One Quick Tip: Ironing a Man's Dress Shirt

Dear Lissy,

Your Daddy had to teach me to iron men's shirts when we first married, and now I'm teaching your brothers.  This is the method Grammy Bea learned in the dry cleaners back in the day, and it's quite fast.

Important:  Use the square end of the board, not the pointy end!!!!  Fill the water resevoir on the iron to the full line, and set the temperature for the fabric content of the shirt.  Use full steam.


Iron in this order to keep from re-wrinkling your work.  Most shirts only need a touch up if you pull them right out of the drier and hang them properly. If the shirt is wrinkly, spritz it with water at each step.

1. Press the collar flat on both sides, from the points to the middle, and then folded.
2. Iron the placket in two halves, fitting it over the square end of the board. 
3. Press the cuffs flat.  For french cuffs, fold and press.
4. Press the sleeves, taking care not to make "train tracks" with the fold along the length of the sleeve.  DO NOT iron a fold into the cuff.
5. Iron the back of the shirt.  Take care to pull the hem so the pleat is set properly and then press.
6. Iron the button side of the shirt, fitting the shoulder neatly over the square end of the board. Your iron has a little horizontal groove near the tip that allows you to iron right up beside the buttons.
7. Iron the buttonhole side of the shirt, fitting the shoulder neatly over the square end of the board.  Give a little tug at the bottom of the buttonhole placket while you press it to help it  lay perfectly flat.
8. Re-hang the shirt, buttoning the SECOND button down, not the collar button to keep it securely on the hanger.

I like to pray for your Dad and brothers as I iron their shirts, too.


Love,
Momma