Ironing is easier with a lot of steam – and if you have already washed the laundry in a certain way. Two experts give tips on how to iron out creases more easily and work off the mountain of laundry.
Tutzing / Rheine – There are people who like to iron. In the evening at the end of a day, to come down after the other work. But most of them are at least annoyed at some point when the mountain of laundry piles up and ironing seems to never end. Can’t you do it faster and easier?
Tip 1: wash gently
The washing machine is throwing clothes upside down. Therefore, you can save some work on the ironing board by using the settings on the washing machine.
Fashion consultant Stephanie Grupe from Tutzing advises: “Reduce the spin speed.” And don’t fill the drum completely. A hand’s breadth of air should be left at the top so that the laundry does not squeeze.
“A spoonful of soda, three tablespoons of vinegar or fabric softener also help reduce wrinkles,” says Grupe. The softer the fabrics get, the less you have to iron them.
And you should take the laundry out of the machine immediately after the wash cycle. “Then knock it out well and smooth it out,” advises Grupe. Because every crease in the still damp laundry becomes stuck during the drying process.
Tip 2: air when hanging
Fibers also become softer and more pliable if you dry them in a lot of wind – whether in the dryer or outside in the fresh air. The bathroom is also a good place for laundry for other reasons: “The steam that rises after a hot shower can smooth a blouse,” says Martina Schäfer from the German Society for Housekeeping.
Tip 3: iron with steam
Speaking of steam: slightly damp laundry is best ironed. Otherwise, a steam iron or a spray bottle with water will help to add moisture to the laundry while ironing. “A steam iron that emits 90 grams of steam per minute is more than enough to iron clothes from just one side,” says Schäfer. Ironing is done from the front, delicate fabrics are turned inside out.
Stephanie Grupe recommends unbuttoning blouses and shirts. “First iron the small parts: collar, shoulder saddle, cuffs and, from the left, the button placket,” is her advice on the sequence. “Then the surfaces: sleeves, back and finally the front.”
Tip 4: only iron what is visible
Even if some have learned differently: Socks and underwear do not have to be ironed, they smooth the body by themselves. This also applies to tight-fitting T-shirts, leggings and other underwear.
Stephanie Grupe even says: “If you know that you wear a blazer all day, you only have to iron what is visible on the blouse and shirt underneath: the collar, the cuffs, the button placket.” In order to look good, the fashion expert recommends but always pay attention to wrinkle-free outerwear.
If you want to get rid of a few wrinkles quickly, you can also work with a steamer, says Grupe. “Instead of washing them, items of clothing that have only been worn for a short time are dusted with fine, hot steam.” Viscose tops with draping or pleating can be very worthwhile.
“After ironing, the laundry has to evaporate a little before you put it in the wardrobe,” says Martina Schäfer. Because there is still residual moisture in the fabric. dpa
