How to iron shirts? The guide to the perfectly ironed shirt
Benno Büchler, 29.03.2023
Your shirts should always be perfectly ironed?
Then you've come to the right place!
In this blog post, I'll tell you everything you need to know to iron your shirts to perfection. From the preparation to the correct sequence and additional tips and tricks.
To iron a shirt, lay it flat on an ironing board and run the iron that emits steam over it, then just place each side of the shirt once on the board and the shirt is ready to be ironed. The best order is: collar, right chest, right, middle and left back, left chest, left sleeve and right sleeve.
So, if you always want to wear chic and wrinkle-free shirts, let's get started right now!
Preparation
You want to iron your shirts perfectly? Then the first thing you need to do is make sure you have all the necessary utensils ready.
Of course, this includes an iron that is suitable for use with steam. An ironing board is also essential, as well as enough space.
I can also recommend listening to music while ironing. That takes away some of the boredom and the ironing is more fun.
It goes of course also your favorite podcast
Instructions
Let's move on to the ironing itself.
It is important that you always place the surfaces you are ironing nicely on the ironing board so that there are no extra wrinkles.
You should also make sure to use enough steam to make ironing easier.
If you can learn better with video, instead of text material I have made another video for you:
The order in which you should iron each area of your shirt is as follows:
Collar
Lay flat on the board and simply iron over it. The shirt just hangs from the board, it is not ironed yet.
Right chest
Lay flat on the board and simply iron over it. The shirt just hangs from the board, it is not ironed yet.
No, whether you start on the right or the left doesn't really matter.
Make sure that the narrow part of the ironing board is as low as possible in the seam of the shoulder and the seam on the side of the shirt is on the edge of the board.
You have to iron in between the shirt buttons one by one.
Right back
From now on you have to pay attention, because part of the shirt is already beautiful and should stay that way.
Carefully pull the already ironed side over the ironing board so that you can see the back of your shirt on the ironing board.
The seam on the side should again be on the side of the board. (yes, now it is the other side).
Once the shirt is nicely placed you can work on the back.
Back center
This point varies from shirt to shirt. If the whole half of the shirt fits on the ironing board, you can now pull it directly over to the right side and iron it mirror-inverted to the previous step.
But if the shirt is too wide because of your broad shoulders, you will have to iron it again separately in the middle.
Place it so that you come up to the collar at the top as much as possible. Forgetting this point is bitter, because it will be seen very well unless you wear a suit.
Sometimes the shirt has pleats sewn into the back to make it more comfortable. If this is the case with your shirt, you'll need to carefully iron into the crease to make sure it stays as it should.
Back left
The right side must be prepared in exactly the same way as the left.
Don't forget to place the seam on the side of the board and pull the lace all the way into the shoulder, so you can iron the shoulder blade well, too.
Chest left
Now to get to the chest side you have to turn the shirt on the board again.
But be careful!
Der Grossteil des Hemdes ist bereits fertig und wir wollen ja nicht korrigieren gehen müssen.
That's why here's a trick of mine: reach under the drooping sleeve with your left hand and grab the shirt by the collar. Your right hand holds the bottom corner of the shirt and with both hands you make sure that the chest side is taut. Now in one motion you can pull the shirt up, let the ironed part slide to the back of the board and place the side to be ironed correctly.
Source: Own photos
Sleeves
We're pretty much done, but we've saved the hardest part for last.
To iron the sleeves we need to carefully place the already ironed shirt on the board.
Choose a sleeve, hold it taut with two hands and place it on the board so that the shirt itself hangs down.
Look that the buttons are open and do not hide unnecessary folds.
If the sleeve is too wrinkled to simply iron on, I have another trick for you.
Go into the sleeve with your hand, hold it at the shoulder with your other hand, spread your fingers in the sleeve and slowly pull your hand out. Now the sleeve should lie there nicely.
You repeat the same with the other side, of course.
Stick to this order and you will see that ironing your shirts will become much easier. You will achieve the perfect result and your shirts will look like new again.
Important points
There are a few important things to keep in mind when ironing your shirts to keep them in perfect condition for a long time.
One of them is to be careful not to create new wrinkles. So always iron your shirts carefully and avoid moving the shirt too much or stretching it too much.
Another important point is to hang your shirts after ironing and close the top button.
This way you prevent the shirt from falling off the hanger and having to do all the work again.
When you hang your shirts in the closet, be careful not to fold them too tightly. Otherwise, they will quickly become wrinkled and will no longer look good.
Short ironing
It always happens that you need to quickly iron a shirt before you can put it on.
In such cases, it is necessary to concentrate on the most important points in order to proceed as efficiently as possible.
If you are going to wear a suit, you should focus on the chest sides. Iron them thoroughly and be careful not to leave wrinkles.
If you're not going to wear a suit, you should also iron the sleeves on short and roughly smooth the back.
A quick iron-on can ensure your shirt is in acceptable condition and you'll feel well dressed.
However, keep in mind that it does not achieve the same result as thorough ironing. So if you have the opportunity, you should always iron your shirts thoroughly.
More tips
Here are a few additional tips that can help you iron your shirts:
- Use distilled water to fill the iron.
This will prevent lime deposits from forming in the steam boiler and clogging the iron. Distilled water is also less aggressive and cannot damage your shirts.
- Be careful when you use the iron. The underside gets very hot.
I know everyone knows that, but you'd be surprised what some people think (or don't think).
- Always use a suitable base and place the iron only on the underside so that it does not tilt or tip over.
- If you have a particularly delicate surface, for example glass or marble, you should always place the iron on a suitable base.
This way you avoid the iron causing damage or leaving scratches.
Conclusion
I hope that with this post I was able to give you a helpful guide to ironing your shirts to perfection.
From preparation, to the right order, to additional tips, I've tried to put together all the important information.
If you follow my tips, you'll soon see that ironing shirts is not witchcraft and anyone can learn it. Besides, your shirts will stay in good condition for a long time.
If you are looking for more tips and tricks on the topic of "look", then take a look at our other posts. We're sure to have something suitable for you as well.
And if you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to write us a comment. We are looking forward to your message!
Source cover image: Pexels | edited post
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