How to iron - what do clothes labels mean and what are the setting symbols in my iron?

THERE are few people who actually enjoy ironing - but unfortunately, some pieces of clothing just aren't wearable without it.

If you've been putting off wearing a shirt or skirt because it's come out of the tumble dryer looking like a scrunched-up piece of paper, you'll probably want to check out our tips for a perfect iron.

How do I iron a shirt?

Ironing a shirt isn't as difficult as you might think, and should only take around three minutes.

Start off with the sleeves, so you can hang them off the sides of the ironing board while you finish the body of the shirt.

Make sure you open both the cuffs and collar in order to get the most even iron possible.

Finally, hang the shirt up before putting it away, as its "flatness" will set in as it cools down.

How do I iron a pleated skirt?

Whether you're going for a Clueless look or have a daughter with a pleated school skirt, you'll know that this is one of the trickier items of clothing to get your head around.

For the best results, you'll want to iron one pleat at a time.

Hold each pleat down with a paperclip, hair slide or hairpin - avoid anything plastic, as it could melt.

Then start at the top of a pleat and iron downwards, holding it down while being careful not to burn your hand.

Keep turning the skirt around on the ironing board, adding more pleats as you go.

What do clothes labels mean?

The symbols on clothes labels give you instructions on how to wash, dry and iron the garment without damaging it.

Those related to ironing are (handily) in the shape of an iron, and tell you which temperature setting you should be using.

According to Persil, this is what they mean:

Cool iron (one dot): Maximum sole-plate temperature of 110°C, steam-ironing may be a risk
Warm iron (two dots): Maximum sole-plate temperature of 150°C
Hot iron (three dots): Maximum sole-plate temperature of 200°C
Do not iron (a cross): Steaming and steam treatments are not allowed

It’s important to look out for the "do not iron" and "cool iron" symbols to ensure you don't damage delicate fabrics.

What are the setting symbols in my iron?

As explained above, different garments should be ironed at different temperatures.

Most irons feature a dial that lets you change the temperature of its plate.

Just remember that if you're lowering the temperature, you should wait five minutes for it to cool before you use it on your clothes.

BeamDash

How to iron - what do clothes labels mean and what are the setting symbols in my iron?

How do I iron a shirt?

How do I iron a pleated skirt?

What do clothes labels mean?

What are the setting symbols in my iron?

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