OK, When Was the Last Time You Ironed ?

Forums: Ironing, Housework, Inquiring Minds, Changing Lifestyle
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On another thread one of our neater members mentioned doing laundry and ironing. I confess I predate permanent press. My mother was a demon ironer, and I remember laundered boxer shorts keeping damp in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. She ironed underwear, pillowcases, dish towels, and of course skirts, blouses, dresses, although my father's shirts were sent out to the Chinese laundry. The ironing board was always set up in our enormous kitchen, and as a little girl, I received basic instruction in how to iron different items. I liked the smell of ironing and the warmth of freshly ironed linens and clothes, but I much preferred reading a book, playing with my dog, or playing in the street.

Then came permanent press, I'm thinking 1960"s. The original fabrics were nasty and stiff and tended to wrinkle, but over the years improved. Now I prefer natural fibers and have learned to love a less than perfectly finished
garments. I'm happy to hang things wet and let them drip dry and almost wrinkle free.

To answer my own question....Sorry, I really can't remember. It's been that long ! So, When was the last time you ironed?

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[+3] - nextone - 01/02/2013Good use of TV time, and you're not a couch potato. I haven't had a TV for nearly three years, another reason I don't iron. :D

@nextone,

I once ironed some pants... perhaps a few times I did..
But only for the bars.

Fred West ironed more pants than me, Rosemary even more.

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@nextone,

Yesterday. I told you that.

I stop at underwear, however. I do remember damp laundry in the refrigerator, though. We used to have a 'sprinkler' device that plugged into a coke bottle and dispensed a gentle shower on the garments. Gentle, but not evenly dispersed. That happened over night in the plastic bag, which was refrigerated to prevent mildew. Technology has overtaken us, and the modern steam iron has replaced the plastic bag.

The only reason for refrigerating or even freezing the laundry is if one insists on using spray starch. If you spray on enough to do any good, it will form a white cake on the outside of the fabric, but no problem! Spray away, and refrigerate for a day or two. It will come out with the starch perfectly dispersed, and no caking effect.

PS: I don't starch anymore.

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@nextone,

I used to love to iron, but I haven't dragged out the ironing board and iron in a very long time. Having cats made ironing a challenge. I never got back into the habit.

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@Roberta,

I ironed just last week. Only because I was in a hotel and I was going to a business thing. I ironed in September for the very same reason. Suitcase wrinkles..
At home though, rarely. I honestly don't think I replaced my last one the burnt clothes, I'll have to look... I do have a steamer, but I don't pull it out very often either. The clothes are usually fine straight out of the dryer.If I absolutely have to, use my dryers steam setting and works like a charm.

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@nextone,

what millennium is it now?

can't remember the last time i ironed

in the summer we hang everything on the line, shirts and pants come out of the washer get a good sort of snapping (think shaking out a rug) and then hung up, we do the same inside, haven't owned a dryer in closing on 30 years

since i don't own any real big boy clothes (ie: wedding, funeral or church clothes) this seems to work pretty well for me

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Thanks for your responses. Have a feeling different ironing strokes for different circumstances. More casual clothes, fewer formal occasions, retirement, less pressure make a well-pressed presentation less pressing. Now it's more,"Well, I'm dressed", rather than "I'm well-dressed and pressed to impress."

Nothingtodo, Thanks for having somethingtosay.

Roger, Your info about refrigeration for starched items made me think about why my mother would starch my father's boxer shots!! Maybe I'm having a "false memory".

Djjd62, Agree with hanging to dry. As to snapping: Cute story, maybe true, maybe not. A little boy tells a friend,"My mother loves me. She snaps my shirts three times before she hangs them up to dry."

Ceili, I never knew a dryer with a steam setting. Live and learn.

Roberta, Cats and hot irons are not a great combo.

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@nextone,

A long time ago.

A decade or more ago, Set wanted to use the iron to touch up his dress shirt before we went to a company do. I had to look for the box - it was still packed from the move to this house. Haven't used it/looked for it since. It's at least 12 years ago since I wondered where the iron was.

I'm sure it's in pristine condition somewhere.

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Most every work day, as I prepare the shirt of my uniform.

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@nextone,

As I said in another thread as a throwaway, my iron is in a bottom drawer not used in many years.

How many years...

it was gradual.

You all know I went to Italy and got knocked about re what I thought about anything, and that was only northern italy, three times, about three months. So, I don't know anything about italy, 'cept reading and watching, and could naturally not even begin to summarize.

The thing I noticed early, probably with help from my italian teacher (Padova, Bologna, long ago Borgia family) was that patina has presence. Better to have an excellent garment for years than crap for a short time (my words, obviously, she would have never said that). Also, I had a clue from the relatively early book, The Italians, by Luigi Barzini.

But I had noticed that myself on the subway in Rome.
So..

I add my roman view about patina to a screenwriter friend's very messy but clean shirts.
And it turns out I am comfortable about wrinkled linen.

I try not to parade it all the time.

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@Ticomaya,

Does it have your name above the pocket?

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@roger,

Stiched in red.

But my pocket protector hides it.

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@Ticomaya,

Awesome!

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I abandoned ironing when I had nowhere to keep my ironing board up and ready to go.

I plan to take it up again now that I have a spare bedroom I can put it up in!

Oh joy!

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@ehBeth,

"I'm sure it,s in pristine condition somewhere."

Durable suckers. You could say they wear like iron.

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@Ticomaya,

Wow, Flashback ..waaay back to High School and ironing the awful gym suit, a blue cotton one piece with bloomer bottom and elasticized leg openings. It was tricky to iron. The only nice part was my name embroidered across the back. My mother did the job in white, block letters.
The college gym uniform was a nasty yellow, two-piece, skirted top over bloomers, but it was permanent press.

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@ossobuco,

Patina, is one lovely word. Like the idea of applying it to clothing. Palimpsest could also work.

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@dlowan,

Shoudn't a spare bedroom be better used for retiring ?

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@nextone,

I never iron, anything that needs ironed like work shirts or dress pants go to the cleaners. Its much more convenient plus I would never have the time or patience for ironing.

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@jcboy,

For me, the combo of putting up the ironing board and ironing was irremediably boring.

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OK, When Was the Last Time You Ironed ?

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