KAUFMANN presents a step-by-step guide to ironing your shirt
There's nothing better than a freshly ironed shirt, and once you've learned how to iron, it takes no time at all.
That's why we've put together a simple guide to help you through the intro phase and make you a master at ironing shirts.
But before we start with our guide, it's important that you have the right tools to get the job done. You don't need excessive equipment, so you can get by with the following:
- A spray bottle to moisten the shirt
- A regular iron with a steam function
- An ironing board
The ironing board can be replaced with a flat surface, but it's better to iron on a proper ironing board since its shape makes the ironing process easier. It also allows both moisture and steam from the iron to pass through, making the whole process smoother.
Below we explain in nine simple steps how to iron a shirt.
1. Moisturize the shirt
Make sure the shirt you're ironing is slightly moist. Ideally, you can iron it after it's been washed and isn't completely dry yet. Otherwise, you can use a spray bottle and spray a little water on the shirt. Many irons also have a function where you can add water during the process.
2. Check the washing instructions
Before you start ironing the shirt, we recommend that you read the washing instructions to see the recommended temperature for ironing the shirt. If you don't set it right, the material can be damaged. Always follow the washing instructions.
3. Start ironing the sleeves and cuffs
The sleeves and cuffs are the easiest parts of the shirt to start with since they can hang on the ironing board, so they don't wrinkle as much when you iron the rest of the shirt. Stretch out the sleeves so they lie flat, and no wrinkles form on the underside. That way, you only need to iron one side of the sleeve.
4. Move on to the yoke
The yoke is the piece of fabric that sits at the top of the back of the shirt, at the neck, from shoulder to shoulder. This piece can be a little tricky to iron, so it's easiest to do it first. Make sure the shirt is unbuttoned and lay it flat on the ironing board so that the yoke can lie flat. Then iron it. Pull the fabric a little if needed to straighten it out as you iron.
5. Iron the collar
Before moving on to the front and back of the shirt, you should iron the collar. It should be ironed upwards. If it's a shirt with a buttoned collar, you should also unbutton the collar and iron it upwards. Usually, it's enough to iron the inside. Give the collar some extra steam to make it easier to even out. Once you've ironed the collar, fold it down again, and if you want, you can also iron it gently again to help it keep its shape.
6. Continue with one half of the front
Pull the shirt onto the ironing board so that one half of the front is flat. Start by ironing the buttons and then the rest of the front. If you iron the button side first, gently run the iron between each button - not over them. Pull the fabric to stretch it out if you need to straighten out wrinkles before ironing over them. Wrinkles that have been ironed over are rarely easy to remove.
7. Turn to the back
Once you've ironed one half of the front, it's natural to turn the shirt on the ironing board so that you can iron the back. Make sure it lies flat and then iron it. Move it around on the ironing board and stretch it if there isn't enough space for the entire back at the beginning.
8. Finish with the last half of the front piece
After ironing the back, you turn the shirt on the ironing board one more time and finish with ironing the last half of the front piece. And then you have a smooth and nice shirt!
9. Hang the shirt on a hanger
When you're finished, hang the shirt on a hanger and let it cool off for at least 10 minutes before using it. If you put it on while it's still slightly warm and damp, it will be more prone to wrinkling than if you let it wait a bit.