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2torial #0476:
Learn2 Iron a
Shirt

"But I LIKE my wrinkles!"
Shirts look their best when laundered and
pressed by a professional dry cleaner. But if you
can't get it to the cleaners, you can do a pretty
good job with an iron and a little patience.

Give yourself a little extra time so the job is
well done and you can make it to that important
appoinment or date on time.
If you need to wash a cotton dress shirt, wash
it in cold water on delicate cycle in the washing
machine, or wash it by hand in the sink. Hang it up
to dry. The shirt should be almost completely dry
before ironing.

Prepare ironing board and iron
First, stand up the ironing board near an
electrial outlet. Be sure there is enough slack in
the power cord to move the iron freely. Next,
follow these steps:
- Fill up the iron with water in the
designated spout (if it has one). This will help
steam press your shirt.
- Plug in the iron and set the fabric dial to
"Cotton" (or other appropriate setting). Be
careful: the further the dial goes to the right,
the hotter the iron gets. Irons that are too hot
can ruin a shirt. A tag usually found at the
back of the collar indicates the type of fabric.
- Stand the iron upright so the hot area does
not sit on the ironing board. Never leave the
iron sitting face down on the board, as it will
quickly burn whatever is below it.
- Wait a few minutes for the iron to heat up.
- Flick a few drops of water onto the bottom
of the iron. If it sizzles, it's ready.

Strike when the iron is hot!
If your shirt is exceptionally wrinkled, then a
small spray bottle of water or special ironing
spray may help. Spray the liquid onto the part of
the shirt that is about to be ironed.
If the shirt has a button-down collar, unbutton
the collar. Then iron these parts of the shirt in
order.
- Collar - both sides
- Sleeves
- Back
- Front
For best results, iron only one part of the shirt at a time,
leaving the rest of shirt to droop of the side of the ironing
board. On the collar and cuffs, start at the points and move
inward.
Take extra care to iron the seams. They are the
hardest to iron but can affect the appearance of
the shirt the most.
After ironing

- Hang the shirt on a hanger until you are
ready to wear it.
- Turn the iron off and pull the plug.
Leave the iron sitting upright on the ironing
board for 15-20 minutes to cool down. It is then
safe to put away.
-end-

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