For many individuals, ironing is a basic weekly household chore. These days with permanent press and synthetic fabrics and electric clothes dryers, ironing clothes is rapidly becoming a lost art. If you like wearing natural materials like 100% cotton, though, you should know how to iron clothes properly. You can save yourself a fortune on dry cleaning by learning how to iron like a pro.

Ironing Equipment - Start with your Iron

Irons range in price from about $15 to $150. Even the cheapest irons have all the features that you need to do most ironing and keep your clothes looking fresh and neat. You will want a steam iron with a misting spray, a non-stick soleplate and a variety of settings for different fabrics. You will also want one that shuts off automatically if you forget to turn it off.

The next most important piece of equipment for ironing is an ironing board. An ironing board with adjustable legs lets you put the work surface at the most comfortable height for you.

Miscellaneous ironing supplies include a non-stick ironing board cover, a pressing cloth and a can of spray starch.

General Tips for Ironing

1. Always preheat your iron to the right fabric setting.

2. Never leave liquid in the iron when not in use.

3. Keep the soleplate of your iron clean.

4. Do not use starch or chemicals in the water reservoir of your steam iron.

5. Use distilled water in your steam iron to avoid clogging the steam jets with mineral deposits.

6. If you do not have an ironing board, pad a flat surface with a thick towel and then lay a sheet over it to avoid gathering terrycloth lint on the clothing you are ironing.

7. Iron only one layer of a garment at a time, otherwise you are likely to press creases into the underneath side of the garment while trying to press the top.

8. Iron shirts from the top down, dresses and skirts from the hem up.

9. ALWAYS follow the manufacturer's directions on the clothing care tag for heat settings.

10. Keep the iron in constant motion. If you rest the iron too long in one place, you could scorch the fabric and ruin your garment.

How to Iron a Shirt

1. Check the manufacturer's tag for instructions and preheat iron to the proper setting. In general, cotton and linen use the highest temperature setting. Cotton blends, wool and wool blends can be ironed at medium settings, and silks, synthetics and delicate fabrics use low heat settings.

2. Unbutton the shirt and lay it face down on the ironing board with the fronts and sleeves hanging over the sides.

3. Unfold the collar and carefully run the iron over it to press the underside of the collar.

4. Turn the shirt over and press the front side of the collar.

5. Drape the left shoulder of the shirt over the pointed end of the ironing board and carefully iron over it from collar to shoulder seam. Repeat for the right shoulder.

6. Slide the sleeve over the pointed end of the board. Carefully press from the shoulder to the cuff, then turn the sleeve on the board and repeat until you have pressed the entire sleeve. Repeat with the other sleeve.

7. Lay the unbuttoned shirt outside up on the board with the left front edge aligned with the edge of the board. Smooth it with your hands to lay it as flat as possible, and then press the fabric with smooth, long strokes. Carefully nose the pointed tip of the iron into spaces between buttons and take extra care around pockets and seam details.

8. Turn the shirt on the board, moving to the back. Again, smooth the fabric with your hands before using the iron. If the shirt has a shoulder yoke with a pleat, take care to press into the pleat, then arrange the pleat and press again to crease the pleats if you want a crisp look to them.

9. Continue to turn the shirt until you have pressed the entire body of the garment.

10. Hang shirt immediately and button the collar and center button to keep it in place on the hanger and keep it wrinkle-free.

If the shirt is a t-shirt or other kind of pullover, slide the body of the shirt onto the ironing board as if you are dressing the board in the shirt, then press the body as directed above, turning the shirt until you have pressed the entire body. Once the body is done, do the sleeves as above, and then fold neatly to store.