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By Lawrence Reaves

Yes, you can send your shirts out to be laundered and ironed. But you should also know how to take care of them on your own. If Mom didn’t teach you, here are the basics on what every man should know when it comes to ironing.

Before you begin, get the right tools in order. You wouldn’t, or shouldn’t, start taking your car engine apart without the necessary tools. Don’t try that with ironing either. You need a good iron, a hard surface on which to iron, preferably an ironing board, and it’s good to have some spray starch.

The first thing you want to do is read the clothing tag before you start. This will tell you if the garment can be ironed as well as the proper heat setting. Generally cotton or linen garments need a higher setting, cotton blends or wool need a medium setting and silk or synthetic garments need a low setting. Ignoring this advice will likely end up in ruining your clothes. If you’re ironing corduroy steam them first to loosen up the wrinkles before you iron.

Spray starch will help your clothes to feel crisp and look better. It will also cut down on your ironing time considerably. Lay the garment on the ironing board and spray the starch from at least a foot away.

To be thorough, it’s best to iron both the inside and outside of your clothes. Iron the inside first. Stretch the clothing firmly across the ironing board.

For your shirts, start with the collar, move the iron up and down smoothly over the entire area. Next do the cuffs and the sleeves. Make sure you follow the natural creases of the shirt. After the sleeves iron around each buttonhole, then move to the front of the shirt.

Now on to the pants. Start with the waistband and slowly move your way down to the cuff or hem. Place the pants parallel on the ironing board. Slowly move the iron up and down until you’ve gone over all the wrinkle areas. Be sure to follow the natural lines and creases of the garment.

Hang up your ironed clothing immediately. Otherwise, when it comes time to wear them, you’ll have to do this all over again. For shirts, button the top and middle buttons so that it will hang correctly and preserve the shape.

You should make sure that your clothes are clean and in their best shape before you begin to iron. Ironing a dirty shirt could permanently set stains into the fabric.

Wash your clothing with a good quality detergent and fabric softener. This will help keep the fabric in good condition for a longer period of time. Even if you can’t get to the ironing right away, get your clothes out of the dryer and fold or hang them as soon as the drying cycle stops. In the long run, this will save you time and grief when ironing.

Keep in mind these important safety tips.

Never leave a hot iron unattended. It could tip over and burn something or someone. In the worst case scenario, it could start a fire. Unplug it and make sure it’s cooled down before you leave it.

Always unplug your iron before filling it with water.

When ironing delicate clothing you can place a cloth or towel between the garment and the iron. You’ll especially want to do this for thinks like linen or nylon.

Items such as suits or silk shirts really do require a trip to the dry cleaners. It will be worth it.

Don’t be afraid to take on your own ironing. Whether you need it just in cases where you don’t have time to get to the cleaners or whether you just want to save money, it’s a skill every man should have.

About the Author: Lawrence Reaves is a free lance writer with knowledge of household products including irons. For more information about how to find a good iron visit

proctorsilex.com/products/irons-all-irons.php

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