[0:00:00] Big presentation this morning, perhaps you
have an interview later today, or maybe you’re going out for a night on the town.
In any case, you pull out your favorite, and, wow, that thing is wrinkled.
Well, don’t worry you’re in luck because today’s video is a step by step guide to
ironing a dress shirt like a boss.
First, here’s the gear that you need to iron a shirt.
To start with, you need a clean iron.
Now, it’s important to make sure that the base plate of the iron is clean of rust and
sediment.
If you’re unsure, iron an old white cotton pillowcase and check to see if it leaves any
stains.
Better that than your shirt.
If you have sediment build up, run a solution of 50% vinegar and distilled water through
the streamer function of the iron to clean it.
Next stop, you want a clean shirt.
Never iron a dirty shirt, you can permanently set discolorment and stains.
Next stop, we’ve got a clean standard size ironing board.
Now, this is not a necessity, but an ironing board is going to make things a lot easier
and quicker than using a towel on the table.
And, while they are specialty boards for your sleeves or other type of garments, really
what you just need is the large common ironing board.
You can find it at almost any department store for your dress shirts.
Distilled water in a spray bottle.
Now, you can also pour distilled water into the iron if it has the steamer function, but
water is used in general to reset the fabric to a press and unwrinkled state and it’s
going to reduce the chance of the iron actually burning the fabric.
To get started ironing, set your iron to the right heat setting for your fabric.
Look at the care label on your shirt to see what setting is required.
The general rule is low heat for synthetic fabrics, low to medium heat for wools, and
high heat for linen and cotton.
If you’re dealing with a blend, go with the lower temperature of the two and slowly
increase if needed.
Also, if your shirt has a removable collar stays, make sure to take them out before you
get started.
To start ironing your shirt, you’ll start with the back of the shirt collar beginning
at the edges and ironing towards the middle.
Why this direction?
Well, if you go from the middle towards the edges, you can cause the fabric to crease
visibly near the collar points.
Step two.
Iron the shirt cuffs.
First, iron the inside of the shirt cuffs to remove the main creases, again, moving
from the edges towards the middle.
Finish off by ironing the outside of the cuffs using the same method.
Be sure to iron gently around the buttons, you don’t want to damage them.
Step three.
Your shirt sleeves.
Smooth the shirt sleeves out with your hands before using the iron.
This helps to prevent unwanted creases.
Start with the tip of the iron at the cuffs and work your way back to the shoulders.
Flip the sleeves over to see if the other side requires a quick touch up.
Step four.
The shirt back.
When ironing the back of your shirt, you’ll need to work carefully if your shirt has pleats.
I recommend ironing under the pleats first, then ironing on top of them.
To finish ironing the rest of the shirt back, you will need to reposition the shirt a few
times on the ironing board to get all of the shirt back.
Step five.
The shirt shoulders.
Now, go to work on the dress shirt shoulders also known as the yoke.
Place the shirt so the narrow end of the ironing board is inside one of the sleeves.
Iron the yoke moving from the outer edge towards the middle.
Flip the shirt so the opposite sleeve is on the end of the ironing board and repeat the
same steps.
Step six.
The front and placket.
Now, it’s time to iron the front of the dress shirt.
Be gentle when ironing around the buttons.
You don’t want to damage them or press them into the fabric.
Make sure that you get the placket nice and crisp.
This is one of the most important parts of your dress shirt because everybody sees it.
If your shirt has a pocket, iron it from the outside moving in to prevent creases.
Step seven.
The front of the collar.
Finish off your dress shirt by ironing the front of the collar.
Use the same method as before starting at the edges and working your way towards the
middle.
Want to be a true ironing man?
Make sure to follow these pro tips.
Tip one.
Instead of drying your shirts in the dryer, iron them right after pulling them out of
the washing machine while they’re moist.
This gives you a crisp finish and saves the wear and tear on your dress shirt.
Tip two.
Iron shirts in batches.
The setup process takes almost as much time as the ironing of one shirt.
By ironing all your shirts at once, you save time versus ironing each one on a different
day.
Tip three.
Inspect your shirts for stains before ironing.
Like I said, a hot iron will permanently set those stains.
Tip four.
If you have a wrinkle that just won’t come out, spray water on this area and then run
the iron over it letting the steam do the work.
Tip five.
Want to iron faster?
Place aluminum foil under the ironing board cover.
This speeds up the ironing time by reflecting the heat back.
[0:04:59] Tip six.
Iron dark colored fabrics inside out.
This prevents them from becoming shiny aka the sheen effect.
Tip seven.
If you’re unsure about ironing a garment because you don’t want to damage it, then
don’t.
Instead, look to use a steamer.
A steamer is much safer because nothing actually touches the garment or look to use a pressing
cloth.
This is going to be a thin cotton handkerchief that’s going to prevent the iron from actually
touching the fabric.
Tip eight.
My opinion on starch.
Starch is useful for keeping a shirt crisp for a few hours right after you use it, so
it’s great if you’ve got an early morning presentation you need to look sharp for.
Over time, starch can break down cotton fibers and can even damage an iron.
Only use starch when needed.
There you have it gents, the proper way to quickly, safely, and effectively iron a dress
shirt.
Now, no matter what the situation, you have the knowledge and skills to always look your
best.
For a detailed step-by-step guide on how to iron a dress shirt, check out the support
article at www.realmenrealstyle.com.
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[Music] [0:06:40] End of Audio