Yesterday we talked about ironing and how much I dislike it – it truly is one of my last favorite household chores. I shared some tips to help you avoid having to iron. I know those tips weren’t for everyone, some people really want to skip those shortcuts. Some people just love ironing! I know people who are thrilled when they press a shirt to wrinkle free perfection. I know people who are driven to iron everything in their closets – everything! They love it and couldn’t be happier than when they are standing over the ironing board with the iron in one hand and a can of spray starch in the other hand. That will NEVER be me! Even though I really dislike ironing, sometimes it has to be done. These must iron times led me to come up with a list of ironing tips and tricks to use when there is no choice but to drag out the iron.

Clean your iron
This might be the most important of the ironing tips! A dirty iron won’t heat correctly and could ruin your clothes. Don’t forget to clean the holes in the iron plate, use q-tips to clean the in the holes.

Use distilled water
Always use distilled or boiled water in you iron. Using distilled water will help prevent deposits that will build up in your iron and potentially ruin your clothes.

Start in the right place
Iron the parts of your garment in the right order. Start with the collar, cuffs and hem of the garment. Ironing these from the inside out can help them keep their shape.

No more shine
Tired of seeing that shine on your dark colored garments? Ironing dark colors can leave a sheen on the fabric. Turn your garment inside out when ironing and the sheen will not be visible on the outside.

No more creased layers
Avoid creasing the bottom layer of a garment when you are ironing by placing a thin piece of cardboard between the layers of your garment. For example, when ironing a shirt, placing cardboard between the front and back will keep the unwanted creases away.

Use straight lines
Make ironing easier and make your clothes last longer by ironing in the right direction. Ironing in circles can stretch the fabric and make your garment look out of shape. Use straight back and forth motions when you iron to make your clothes last longer.

Don’t iron on embellishments
If you have decorative buttons, trims or other embellishments on your garment do not iron on them directly. Turn the garment upside down or use a clean towel to put a bit of fabric between the embellishment and the iron’s plate.

Hang up your clothes
This last tip may seem like common sense but this is a critical step and one of the best ironing tips out there. After you iron something, place it directly on a hanger. This will keep your garment looking freshly ironed and it will help avoid new wrinkles from being stacked or laying them down in a pile.

Have more ironing tips? Share them with us – we love to hear from you!