6 Easy Ways to Reduce Ironing Times
Ironing your clothes is that important yet time-consuming task we have to do on a regular basis. It can take time to get through at the best of times, throw in a few unexpected tasks throughout the day and where has your weekend gone!?
That’s why we believe saving time on your ironing is important. We are all fans of being able to reduce the effort required for our chores, and with that in mind we have come up with our top 6 ways to reduce your ironing time. From high-tech steam presses to techniques to reduce wrinkles in the first place, this list should help you cut minutes or even hours off your weekly ironing.
Tips and tricks to reduce your ironing times
1. Organize your laundry
By ensuring you wash all of your fabrics, not only with the same colors, but with the same weight of the material, you reduce the amount of ironing required needed in the first place. For instance, if you wash your favourite lightweight summer shirts with some heavy denim jeans, the weight of the jeans when wet, will crush into your shirts. This will cause extra creases during the wash, as well as potentially weakening the fibers of the shirts, reducing their lifespan.
2. Use a high tech steam press
Once thought to be the “toy” of the affluent, the now affordable steam press provides a professional finish in half the time of a conventional iron. The steam press is a quick to fire up device and can be used on a wide range of fabrics regardless of size. The powerful bursts of steam provided by steam presses, thanks to the differing heat options, enable the user to iron out long-lasting creases.
Top of the range steam press models feature the ability to press multiple layers at the same time, meaning you can cut through that pile of washing quicker. They often also have a warning system to let you know if the temperature is getting too high.
3. Use your tumble dryer
Using your tumble dryer correctly can result in wrinkle-free clothes, however, you have to be careful to ensure you are using the right cycle for the right material. Some dryers have a setting that will state “iron” or “wrinkle free” however if yours doesn’t, it’s important to ensure you have a setting with a calm cooling period to allow the fabrics to return to their original form. So getting to know how to use your tumbler drier can reduce the time it takes to iron the batch. It is important not to overload the tumble dryer as too many clothes cramped together will result in some pretty wrinkled shirts.
4. Use a Hairdryer
This is a great technique if you are in a rush and need to remove some creases from clothes, whilst getting ready. Simply hang up a shirt, turn on the hairdryer and blow dry any seams out. It is a good option if you are in a hotel or holiday home where facilities may be at a premium. Just be careful not to hold the hairdryer too close and burn your clothes. Not recommended for more delicate items.
5. Use a garment steamer
You will save loads of time by purchasing a garment steamer. Simply point the steamer nozzle at your laundry as it hangs and watch the steam get straight to work and the creases drop out. Not only does this save time it is a whole lot easier tat the back aching ironing you are used to! Garment steamers work best on the ‘not so tricky’ clothes. So your cuffs, collars and any other more complex items will still require the traditional iron to come out the cupboard. However, the majority of your clothing will be done in no time at all.
6. Steam the creases out in the shower (the student/lazy man way)
A favourite with students worldwide, the shower technique involves hanging your shirt or tee up in the bathroom whilst you take a shower. The result is the creases dropping out with little effort required from you. It is an effective method, for shirts and tees that don’t have bad creases but isn’t really effective for large batches. Use this as a quick timesaver before heading out – not for your family’s laundry!
Summary
As this article has highlighted, there are plenty of methods available to considerably reduce your ironing time. We found the steam press the most effective at doing this however dependent on your budget, you may find one of our other options more appropriate to your needs. If you have found another method which you feel deserves a mention, comment below.
