Best Ironing Board

Your laundry may be done but that does not mean the work is. It's time to iron out those wrinkles to make your clothing look new. Your ironing board can make a big difference to your results, lets look for the best...

Do You Really Need To Iron Your Clothes?

Is ironing really worth it? Simply put, yes. One of the first things that can happen to clothe as it is worn, washed, and then dried over a period of time is that it will begin to lose shape. Ironing your clothes will help them to retain their original look, as the heat and steam stretch and press the fabric back into place.

Shrinkage is something that happens to most clothing. Ironing not only helps to retain shape, it also helps to relax the fibers that have bunched up through cleaning and use. Returning shape and eliminating shrinkage on any garment will help to keep clothes looking their best.

Another consideration is germs, as some are not killed with detergents and regular washing alone. Clothes can also smell due to being used continuously or even from the chemicals and detergents used to clean them. Ironing your clothes will help to eliminate germs and smells that remain in garments after regular washing.

When you iron your clothes, you will also catch spots that may not have been cleaned fully or even damage (like small holes or missing buttons). As you can see, ironing can be compared to clothing maintenance, helping to keep clothes looking new. If your clothes look crisp, clean, and new you will save money.

What About Professional A Service?

There are professional services available for you as a consumer, but there are advantages to doing your own ironing and steaming. You will save money and time by ironing your own clothes. These savings will be noticeable even if you have to purchase an iron and board from the start.

If you use professional services you already know how expensive they can be, especially in a household with children. This doesn’t take into account issues such as damaged, lost, or uncleaned items that often occur when these services are used. Not only can you save a lot of money, you will make sure that the job is done properly without losing your favorite garments.

What Equipment Do You Need To Iron Clothing?

First, You will need a steam iron or garment steamer. If you need to know more about this type of equipment, we have written previous articles about both. The only other piece of equipment that you will need is an ironing board.

You may be wondering why you can’t simply use a bed, couch, floor, or countertop/table. A bed or couch does not give you a solid surface to work on and a floor is awkward to work on. Countertops and tables offer a more solid surface, but the heat and steam can damage or even destroy them.

All of the locations mentioned above need to have some type of covering to protect them and the clothing being worked on. Even the best protection (an ironing blanket, for example) may not be adequate, and the covering will move around and bunch while you iron, which will frustrate you and make more work on top of that.

A dedicated ironing board is really the best way to go. Let’s take a look at the different types of boards available. Note: We have also written more about ironing boards in a best-value article.

What Types Of Ironing Boards Are There?

Some apartments or homes have ironing boards built into a storage cabinet or mounted on a wall. These ironing boards have convenient storage. They also have limited adjustments and features, if any at all.

There are many compact ironing boards available on the market. They are designed for small garments or for small spaces. They are mobile, but lack adjustments and features that most freestanding ironing boards offer.

A freestanding ironing board is what most people are thinking of when talking about ironing. They are usually some type of metal board that can be opened to work on and then closed when they are stored away. They usually have a limited form of adjustments for angle or height.

A major consideration of these types of boards is height. Ideally, they are best to work on at hip level. Sturdiness can be important, as stability will make ironing easier and safer.

The type of covering can also be a factor, as some materials handle heat and scorching better than others. The length and width of the work surface are important. Other considerations include attachments, construction materials, safety features, and weight.

Conclusion

While we feel that each of the five ironing boards reviewed above had great features, the Mabel Home Extra-Wide Ironing Pro Board was the product that stood out to us. The wide surface and patented wingtips offer the ability to iron most items with a minimum of re-adjustment.