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Do you like ironing? Probably not, but you’ve probably become accustomed to this unpleasant chore. Does it annoy you that the results are not always perfect and don’t match the time or effort you’ve put into this work? Avoid the mistakes mentioned below and have perfectly ironed laundry.
Don’t let laundry dry out and start with the most delicate materials
Ironing dry, creased laundry can never turn out well. You should always iron immediately after you take the laundry off the line or out of the dryer. If you can’t iron right away, at least try to fold and smooth the clothes as best as you can. Even so, to iron out creases and folds from the stacking you’ll need to slightly dampen dry clothes with a spray bottle or use a steam iron.
You surely know it’s good to iron delicate fabrics at a low temperature. But many people leave these delicate items until the end, when they lower the iron’s temperature. Mistake! It’s better to start with the delicate pieces. The iron isn’t hot yet, and there’s no risk of ruining a favorite wardrobe piece.
Watch out for prints and appliqués — you can ruin your clothes and your iron
If your garment has a printed pattern or an appliqué made of a different material, be careful not to iron it at too high a temperature, because it would leave marks on the fabric or the pattern could be ruined. Always lower the temperature or skip that area and carefully iron only from the wrong side or the back. Especially avoid plastic prints at all costs. You will ruin not only the T‑shirt but also the iron, because melted synthetic material is very hard to remove.
Take care of your iron to avoid unwanted stains
You need to clean the soleplate of your electric helper from time to time. Dirt can sometimes stick to it and then spread onto other clothes. You can try:
- a sponge
- a cloth soaked in vinegar
- toothpaste.
It’s also important to empty the water from steam irons after each ironing session, especially if you don’t use distilled but ordinary tap water. That can cause deposits that will come out of the steam holes or even clog them completely.
