In truth, this is probably the Azur’s most distinctive feature. If you’re worried you’ll never get round to cleaning and caring for your iron, it could well be the best one for you. I remember in the Marines using cans of spray starch in an effort to get the perfect “crisp” look; however, just as often I would overdue it and be dealing with flakes due to over starching or not letting it set in. is standard for a handheld steam iron and proved more than adequate in my tests. Cordless models, as Teresa says, tend to be less powerful at 2400W. My best buy, the Tefal, is an impressive 3100W. What are the different types of steam irons? Three Lions on a Shirt is a beautiful, high quality coffee-table book containing an incredible collection of historic match worn England football shirts. I can’t count the number of times I’ve seen a man who’s wearing what would be a very dapper get-up….except it’s ruined by wrinkly clothes. I see this especially with young, single professional men who probably don’t have mom or a wife to iron their clothes for them and never learned this basic life skill for themselves.

GH Lab Tip: When ironing t-shirts, it's best to use a gentle pressing motion in short strokes rather than dragging the iron to prevent the shirt from stretching out. Place one sleeve flat on the ironing board with the underarm seam closest to you. If you don’t want a center crease on the sleeve, iron up to the edge but not over the top of it. If you don't mind a crease, iron the whole sleeve including the top edge. Flip the sleeve over and do the same on the other side. Repeat with the other sleeve. Set the proper temperature on the iron for cotton. Consumer irons will have fabric-specific heat settings, while professional irons usually just have numbers. Most irons will have a designated heat or steam area that is best for ironing shirts, so take a closer look. Continue pinning pleats in place until you have secured a width slightly wider than your iron. Then simply iron flat from the top of the pleats to the bottom, taking care not to iron parts that have not yet been secured in place.

Our pick of the best steam irons for a pain-free ironing experience

If you’re looking for supplies and want quality equipment that will last decades, shop where your tailors and dry cleaners shop. North Carolina’s B&G Lieberman is a great supplier of all things tailor or cleaner-related; I called them just the other day, and their 86 year old founder still answers the phone! You’ll find anything from quality buttons to suit brushes to industrial strength steam irons through them.

If the item you're ironing isn't inside out and it's difficult to remedy (or you just don't have the time), you can always just cover it with a clean pillowcase before ironing to make sure it doesn't get too much direct heat. You don't normally need to iron cashmere. Instead, smooth it out on a flat surface and leave it to air dry. Once the hard part is done, you need to resist the temptation to immediately put on your freshly ironed outfit and rush off to work. A key to success with all ironing is not to make broad sweeping motions with the iron but to apply short, controlled movements, applying consistent pressure to the cloth. Moving your arm like you’re conducting an orchestra or swinging a mug of beer to a German drinking song will pinch the fabric, adding new creases. Remember, ironing is also called “pressing” and putting weight on the material as you do it is essential for good results. Don't overload your washing machine This can cause clothes to crease. Make ironing easier by leaving plenty of room for clothes to tumble around in the washing machine or dryer.

The best steam irons you can buy in 2023

Acetate is a synthetic fabric made from cellulose or wood pulp. It's often used for wedding dresses and occasion wear. The self-cleaning function to stop scale building up is clever too – just select the self-clean button and hold it over a bowl to allow water and steam to wash scale and dust out of the soleplate. This works, but it does take time, so I’d have to say I prefer the in-built filter of the Tefal Pure iron as a point of comparison. Ironing your clothes while they are still slightly damp will make the task at hand a great deal easier, meaning less time behind the ironing board and more time to spend on the things you enjoy. For extra delicate fabrics, you should use an ironing cloth. If you don't have one, covering your garment with a tea towel and ironing it that way can save clothes from unsightly burns or shiny patches. Beaded fabrics If you want to keep your shirts wrinkle-free for as long as possible, you should hang them up as soon as you've finished ironing them.

At the Good Housekeeping Institute Cleaning Lab, we have experts that know how to make everything about doing laundry easier, including ironing. We test just about every laundry-related item you can imagine, such as washing machines, dryers, laundry detergents as well as items that will make ironing a shirt easier like steam irons and clothes steamers. To get that perfectly ironed shirt, see what tools you'll need and follow our step-by-step guide below. How to iron a dress shirt Use a low temperature setting. Move in gentle strokes, never lingering on any one spot. How to iron velvet Classic steam irons should be more than powerful enough for everyday household use, letting out steam to moisten and relax the fabric before you remove the creases. This iron has one temperature technology, which means it only has one setting which is safe to use on all “iron-able” fabrics (around 140 degrees Celcius). That means you don’t have to think about it being too hot or not hot enough to be effective, which is a boon. When your shirts are ready for ironing, prepare your board and other equipment, such as a sleeve board, tailor’s ham, and spray bottle. Turn the ironing board with the pointed end to the left if you’re right-handed and to the right, if you’re a lefty. 2. Make Sure Everything is Clean When Ironing A Shirt

If you live in a hard water area, anti-calc and anti-scale features are a big plus, and many irons also have automatic cleaning systems. All this helps to prevent drips onto your clothes and, more importantly, prevents limescale build-up in your iron. It’s also worth considering the size of the water tank since the smaller it is, the more you’ll need to refill it. If you often need to do a lot of ironing in one go, look for a tank capacity of at least 300ml. You should never use circular strokes when ironing as this can stretch out your clothes and ruin the way they fit you - nobody wants a baggy shirt or oversized party dress. To avoid pesky iron marks, you should always try to turn clothes inside out before ironing them. If you're a forward thinker, simply flip garments inside out before you wash them - this will help prevent fading, too. Depending on how your embellished clothing is made, getting the ironing wrong could spell the end of a favourite dress. This is particularly true if beads are attached with glue (which can be melted by an iron).