Who Still Irons?

[autowasherfreak]

I washed my bedroom curtains a few days ago, and they are 100% cotton, and no matter what cycle I use, they come out of the dryer looking like they have sat in the dryer for weeks. I decided this time I was going to iron them, first time I've used an iron in years. I think the last time I used an iron was when I printed my own iron on decals that I designed for Christmas gifts one year.

If you still iron, what all do you iron?

 

[rickr]

I have a silk tablecloth that we use during the holidays. So it is ironed after laundering. That is all I iron. So I use the iron once a year. Timot irons his jeans, shirts, even tee shirts. I just roll my eyes. I do the laundry, and I get the stuff out of the dryer right away and hang then up. But he likes his stuff ironed. I say, "iron your lil heart out, cause this one ain't doing it"

 

[supersuds]

I iron my dress shirts every week (I work in an office).

Laundries are too expensive, and I actually don't mind doing it. Much.

 

[hoovermatic]

Ummmm......

.........dress shirts (minimum 5 a week but this week 10 as have been in a show at the theatre, linen table napkins, tee-shirts, hankerchiefs, tea towels, duvet covers pillowcases......................am I MAD????????

 

[ronhic]

I iron

- business shirts
- business trousers (not suits, they're dry cleaned)
- t-shirts if not used as an undershirt
- chinos
- jeans
- casual shirts
- wool pull-overs
- tablecloths and napkins

....and one particular set of very heavy cotton sheets that crease beyond belief...

 

[arbilab]

Not since early 1969. I hang shirts faintly damp out of the dryer and they iron themselves.

 

[launderess]

Linens (bed, table and bath), night shirts, chemises, jeans, trousers, shirts, blouses, and so forth. Draw the line at men's shorts.

 

[chuffle]

My weekly ironing consists of my dress shirts for work, kitchen tea towels, cotton pillow cases.

Dining room table cloth after laundering (then folded and put away) - this done seasonally.

Jeans and daily t-shirts are folded straight out of the dryer, as are the weekly cotton bed sheets (I don't have patience to iron them, though I do iron the cotton sheets for the guest room bed).

Joe

 

[paulg]

Every morning

I iron a shirt for work. I'll also iron the T-shirt just a little. I keep the ironing board in the master bath.
Also,
All dress shirts
Cotton pants
Shorts (I iron them so they aren't wacky-wrinkly)
Napkins
Tablecloths
Neckties, sometimes (yes, I am careful)

I rotate my irons. Current favorite - the 1970's Sunbeam Jewel Shot of Steam.
Spares, 1970s GE, 1970s Sunbeam standard and 1960's Hoover.

 

[westingman123]

I iron weekly. Linens, mostly. Curtains when they are changed (seasonally). There's nothing like the smell of line-dried linens being ironed. Nothing.

 

[circlew]

Not I

In fact, I've not ironed in about 15 years. I know this because I bought a new B&D metal iron shortly before my dad passed away, and that was in '98. The appliance is still in the box, unopened.

I remove garments from the dryer as soon as it stops, so they don't get many wrinkles. I used to iron my pants, shirts, and sheets, but decided I didn't want to waste time doing so when things would get wrinkled anyway when I wore them, or laid on the bed.

I'm not a clothes horse, and I have little interest in fashion. As long as I look clean and decent, I'm satisfied. My wardrobe consists mostly of jeans (all Levi), shorts, polo and tee shirts. Even my dressier clothes (Haggar and Docker pants) come from the dryer looking fine. They get worn maybe two or three times a year.

If I do iron something in the future, it would probably be a tablecloth or napkins.

 

[bosch2460]

I iron weekly. I typically iron any shirt with a collar, the occasional tablecloth or napkins, or curtains if necessary. I wear at least one dress shirt and a pair of Dockers-type pants every day. I hate ironing pants, and do everything in my power to prevent me having to iron them. Speaking of ironing...I need a new one. Any suggestions on a really good iron that I do not have to sell my soul to afford?

 

[stainfighter]

...good iron that I do not have to sell my soul to afford?

after having two Rowentas give up, conveniently right after warranty ran out of course, went back to buying Sunbeam. We consider it to be pretty good for the price, it has outlived its warranty by two years (!) more than we can say about Rowenta. Steam blast is strong (though not strong enough to vertically steam for more than a second or so) - others may have different recommendations for you...
I like the look of a smooth dress shirt, even the 'no-iron' type gets a quick spray of sizing on the inside of front panels followed by Faultless heavy on the outside, gives them that professionally laundered look and lasts the occasional 12-hour day

 

[polkanut]

Joel,

<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: medium;">My suggestion would be to check your local thrift stores or estate sales.  An older iron will usually have lots of life left in it, is better quality, and most often cheaper than new.</span>

 

[super32]

@ Stainfighter......guess im not the only one who has been thru a few Rowentas! FPOS! Im currently on my 3rd which so far has lasted about 5yrs now. Its a steam generator as the other 2 were just standard irons.

I iron buisiness casual clothes if im in my corporate office and i do iron most of my "nice" or "casual" shirts. All of my dress pants come out of the dryer looking absolutly flawless.

