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Break Out Your Board and Start Your Irons

The recent thread about how long your clothes last got me thinking about ironing clothes. Is this something any of you do anymore? Like shining your shoes? My guess is that those of a certain age do, and those younger do not. More and more shirts and trousers are made of permanent press, no-iron materials. Speaking of clothing lasting longer, clothes that don't have permanent-press additives will, with proper care, last much longer. Convenience has a price.

I don't trust professional cleaners with my clothes, not just because as a frugal guy I want to save money, but because professional cleaning decreases the longevity of clothing. I usually air dry clothing, then iron it. In between wears I usually steam my clothing to take out wrinkles rather than re-ironing. Sometimes I use a "crease release" spray.

I have a really good ironing board and cover, a Reliable model made in Italy, along with a high-end Rowenta iron. I use "ironing water" from The Laundress. Ironing is relaxing for me, a stress reducer like meditation for others. I started washing and ironing my own clothes when I was in high school.

What about you? Do you iron? What's your equipment? What's your routine?

P.S. For purpose of full disclosure, I also polish my shoes, shave with a DE razor and good shaving soap, and write with a fountain pen whenever possible
 

ajkel64

Check Out Chick
Staff member
I wash my clothes in warm water, I also iron my shirts and my work pants. I don’t iron jeans. I normally hang my washing on the clothes line to dry. In winter I quite often put my work clothes on a “clothes horse” in front of the heater to dry and dry my under clothes in a dryer.
 
I started ironing after my mother set the hook. If I set out my "outfit" before going to work at Macy's after school and on the weekends, she would iron it. When I started making money, I sent the dress shirts out to the cleaners but ironed the pants.

As I was always taught to change out of my "good clothes" whenever possible, many times the pants could be re worn multiple times just taking out the "hanger crease". Most shirts could be touched up as well.

I fully concur that with "wonder" fabrics, laundries, laziness, ignorance, lack of style etc. wrinkles and craptastic looking shoes are the norm v. the exceptions.

I have told more than on contemporary that it looks like they shined their shoes with a candy bar before going to court and/or the last time that garment saw an iron was right before the hardworking young lady in country x put it in the plastic bag to ship it over to the US.

The last garment I ironed was yesterday A.M.-a Barbour Flannel shirt I bought at a thrift store for 5USD. I washed it in cool water, line dried it and ironed it with the cotton setting.

As I have a hearing today, I will wear a laundered shirt and take the hanger crease out of a pair of slacks.

On a related aside: my daughter did say to me out of the blue this weekend: "Daddy, I went out two nights in a row but I did not put on the same set of black boots because I remember you saying that shoes last a lot longer if you give them a day of rest in between wearings."

There may be hope yet.
 

AimlessWanderer

Remember to forget me!
I'll iron if I absolutely have to, but try to avoid it these days. A balance disorder, vision issues, and screwed up spatial awareness, turns ironing into a high adrenaline activity.
 

EclipseRedRing

I smell like a Christmas pudding
I air dry laundry in the garden then iron it using a steam iron, all of it, shirts, trousers, underwear, bath towels, the lot; I find it therapeutic. I shine my shoes with tinned polish and two brushes and again I find it relaxing. I work at home now but dress for the office every day and wear my 'best clothes' as often as I can, otherwise I will never wear them at all. We always dress smartly for Mass and sometimes even for dinner at home. I am determined to maintain dress, grooming, and fitness standards and not to let working at home turn me into a slob as I fear that if I let physical standards slip then my mental health will not be far behind.
 

FarmerTan

"Self appointed king of Arkoland"
I air dry laundry in the garden then iron it using a steam iron, all of it, shirts, trousers, underwear, bath towels, the lot; I find it therapeutic. I shine my shoes with tinned polish and two brushes and again I find it relaxing. I work at home now but dress for the office every day and wear my 'best clothes' as often as I can, otherwise I will never wear them at all. We always dress smartly for Mass and sometimes even for dinner at home. I am determined to maintain dress, grooming, and fitness standards and not to let working at home turn me into a slob as I fear that if I let physical standards slip then my mental health will not be far behind.
Amen.

Trust me on this: it will NOT be far behind.
 

Tirvine

ancient grey sweatophile
I am another Tim, and I iron. I buy fabrics that have not been treated to be no iron. I iron khakis, OCBDs, and handkerchiefs. I also iron napkins. We have an old wardroom habit of using napkin rings so that we can use our napkins for about a week. We must be a type. I, too, polish my shoes, shave with a DE and good soap, and write with a fountain pen. I also tend my own yard, compost, listen to records, and bake my own bread and make my own stock, harissa, and vinegar. I like to do things from the ground up in the ways of prior generations. I had my time using a straight and had to give it up because it became an obsessive time suck.

I have a good board and a Rowenta. I mix my own spray starch for collars, plackets, and trouser creases. My routine is to iron to classical music. Rachmaninoff and Ravel work especially well. For full on housework I like the Stones, typically Sticky Fingers, Let It Bleed, Some Girls, or Exile on Main Street. Soon it will be time for martinis and Bill Evans.
 
I air dry laundry in the garden then iron it using a steam iron, all of it, shirts, trousers, underwear, bath towels, the lot; I find it therapeutic. I shine my shoes with tinned polish and two brushes and again I find it relaxing. I work at home now but dress for the office every day and wear my 'best clothes' as often as I can, otherwise I will never wear them at all. We always dress smartly for Mass and sometimes even for dinner at home. I am determined to maintain dress, grooming, and fitness standards and not to let working at home turn me into a slob as I fear that if I let physical standards slip then my mental health will not be far behind.

