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How to Iron a Shirt

How to Iron a Shirt

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Equipment

A decent iron can make or break the quality of your finish. Steam is always better as it greatly reduces the amount of ‘strokes’ needed to flatten out creases.
Steam iron

Knowing how to iron a shirt can help ensure your independence as a man whilst still providing you with the ability to be able to dress for the occasion. The following ‘how to’ provides a simple guide to the easiest shirt ironing techniques.

Steps

1. Begin with a well washed, damp shirt. Cotton and linen should be almost wet when ironing for best results.

2. Using sizing rather than starch to spray onto your shirt will result in a neat, but not stiff result (failing that, clean water will suffice). Allow the sizing to be absorbed into the material for a couple of minutes before ironing.

3. Use a high quality iron placed on a high setting. If you don’t have a cloth over for your ironing board, use a flat, clean, un-creased bed sheet to press against.

4. Start with the cuffs and the inside of the sleeves.

5. Fit the shirt smoothly over the curved end of the board, and iron the yoke (the top of the back).

6. Iron the front panels from the inside. Ironing from the inside allows you to iron right over the buttons and the pocket from the back side of the fabric. The buttons will be protected from the heat and the pocket will come out smooth.

8. Proceed to iron the lower half of the back of the shirt, then then the side seams.

9. Spray the collar with a little sizing (if not, water), stretch it out, then iron over each side. Fold the collar neatly down, and press along the seam.

10. Hang your pristine shirt on a hanger and button the top button in order to keep its shape.

Tips

Ironing from damp really is the best way to approach a shirt. If you’re a perfectionist, spray the shirt with water, roll it into a ball, and keep it wrapped in a towel for up to 24 hours.

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