Night Elf Posted January 23, 2016 Share Posted January 23, 2016 (edited) I've had the same iron for at least 20 years. I don't use it really. I don't even have an ironing board anymore. But I did use it recently to iron out some wrinkles in a couple of shirts and it didn't work. The iron was still hot. I couldn't touch it but maybe it wasn't hot enough? I put many towels on my dining room table and ironed on top of them. I also tried ironing on top of my bed. Why didn't it work? Do I really need an ironing board? Or is my iron simply old and should be replaced? Edited January 23, 2016 by Night Elf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted January 23, 2016 Share Posted January 23, 2016 Maybe the problem was the shirts, not the iron? I've had that happen before - a garment that refuses to be ironed and needs heavy duty starch or something to behave. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted January 23, 2016 Share Posted January 23, 2016 Maybe the problem was the shirts, not the iron? I've had that happen before - a garment that refuses to be ironed and needs heavy duty starch or something to behave. :iagree: I always use a light spray starch. Most fabrics need just a little moisture of some kind. Back in the day, my grandmother sprinkled her clothes with water, rolled 'em up, and put them in the freezer before she ironed them. Unless they needed starch, and then they were soaked in the starch first. Oy. Iove my spray starch, lol. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie G Posted January 23, 2016 Share Posted January 23, 2016 Do you have an old board you could cover with just one towel? I think you need a firmer surface to iron on. If the shirt is cotton, you need the iron to heat up quite a bit- if I try to iron cotton on the wool setting I get poor results. And I second the starch or even spray some water on your shirt- just a light mist. A lot of people I know put a towel on their kitchen counter-just one towel. It works beautifully for them. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JessReplanted Posted January 23, 2016 Share Posted January 23, 2016 Was the steam function working? My guess is that the iron heated up but the steam holes (for lack of a better word) were clogged. There is a way to clean your iron using vinegar which would help to unclog the holes. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heartlikealion Posted January 23, 2016 Share Posted January 23, 2016 I personally don't put water inside irons (seems to always backfire for me) but keep a spray bottle of water nearby and use that. Did you try spraying with water? I would not think ironing over a towel would be ideal. Fluffy, bumpy. I would iron on a hard surface with maybe a pillow case or something very flat. I don't know what your table is made of and if that would be dangerous for the table. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cindy in FL. Posted January 23, 2016 Share Posted January 23, 2016 I always spray shirts lightly with water before I iron them. If I don't do that, they don't come out nearly as well. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Elf Posted January 23, 2016 Author Share Posted January 23, 2016 Ok. I'll try water first. If that doesn't work, I'll buy starch. Yes, an iron on a dining room is dangerous. I didn't know that and ruined my table when I used only one towel at first. There are scratches on the table so the bad spot isn't horrible, but I still felt completely stupid. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted January 23, 2016 Share Posted January 23, 2016 My grandmother always used her kitchen counter. I usually use an old chair. I iron so infrequently that it seems silly to have a bulky board. The last dozen times I needed the iron it was sewing related. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heartlikealion Posted January 23, 2016 Share Posted January 23, 2016 My ironing board is huge and annoying. I understand. We got a wall mount but this particular ironing board isn't compatible. Go figure. I would like to actually get rid of this one and replace with a smaller board that is compatible with the wall mount. Then when you are done you hang the iron and the ironing board on the mount. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamiof5 Posted January 23, 2016 Share Posted January 23, 2016 The problem is that you are trying to iron. That's what the dryer is for. Ok, sorry...no idea. Irons and I can't coexist together :P 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted January 23, 2016 Share Posted January 23, 2016 Was the steam function working? My guess is that the iron heated up but the steam holes (for lack of a better word) were clogged. There is a way to clean your iron using vinegar which would help to unclog the holes. steam alone is not enough. You need a liquid of some kind--water, spray starch, something. I know this because I iron shorts and capris and sometimes even Mr. Ellie's shirts. Also sometimes cloth napkins. :hat: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arctic Bunny Posted January 23, 2016 Share Posted January 23, 2016 I use a sheet on top of my drier, if I don't want to get the board out... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnMyOwn Posted January 24, 2016 Share Posted January 24, 2016 The wrinkles never come out for me unless I use the steam setting. I haven't used starch in a long time, but I remember it working well, too. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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