The History of the Ironing Board
Shirts, dresses, bonnets, sheets, tablecloths and other fabric items have been pressed since at least the ninth century. Special gadgets existed for certain items such as sleeves and bonnets, but most ironing has been performed on a big, flat surface for centuries. Does this Spark an idea?
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Early Ironing Surfaces
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In the ninth century, the Vikings used whalebone smoothing boards. Around the same time, stone slabs were used to smooth clothes in Korea. The Chinese sometimes stretched fabric in the air between two people and used pan irons.
Nineteenth Century
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Press boards small enough to fit in the lap became popular in the nineteenth century. These were intended for pressing seams when dressmaking, but some people used them to iron their laundry. Larger items were ironed on a board balanced on the backs of two chairs or on the kitchen table.
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Ironing Board Coverings
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Early ironing boards were covered with materials from the home. Blankets made of wool, felt-like baize or flannel made up the first layer. A cotton sheet typically covered these fabrics.
Folding Ironing Boards
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The first patents for folding ironing boards were granted in the 1860s, specifying that these boards were ideal for ironing single layers of cloth from garments.
Ironing Board Shape
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Sarah Boone was granted a patent in 1892 for an ironing board design that was narrow and curved. This board was intended to make ironing shirts easier.
Modern Metal Ironing Boards
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Metal folding ironing boards became common in the 1940s. These boards with hollow legs were much lighter than previous boards. Ironing-board basics have changed little since this design.
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