I usually have to iron for my partner as he is not quite as picky as i am.

Im kinda sad to see the TV show Desparate Housewives go. That was my show of choice while ironing 25 shirts at one time.

 

[dishwasherfan]

Monday wash day, Tuesday Ironing.......

I iron all my uniform shirts for work to look sharp, crisp & professional.

 

[paulg]

Rowentas

I did have a Rowenta at one point. It worked well and outlived its warranty. When it failed it shot black crap through the steam jets onto my clothes. Didn't like that but nobody guarantees that a unit will fail in a pleasant manner. All in all, it was an OK iron good for a few years.
However the 1975 Sunbeam Jewel Shot of Steam works just as well if not better and has lasted longer. They aren't hard to find on Ebay and the like.

 

[mrb627]

Rotary Iron

Anybody have and/or prefer a rotary iron?

I have always thought about investing in one.

How about ironing boards? Anybody have a preference? Or are they all the same?

Malcolm

 

[lordkenmore]

At this point, I seldom iron. In the past, ironing was mostly limited to dressier clothes, and often only when absolutely needed. I was known to wear stuff that had been machine dried that was "not perfect, but good enough." Lazy, I know, but there are only so many hours in the day.

 

[lordkenmore]

I'll also put in a vote for older irons. I have heard too many people who iron a lot say how much better things got when they bought vintage.

I'm not sure how old my iron is. It's a GE, US made. But it's new enough not to have the cloth-style cord. What I can for certain: it's heavier and more solid feeling than any modern iron I've used. I got it on clearance at Goodwill just to play with, having heard about how good vintage irons were. One use, I was sold. The Rowenta I'd been using (and which had been better than many modern irons) went out the door.

 

[ptcruiser51]

I do! I do!

Just about everything except sheets, towels sox and underoos.  Fire up the Proctor-Silex "Steam Master" with distilled water (or at this time of the year, water from the dehumidifier).  Set up the ironing board (vented) in the dining room facing the TV, tune in the Mets game and go to town.  To me, it's one of the most relaxing things I do all week.  A little shot of Niagara Spray Starch here and there and I'm good to go.  Done in about an hour. 

 

I know, I know.  "Mfr. says use tap water".  Let me tell you, this is my third iron in 30+ years, the first two had the cord short-out.  It beats having lime/calcium scale build up on the sole plate and leave deposits on my white shirts.

 

[mixfinder]

Laundry Buffet

I iron anything cotton, linen and silk and touch up most permanent press and some knits.  I am lucky enough to have an upstairs laundry next to the master with cabinets, closet, room to leave the ironing board and iron up and also room for a clothes rack to dry special items.  I love doing laundry and iron almost everything.  It helps to pull items from the dryer just a few moments before done and press them while still damp.  I have a newer Rowenta and a Sunbeam Shot of Steam from the 70's.  Both irons have been 100% dependable but the Rowenta has a slightly larger foot print.

[this post was last edited: 5/27/2012-00:03]

 

[dynaflow]

older is better

love all my old vintage steam irons Ge being one of my favs and also the 60's presto

 

[chuffle]

As for irons...

...I would be lost without my GE. I bought it at a thrift store in the late 1990s, new in the box, and it has been doing my weekly ironing ever since. Every once in a while, I use my old mid-1950s Westinghouse steamer - like it lots, too.

I like the weight of these old irons, which helps in pressing out the wrinkles. I also like the fact that they steam on the permanent press setting, for I have a couple of shirts, that while they look acceptable right out of the dryer, pressing them off makes me feel better.

One last thing - I only use distilled water in my iron.

Joe

 

[ozzie908]

I'm in the same boat as Hoovermatic

I have to admit I enjoy ironing and as my other half wears a white shirt to work most days then they need doing.
Plus I do like the way clothes look when ironed I even go so far as to starch shirts and table linen it looks so much better. I too have a Rowenta steam generator and I use a vented board thats extra wide and long. I have an ironing room with racks in front the board and a wall to wall rail for all hangers.

Austin

 

[launderess]

Word About Distilled Water And Irons

If your modern iron's owner's manual states to use tap water, then distilled can cause problems. Many new and some vintage irons have systems to deal with all but the hardest water and actually *need* the mineral content.

Use distilled water in my commercial pump and steam boiler irons, also in my vintage Presto "vapo steam" irons. Everything else gets tap.

 

[frigilux]

I only iron dress shirts when I first purchase them. I wash before wearing, and even with the dryer's steam cycle, they'll usually need a once-over with the iron. After that, the steam option leaves them looking good. Can't say I miss ironing.

 

[autowasherfreak]

I didn't mind ironing my curtains, it was actually kind of fun. My cat sat at the foot of my bed watching me with this "what the hell are you doing" kind of look.

 

[abcomatic]

Ironing

NO, I don't like it at all. I only iron if i must and that is leaning towards the never idea. Gary

 

[petek]

I'm with Gary above. Seldom if ever iron anymore. I do have one of those clothes steamer things which I will use occasionally, works pretty good