Match the heat to the fabric
The single most common ironing mistake is using the same temperature for everything. Synthetic fibres melt above 110 °C; cotton needs 200 °C to release deep creases. Get this wrong and you either burn the fabric or never get the wrinkles out.
- Silk, nylon, acrylic 110 °C, dry iron
- Polyester, rayon 150 °C, light steam
- Wool 160 °C, with a pressing cloth
- Cotton 200 °C, full steam
- Linen 220 °C, full steam, damp cloth
Iron slightly damp, never bone dry
A spray bottle of clean water is the cheapest ironing upgrade you can buy. Slightly damp fabric releases creases instantly; bone-dry fabric fights every stroke.
Work in the right order
On a shirt: collar → cuffs → sleeves → yoke → back → fronts. Doing it in any other order means you’ll crease parts you’ve already pressed.
Use a pressing cloth on anything dark or delicate
A thin cotton cloth between the iron and your garment prevents shine on dark trousers, scorch marks on silk and melted prints on t-shirts. It costs nothing and saves expensive clothes.
Hang immediately while warm
Heat sets the press. Leave a shirt folded on the ironing board and the creases come back within an hour. Hang it on a shaped hanger the moment you’re done and it stays crisp for days.
