Ironing lessons you must share with your househelp

I, like most other women in particular, do not enjoy ironing. I must admit though that the scent of ironing as you smooth out the creases is so calming. Growing up, my mother insisted on daily ironing after every laundry. That included curtains, towels and tablecloths to bed sheets. They had to be straightened out to perfection and folded neatly before storage. Despite my mother’s obsessive application of the iron, ironing does have its benefits with the obvious being neatness, disinfecting of garments especially in the case of bed sheets and handkerchiefs and removal of shrinkage which happens during laundering. As a working mom, I find myself delegating this duty to my house helps who most times end up messing with garments because of either little or no knowledge of how to iron, a misunderstanding of the fabric type or what the iron signs mean. Here are a few tips to guide you and your house help in regards to ironing,

Tip #1: Start from inside out

Always iron black and dark garments inside out to avoid getting sheen on the fabrics from the iron.

Tip # 2: Follow the order

Iron cuffs, hems, and collars first and do them inside out to keep them from crumpling up and losing shape. For embroidered garments or tablecloths, begin ironing from the backside in order to keep the embroidered patterns protected.
Tip 3: Keep a Straight stroke

Always iron using straight, back and forth strokes; never use circular movements. This can stretch out your fabrics and will shorten the life of your clothes.

Tip #4: Clean the iron plate

Clean your iron regularly to prevent deposits from ejecting and ruining your clothes. You can clean a warm iron plate with a cloth dipped in a baking soda mixed with water solution, and use toothpicks to remove deposits from the holes in the iron.

Tip #5: Learn to separate

If you want to prevent the effect of your ironing on the underside of your fabric, slip a thin piece of cardboard inside your clothes to keep the front and back separated.

Please remember; using fabric conditioner in the final rinse of the wash cycle makes items easier to iron

I picked this chart online on www.schweitzerlinen.com providing a comprehensive guide to understanding all other aspects of fabric care in addition to ironing.

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