold the garment taut. Hold the iron firmly in your palm.

Tip 4: Turn up the steam

 To prevent wrinkles, turn the steam function on high whenever you need to iron or steam a garment. Steam helps loosen fibers and remove stubborn stains. This is another time that it would help to have a Nori iron.  You can iron and steam and the Fabric Facial will leave garments wrinkle-free and fresh.  

 Tip 5: Let the garment cool completely

After using the iron, let the garment cool completely before folding it away. Otherwise, there might be residual heat trapped inside which could lead to wrinkles in the garment that you just pressed or steamed.

10 Other Things You Can Do When Ironing

1. You’ve spent time putting your playlist together. How about one to get you through ironing!

2. Catch up with a friend. There’s a reason there’s a speaker on your phone!

3. Catch up on that new Fall TV series.

4. Isn’t book club next week? Fire up Audible.

5. A great time for a new podcast or Ted Talk.

6. Take a break. Go get a nice cold drink to cool off or hot cocoa if it’s cold outside.

7. CALL YOUR MOM!

8. Find a YouTube video and learn how to do something you’ve been wanting to learn.

9. Watch an old classic movie

10. Wouldn’t you ironing make a great Instagram post?

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