Interesting comment about fitness standards. I take it you are referring to physical fitness. I also maintain physical fitness, especially so as I have advanced in age. So many benefits flow from being fit. Since the pandemic started I've upped my exercise and it has helped my mental health.
 
I am another Tim, and I iron. I buy fabrics that have not been treated to be no iron. I iron khakis, OCBDs, and handkerchiefs. I also iron napkins. We have an old wardroom habit of using napkin rings so that we can use our napkins for about a week. We must be a type. I, too, polish my shoes, shave with a DE and good soap, and write with a fountain pen. I also tend my own yard, compost, listen to records, and bake my own bread and make my own stock, harissa, and vinegar. I like to do things from the ground up in the ways of prior generations. I had my time using a straight and had to give it up because it became an obsessive time suck.

I have a good board and a Rowenta. I mix my own spray starch for collars, plackets, and trouser creases. My routine is to iron to classical music. Rachmaninoff and Ravel work especially well. For full on housework I like the Stones, typically Sticky Fingers, Let It Bleed, Some Girls, or Exile on Main Street. Soon it will be time for martinis and Bill Evans.
I admire your energy and commitment to make your own stock, harissa and vinegar. I used to bake bread frequently, but do so less often because of the quality of some of the baked bread available commercially in my area of the Pacific NW. It is great fun to do, and I hope to teach my grands (ages 3 and 5) to make bread. Have you ever used a baking bell (cloche)? It is made from clay and gives the most beautiful crusts because of the steam circulating inside the bell during baking. Listening to music while ironing sounds splendid. And you are right--there's nothing like doing things from the ground up.

P.S. What's your formula for spray starch?
 

Tirvine

ancient grey sweatophile
I admire your energy and commitment to make your own stock, harissa and vinegar. I used to bake bread frequently, but do so less often because of the quality of some of the baked bread available commercially in my area of the Pacific NW. It is great fun to do, and I hope to teach my grands (ages 3 and 5) to make bread. Have you ever used a baking bell (cloche)? It is made from clay and gives the most beautiful crusts because of the steam circulating inside the bell during baking. Listening to music while ironing sounds splendid. And you are right--there's nothing like doing things from the ground up.

P.S. What's your formula for spray starch?
Yes, I have tried the cloche and you are right. Now I feel guilty of overstating my case. I use Sta-Flo and mix it about 8:1 and use a pump spray bottle. It beats a throw away pressurized can.
 
The recent thread about how long your clothes last got me thinking about ironing clothes. Is this something any of you do anymore? Like shining your shoes? My guess is that those of a certain age do, and those younger do not. More and more shirts and trousers are made of permanent press, no-iron materials. Speaking of clothing lasting longer, clothes that don't have permanent-press additives will, with proper care, last much longer. Convenience has a price.

I don't trust professional cleaners with my clothes, not just because as a frugal guy I want to save money, but because professional cleaning decreases the longevity of clothing. I usually air dry clothing, then iron it. In between wears I usually steam my clothing to take out wrinkles rather than re-ironing. Sometimes I use a "crease release" spray.

I have a really good ironing board and cover, a Reliable model made in Italy, along with a high-end Rowenta iron. I use "ironing water" from The Laundress. Ironing is relaxing for me, a stress reducer like meditation for others. I started washing and ironing my own clothes when I was in high school.

What about you? Do you iron? What's your equipment? What's your routine?

P.S. For purpose of full disclosure, I also polish my shoes, shave with a DE razor and good shaving soap, and write with a fountain pen whenever possible
I have always ironed my work clothes. And I wash my shirts and hang them outside to dry. Indeed, I enjoy ironing...and I Iove polishing my shoes the old fashioned way. IMO there is nothing nicer than a crisp ironed shirt and polished shoes.
 
I have two broadcloth cotton dress shirts, one pink and the other lavender, and I iron those. I'm a chick magnet when I wear those pastels. My other fifteen shirts are permanent press. Permanent press came in when I was in college and I thought then, and still think, it's the greatest space age miracle of all. The 100% cotton no-iron shirts feel stiff and irritating to me.
 
I have two broadcloth cotton dress shirts, one pink and the other lavender, and I iron those. I'm a chick magnet when I wear those pastels. My other fifteen shirts are permanent press. Permanent press came in when I was in college and I thought then, and still think, it's the greatest space age miracle of all. The 100% cotton no-iron shirts feel stiff and irritating to me.
The downside of permanent press is shortened life expectancy. Even so, good care is the ticket to extending the life of any garment.
 

Rhody

I'm a Lumberjack.
Great thread. I grew up doing my own laundry. I washed and ironed my dress shirts on Sunday for the week. I have a good iron and I like to think of myself as still that frugal and self sufficient. But honestly I haven’t touched an iron in years. In fact this summer I discovered a laundry company going to
My neighbors house. Turns out they drop off and pick up twice a week. No delivery charge. No minimum. Wash/dry fold. And dry cleaning. They are “green” cleaners so I’m also saving the world. The guy who comes by is unbelievably nice and conscientious. I’m a sucker for quality service anyway but this has been a wonder. The time it saves me not only with dry cleaning and laundry but I now see what a huge hassle and waste of time going to the cleaners was. Over the pandemic I left dress shirts at the neighborhood cleaners for a year and a half. It was always and and never on my mind. I’d forget. Remember while out but I wouldn’t have the ticket. Or I’d be out walking and not have my wallet. One thing after another until 1.5 years goes by and the owners husband is calling me to come get my darn shirts. Now all that is over abd I have more time to not do all the other stuff on my list. Thanks for reading 😁
 
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