How to Pressure Steam & Iron Clothing
Some sports clothes and other casual wear do not require any care after being in the dryer, but for more formal shirts and pants as well as linen fabrics, ironing is important to get all the wrinkles and kinks out and make the clothes presentable. The task of ironing or pressure steaming clothes is simple and if done right, only takes a few minutes. The most important aspect for both is to have a good amount of steam present during the process. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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Set up a space to lay out the ironing board and plug in the iron or pressure steamer, making sure it is set to the right temperature settings for the type of fabric to be ironed. Most clothes have this information written in the back or left side label, on the inside. Pressure steamers many times do not need an ironing board, in which case it is recommended to set up a table with a towel underneath the pressure steamer, to keep it from slipping off the table.
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Fill the iron or pressure steamer with water and wait until it is preheated to the right temperature. Failing to fill the iron with water will cause the iron to only heat the metal plate. This can burn through some fabrics and fail to get any wrinkles out. If the iron you are using does not have a place for water, keep a little container with water next to it and sprinkle the area to be ironed with water, before passing the hot metal plate over it. This will act as steam as the heat evaporates the water that was sprinkled.
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Stretch the fabric out evenly on the ironing board, to avoid making new wrinkles with the iron or pressure steamer when applying it to the clothes. If using a pressure steamer simply lower the top part of the steamer onto the fabric for a few seconds and lift. Re-adjust the fabric to a new part that is still wrinkled until the whole garment is wrinkle free. When using an iron, it is very important to keep a steady motion. Any pause may result in the metal burning through the fabric.
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Hang the freshly ironed or pressure steamed shirt and pants up with a hanger to keep them from getting any new wrinkles, especially while they are still hot from the process. Keep them on the hanger until they are ready to use.
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Tips & Warnings
Pressure steaming is recommended for clothes that need to be dry cleaned, because the fabric may be too delicate for a hot iron. Make sure the clothing pieces selected are clean and dry.
For very delicate fabrics, use a thin towel on top of the fabric to protect it from the heat. The heat and steam will transfer through the towel, getting all the wrinkles out and at the same time, protecting the garment.
Do not leave a pressure steamer or a hot iron unattended, especially if there are children around.
Prevent accidents by always keeping the iron in a standing position so it does not burn through the fabric or ironing board.
