Advice from experienced housewives on how to properly iron T-shirts made from different materials

A T-shirt is a universal wardrobe item for adults, teenagers and children. It can be worn at any time of the year, combined with many styles, suitable for a variety of occasions.

However, not only the color and print of the T-shirt are important, but also its attractive, neat appearance. This can be achieved if you know how to iron a T-shirt correctly - there are many nuances to this seemingly simple process.

Preparation

To avoid causing irreparable damage to the T-shirt, First you need to do a number of actions:

1. Look at the label of the item, or rather, at the information indicated on the tag - there, for example, there is an acceptable temperature for ironing and the type of fabric is written.
2. Check if the soleplate of the iron is dirty and, if necessary, clean it.
3. Try to start ironing before the T-shirt is completely dry - damp fabric makes it easier to smooth out wrinkles. A spray bottle can also help.
4. Check to see if there are any stains on the T-shirt that have not been completely washed - if there are, then under the influence of high temperature they will finally be “welded” to the fabric.
5. Prepare your workplace - instead of an ironing board, you can use any horizontal surface (for example, a table) covered with a towel or blanket.

Temperature conditions

Different materials require different approaches, so it is important to know what the item is made of:

1. Cotton – temperature 200-220 degrees, plus moderate steaming is allowed.
2. Viscose – temperature 120-150 degrees when moving the iron carefully.
3. Polyester – ironing is usually not required, but in extreme cases low temperatures using damp gauze or thick cloth are acceptable.
4. Knitwear – also require almost no ironing and require low heating.
5. Silk – temperature 100-130 degrees.

T-shirts made from mixed fabrics should be ironed according to the directions on the label.

Ironing process

Standard products without finishing are ironed in a fairly simple sequence:

• iron the pockets, if any, as well as the cuffs and collar area;
• run the iron along the sleeves, making sure that there are no “arrows” on the folds - for this you can use a special stand for the ironing board;
• iron the back and shelf, avoiding the formation of creases.

This video will tell you how to quickly iron a T-shirt:

With print

T-shirts are often decorated with:

• drawings,
• applications,
• rhinestones,
• sequins.

This is done to make things more original, but this design adds complexity during heat treatment - washing and ironing.

Therefore, the algorithm of actions changes slightly:

• turn the T-shirt inside out (regardless of the fabric from which it is made);
• iron without touching the sole of the iron to the areas on which the decorations are applied;
• Use thick paper to iron the rubber base of the stickers.

Polo (collar and short sleeve)

The polo T-shirt features a stand-up collar and button closure. Ironing this thing is no longer so easy and to do it correctly, you need to follow this order:

• Set the iron temperature according to the instructions on the T-shirt tag;
• turn the T-shirt inside out and fold it in half lengthwise, straightening the collar;
• iron the item on both sides;
• turn over and smooth the back of the T-shirt;
• turn out and iron the front side;
• Carefully smooth out the collar using the tip of the iron sole;
• hang the polo shirt on hangers.

Since modern clothes are often made from soft materials, a polo collar may not hold its shape and may not look very neat. Therefore, for ironing it is recommended to buy a special starch-based spray.

But, provided that starch can leave marks, it is better to iron the collar from the wrong side, spraying it with a spray.

Alternative methods

Ironing - a process that requires not only certain skills and experience, but also time. And therefore modern technologies did not stand aside - there are devices that make housework easier.

A steam generator or steamer easily smoothes areas of clothing with decorative details and buttons, and the ironing process itself takes no longer than a couple of minutes.

But besides these devices There are also special presses - devices consisting of two wide plates. When heated, they smooth out the clothes without deforming them in any way.

Traditional methods

According to the survey results, two-thirds of people do not like to iron; moreover, there are situations when an iron is simply not at hand, or another ironing device. For these cases, there are life hacks that you can use if the T-shirt definitely needs to be ironed:

1. Hot water bath. If you hang a crumpled item over it, then after a few hours under the influence of steam it will become moisturized and smooth out under its own weight. Then it needs to be dried.
2. Vinegar solution. To prepare it, you need to mix water and table vinegar with fabric softener in equal proportions.

   Then you should hang the T-shirt on hangers, spray it evenly with the resulting mixture from a spray bottle and let it dry.

If the wrinkles are small, you can try to smooth them out with steam from the kettle spout, but this is a rather risky method, because you can scald your skin in the process. You can also put a not completely dried T-shirt on yourself and wear it for a while.

You can learn more about how to iron a T-shirt without an iron. this articles.

How to fold after?

If the T-shirt is not worn immediately after being ironed, the question arises of how to fold it so that it does not need to be ironed again later.

There are several ways:

• Traditional – put the T-shirt with the back up, fold the sleeves with part of the sides towards the center, fold the bottom and fold the T-shirt in half. Just like in a store!
• Home – lay out the T-shirt on a flat surface, fold the sleeves into the center and fold the item first along and then across: you get an even rectangle.
• Kon Mari Method – lay the T-shirt on a horizontal surface, mentally dividing it into thirds.

  Fold one third towards the center and fold the sleeve over it, i.e. he will be on top. Fold the other edge of the T-shirt overlapping the previous one and also roll up the sleeve.

  Next, you need to fold the bottom part up to about the sleeves, then fold the folded part in half and then fold it with the top part of the T-shirt.

To do this, you need to distribute the item on a flat surface with the collar down (checking that it is not crooked anywhere), and fold the sides of the T-shirt towards each other, bending it in the middle of the shoulder. All that remains is to bend the sleeves, fold the edge twice, turn the item over and put it on the shelf.

4 ways to fold a T-shirt on video:

Recommendations

The following tips can greatly reduce ironing time and extend the life of T-shirts:

1. It is better to iron black or very bright T-shirts from the inside out, otherwise shiny iron marks may remain. Movements should be arcuate or circular.
2. It is necessary to iron in one direction so as not to stretch the fabric.
3. It is advisable to hang T-shirts that are still warm from the temperature of the iron on hangers, and fold them after they have cooled completely. Otherwise, creases may remain on the sides.
4. If the iron has a “Silk” mode, then you can set it when ironing polyester items. Although for T-shirts made from this fabric, proper drying is sufficient.
5. It is better to iron knitwear without moving the iron, but by applying it for a couple of seconds.

Conclusion

Thus, we can conclude that ironing T-shirts is not a complicated process, but it still requires attention. However, once you master it, you can avoid difficulties.