Ironing and Garment Care Buying Guide
The Art of Wrinkle Free Ironing
Ironing is often seen as a chore, but the real challenge is feeling your best in clothes that have lost that crisp shop window look.
No matter how often you iron your clothes, the common denominator is steam. Steam opens up the fibres of the garment and a warm plate presses out the creases to give you that tidy, pressed look. The more steam an iron generates, the less time you spend ironing.
If the idea of hunching over an ironing board doesn’t appeal to you, or if you only drag the iron out for special occasions, we have irons that heat up in seconds, as well as options for vertical ironing. If you enjoy ironing and do it as a fixed routine, steam on for longer with irons boasting large water tanks and powerful boilers.
What is Your Steam Regime?
Quick ironing: You want to remove wrinkles quickly so you can get on with the rest of your day. It doesn’t matter if you have treated every fibre of your clothes; no obvious creases is a job well done. You normally leave ironing to the last minute but you concede that clothes do look better when ironed. Look for ironing solutions that don’t require a board or irons that have a high wattage for heating up quickly.
Iron as you need: You want that pressed, immaculate look but you don’t want to work for it. You can get away with wearing some clothes straight from the dryer, but there are certain items in your wardrobe that always need ironing and need to be ironed well. Irons with a non-stick soleplate and steam boost function are ideal for giving your clothes that crisp look while not eating up too much of your time.
Bulk ironing: Haul your washing basket in from the laundry and power through your ironing all at once. You’re after speed, ease, and high performance, so seek out a product with impressive durability and a large water capacity.
he Types of Irons
A garment steamer is a compact, fast solution to smoothing the creases in your clothes. They are available in small, handheld sizes or you can buy models that stand up with a telescopic pole and hanger. The parts consist of a water reservoir, an element, and a pump for steam. You pull your garment down from the hanger and run the steam up and down, relaxing the fibres and releasing the creases.
- Compact and easy to use
- No ironing board needed, so you save on space
- Efficient for steaming one item at a time
Irons rely on two processes working in tandem to remove wrinkles from your clothes. First, the steam in the iron relaxes the fibres, and then a warm plate creates a smooth finish by “setting” the fibres. Irons are handy for achieving neat folds on sleeves and collars. Varieties of plates include ceramic, resilium, and self-cleaning.
- Achieve a “pressed” look to make a greater impression
- The combination of a warm plate and steam makes for easier ironing
- Available in large tank sizes for ironing multiple garments at a time
If you have a full wardrobe of clothes that you wear on heavy rotation, a steam station may be the product you need to power though your ironing. With large water tanks and boilers, steam stations pump a high concentration of pressurised steam to the iron surface. This makes the unit lighter to handle. Let the steam do the work for you—turn it on as you iron up the board, then turn it off and let the warm plate set the garment.
- Achieve a ‘pressed’ look for a sharper finish
- Quick and easy ironing without the need to go back and forth
- The versatility to iron many different garment types and fabrics
Ironing Boards
If you’re leaning towards an iron or a steam station, pairing it with a sturdy ironing board goes without saying. Some ironing boards have dedicated iron rests where you can place your iron safely without sacrificing board space. It’s important to consider the size of the board before purchasing, as a larger board means less turning of your garment. You can even buy models that include clothes hanging racks and washing basket holders.
Handy Features
Soleplates: There is a large range of soleplates on the market. The most popular variety is the non-stick or easy glide plate. These plates move smoothly across the garment and prevent gripping as you manoeuvre the plate up and down. Some plates are non-scratch, safe for running over buttons or zippers. A self-cleaning plate is resistant to lint and starch.
Auto-off functionality: Garment care products with auto-off functionality will switch off when left on for a certain amount of time. This is a safety precaution—you will receive an alert when the product is left motionless in an upright or ironing position.
Steam boos
Other Considerations
- Because steam stations have dedicated pumps and boilers, they tend to make noisewhen using steam or when drawing water from the tank. This is nothing to worry about as it is merely a byproduct of their design components. It is a much better sign of smooth operation than hearing no noise at all.
- Whenever we heat water in an appliance, lime and scale can build up inside with the element. When we don’t clean or descale our iron, we may see flakes or build-up coming out of the holes where steam is expelled. If not cleaned out regularly, it can transfer onto our clothes. There are iron cleaning products available, or you can use your iron’s cleaning function. It is important to keep your iron clean and free from build-up if you want consistently reliable performance. Read your product manual for more information about care and cleaning for your iron.
t: For thicker garments or for collars, cuffs, and sleeves, most irons come with a steam boost function for generating a higher volume of steam to plough through stubborn folds. When a garment is heavily creased or you iron in a crease by accident, you can use your iron’s spray of water to relax the fabric and ultimately help remove the creases.
Shine protector: It’s worth knowing about a shine protector, despite the fact it is not a universal feature on irons. This tool prevents shine being transferred onto fabrics you wouldn’t usually iron or would usually turn inside-out to iron. You can also iron over a print without the plate gripping the garment.
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