How to Iron a Shirt

There are lots of ways to iron a shirt, but using the right technique can give you a crisper, smarter shirt. Follow our ironing guide below and iron your shirt correctly. We guarantee it will make it both easier and quicker for you when ironing your shirts.

6 steps for ironing your shirt

Ironing is all about habits. Everyone has their favourite order when it comes to ironing shirts, but we have created a 6 step list on how to iron your shirt easily and quickly. Feel free to change the order of a few of the steps, if certain steps work better for you.

• Step 1: Always follow the ironing instructions
• Step 2: Fold the collar down and iron on the outside
• Step 3: Iron the front of the shirt thoroughly
• Step 4: Iron the sleeve from seam to seam  
• Step 5: Iron the back of the shirt last
• Step 6: Hang the shirt correctly on a coat hanger

Step 1: Always follow the ironing instructions

It's important to stick to the ironing instructions that are labelled in the shirt, otherwise you could easily ruin your shirt. Some fabrics can withstand a high ironing temperature, whereas other fabrics such as silk and acrylic are more sensitive to hot ironing temperatures. If you're in any doubt as to what temperature you should iron your shirt at, ask at the store where you bought your shirt from. Then follow their recommendations.

Step 2: Fold the collar down and iron on the outside

When ironing, start by folding the collar flat out on the ironing board and ironing with the reverse side up. Then fold the collar down and iron it on the outside. Iron from one tip of the collar to the other, as this ensures that the collar gets a natural fold.

Step 3: Iron the front of the shirt thoroughly

Next iron the front of the shirt. Lay one front panel flat on the end of the ironing board and make sure you get in between the buttons on the shirt, but remember not to iron the actual buttons. Then do the same with the other front panel. It's worth spending extra time on the front, as the front of the shirt is the most visible.

Step 4: Iron the sleeve from seam to seam

Next iron the sleeves. Make sure there aren't any folds on the sleeve. Iron, using short movements, from seam to seam. Then turn the sleeve over and do the same on the other side.

Step 5: Iron the back of the shirt last

Finally iron the back of the shirt. Lay the shirt so that the upper part of the back and shoulder section are flat on the ironing board. Then iron slowly up and down.

Step 6: Hang the shirt correctly on a coat hanger

When you have finished ironing your shirt, hang the shirt on a coat hanger, to ensure your ironing efforts have paid off and make sure the shoulders of the shirt hang equally.

Make ironing even easier with this simple trick

It is no bad thing if the fabric is slightly damp when ironing shirts. This makes the fibres in the fabric more pliable, so ironing the shirt is easier. It's also a good idea to start by ironing the shirts that can only tolerate the lowest temperatures. This prevents ruining shirts with too much heat.