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Ironing Trousers

EclipseRedRing

I smell like a Christmas pudding
Ideally start with slightly damp trousers after laundering, then use the correct heat setting by checking the care label. Pull out the front and back pockets and press them lightly by laying them flat on the board, then iron the trousers before putting the pockets back in. Iron one leg at a time, using steam if possible, and hang when finished. Better still, get someone else to iron them for you, if necessary pretend you can't do it yourself 🤣
 
Watch You Tube videos. There are a bunch. Take your time. It takes me forever, and i am not a very good ironer. I do use a good handheld steamer a lot. It works pretty well for me.

If I were wealthy, I would hire someone to press my clothes and wear freshly pressed clothes every day. I certainly have may dress shirts laundered!
 
I use perma press mostly, but when I do iron, a quality spray starch is a constant companion.
Not for trousers, though, right? I suppose you could use starch for cotton khakis. But not for wool, right?

My shirts are almost all permanent press these days. I still have them laundered and pressed, with starch!
 
Not for trousers, though, right? I suppose you could use starch for cotton khakis. But not for wool, right?

My shirts are almost all permanent press these days. I still have them laundered and pressed, with starch!
No, wool I dry clean and they press, cotton i spray.
 
Buy quality trousers that are labeled "Permanent Press". Tumble dry medium heat & remove while still damp. Hang by the cuffs, using clip-type hangers.
Instead of wasting time ironing, go make a sandwich & have a beer.
Also use the Permanent Press cycle on the washing machine, regardless of whether the clothes are permanent press or not. That setting is less environmentally friendly as it reduces the speed of the spin cycle so the clothes come out of the washer more wet but with less wrinkles. In my experience there will be less wrinkles in shirts/pants when they exit the dryer if not washed using the regular cycle.
 

ajkel64

Check Out Chick
Staff member
I iron as little as possible. I only iron when I am gong to wear something be it trousers or a shirt. Then we always have a decent iron. I used to buy the cheapest at the time when I was single. I then inherited my grandmother’s iron which was a very heavy thing that made a remarkable difference to ironing. From then on, I always bought a decent iron when I needed one.
 
I’m a flat front chino kind of operator mid week. I always iron them inside out to avoid pocket marks on the finished article. Line up the outer leg seam, do front and back. Line up the inner leg seam, do front and back. Once around the seat under and over the pockets, done. Easy. Same with denim.
 

musicman1951

three-tu-tu, three-tu-tu
I have not used an iron at home in years. I started with a rather large expensive steamer that was a gift to my daughter (she prefers a smaller handheld steamer). I used it for years and it finally died.

I replaced it with a stupidly cheap handheld steamer and, much to my surprise, it's working great. Pants are harder than shirts when you only have one hand available, but it's getting the job done.
 
I replaced it with a stupidly cheap handheld steamer and, much to my surprise, it's working great.

That is my experience, too, and I am likewise surprised. Results not as good as if one actually ironed one's slacks--you are not going to get a razor crease in most slacks, for instance--but good enough for my purposes most of the time, and effectively as good as a large expensive steamer!
 

Alacrity59

Wanting for wisdom
Most of the time I iron close to but not on the creases. This is quick and avoids the dreaded railroad tracks. Of course there does come a time where you have to do the creases as well and then you have to be more careful.

Sometimes you can get shiny spots when you have ironed a pair of pants over and over. These shiny spots can be removed by using vinegar steam. Soak a clean cloth . . . say a cotton tea towel in vinegar. Squeeze out the excess. Place the cloth over the shiny area and hover a hot iron over the cloth close enough to produce steam. (I just press and don't hover)

If you lightly scorch a white shirt you can basically do the same as above with 3% hydrogen peroxide. Best to put a dry clean tea towel under the shirt as well.

A good iron is nice to have. I use a Rowenta steam iron. The water where I am is fairly hard. Distilled water is fairly cheap so I use it. . . otherwise you are going to have to clean your iron with citric acid or something similar once in a while to keep the steam working.
 
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