Ironing - GROAN!

[rinso]

I love doing the laundry until it comes to the ironing. It is just so time-consumming. I was wondering if anyone has any appliances, tips, or information on how to get through ironing faster and effectively. I currently have two very good hand irons, a 1948 heavy steel folding board, and a cheapo Singer mini press. The press is only really good for small items like napkins. Using it for anything else takes twice as long as the hand iron. Do mangles really save any time, or are they also just good for select items?

Thanks

 

[gansky1]

An ironer, or mangle, can save time if you know how to use it. Marty Kaplan, one of the vacuum collectors that was here last weekend gave us a demo of ironing a shirt on my Ironrite. It was fascinating to watch, he was an experienced expert having done it for many years. The shirt came out terrific and it did take less time than ironing by hand - for him. I tried it once a few years go and ended up re-washing the shirt ;-)

 

[rinso]

Hmmmm....I wonder if anyone currently makes mangles for home use. Years ago, I had one of those GE hydraulic presses, but it became incontinent and I couldn't find parts for it.

 

[gansky1]

Andy, a Miele dealer from Springfield, MO brought this Rotary Ironer last weekend for us to try out. It was very nice, quiet and smooth operating.

http://www.miele.com/usa/laundry/subcategory.asp?cat=4&subcat=17&nav=21&oT=48

 

[launderess]

Have two mangles (large Pfaff 856 and small portable Ironrite 890),along with a vintage Hurley "press".

Good results from an ironer are possible, but as with all things it takes some practice. After all commercial laundries use ironers for their flatwork all the time.

Think the hardest thing for most to manage is feeding long items like sheets, that are folded into the ironer without creating "dog ears" or more wrinkles. Another problem is the learning curve of how damp the laundry must be to obtain good results. Items must only be damp enough that one pass though the ironer will iron and dry them. If they are too wet the results will be poor as material will wrinkle all over again as it exits the ironer, especially as it falls into folds on the other side of the roller.

Personally, find for large items of flatwork, can do the things faster and better by using my large ironing table, and a hot and heavy iron. Suspect many other women felt this way as well, hence all those vintage ironers that show up in mint condition.

 

[appnut]

What's an iron? My dryer is my iron!!! I don't even know how to use an iron!!

 

[ironrite]

Good ironing is dry ironing!

Let's see what Mary Jones has to say on the subject! Here's a link to show what the Ironrite can do. This is part one, you can search the site there for part two. Yes, you can iron just about anything, like Laundress says it will take time and practice. I've used heavy liquid starch on shirts, ran them through the Ironrite and they can stand up on their own! The Ironrite had both ends of the drum open which to me made ironing easier. A lot of rotary ironers have only one end open, the motor is at one of the ends, and they were not as easy to use.

Currently I have a Rowenta steam generator, that I am still liking a whole lot. With the steam it puts out, the wrinkles just fly out of the clothes. With the iron on full steam, it's riding on a cushion of steam. So as fast as you can move your arm, your clothes are pressed.

Ironrites still show up at thrift stores and garage sales and there are several different models. A smaller one that folds up to metal and wood cabinet models.

http://www.archive.org/details/MakingaN1946

 

[launderess]

Wood Cabinet Ironrites

Weren't that popular IIRC. Ladies worried about just how sanitary the wood surface was versus the smooth metal of the traditional models.

 

[Maytagluver]

Love my IRONRITE

I picked up a mod 85 Ironrite for a buck. Had it two years now and haven't had the ironing board or the Rowenta out since.
Once I got the hang of doing my shirts, it's a breeze..can knock out a basket full in about an hour. Don't have NEAR the back, leg pain from standing @ the board
My IRONRITE is in super condition, sure hope it lasts as long as I do Perhaps as I age, I'll care less if my shirts don't get ironed?
Just my two cents

al

 

[bleacho]

my solution to ironing..

i purchased the Rowenta steam generator iron that ironite purchased, and oh my god, its terrific.... i put liquid starch into the fabric softener dispensor of my frontloader, dry them, and use the steam to press out my dress shirts, etc.. as ironite says you pass the iron over once with the steam, and shirts are perfectly ironed, after one pass...
it was worth the investment of 150.00... my ironing time is more than cut in half, and the finished product looks as if it came from the cleaners..
go fir it,, you wont be disappointed....