Most of the time, ironing clothes isn't a particularly challenging chore. However, every once in a while you'll encounter a tricky project like ironing creases into a pair of corduroy pants. Corduroy doesn't respond well to starch, and the wrong ironing method will cause the pronounced ridges on the pants to flatten out and look odd. Doing this job right will take a little extra effort, but these steps detail a system that makes it possible.

Start with a clean pair of corduroy pants. Turn the pants completely inside out. Hold them upside down and find the inside seams on both pant cuffs. Press these inside seams together, then press the outside seams against either side of the inside seams. This should create folds in the pant legs where the creases need to be, although the pants will still be inside out.

Flatten out the pants, with the folds where the front and back creases should be. Lay the pants lengthwise on the ironing board. Turn on the iron and allow it to warm up to medium heat.

Gently iron along the top side of the folded pants, regardless of which leg is facing up. Once this entire side of the pant leg has been ironed well, flip the pants over and iron the other side the same way. This will establish a visible crease in the pants without mashing down the ridges, although the crease will be inverted for now.

Turn the pants right side out. Lay them down on the ironing board so that one leg is lain out flat with a crease on either side, and the other leg is pushed out of the way for the time being.

Cover the cuff of the flat pant leg with a handkerchief, pillowcase or part of a bed sheet. Iron the leg flat through this protective layer and do it very gently so that you don't mash down the ridges. Work your way all the way up from the cuff to the crotch. When you've finished that side, flip the pants over and iron the other side of the same leg through the protective layer.

Flip the pants around so that you can arrange and iron the other pant leg just as described in Steps 4 and 5. After ironing both sides of the second leg, you should have crisp creases on both pant legs without having marred the ridges in the material.