To look your best, you need to keep your dress shirts looking their best! In order to achieve that, you would have to iron them. To do this effectively, you may consider our recommendations as follow:
Getting The Right Equipment
An iron is the most important equipment here. Preferably, your iron allows you to pour water into it to produce steam. It would be even better if your iron has a Teflon coated bottom. If your iron does not spray water out the front, you may want to prepare a spray bottle so that you can spray a fine mist while ironing. Of course, an ironing board is the other equipment you would need.
Setting Up
Setup your ironing board in a comfortable place and height where you are able to spread your dress shirt out without wrinkling it all over again. Plug the iron in and adjust the temperature setting to about a 3 or 5 (148oC to 204oC).
Ironing The Back of Your Dress Shirt
Unbutton your dress shirt completely and spread it out over the ironing board with the back of the shoulder going into the narrow end of the ironing board and the side of your dress shirt along the edge of the board. After which, slide the iron down your dress shirt from the top to the bottom with moderate pressure.
While ironing, be mindful that you keep your dress shirt flat to ensure that you do not actually iron wrinkles into the garment. For wrinkles that do not go away easily, you may use a little steam or spray some water on them. Slide your dress shirt over to the other side and do the same once you are done with this side.
Ironing The Sleeves
Lay one of the sleeves on the ironing board and carefully flatten the sleeve in such a way that it folds along the hem on the bottom of the sleeve. Start ironing from the region around the armpit, towards the cuff and away from the bottom hem. Repeat the ironing on the other sleeve.
Ironing The Top Part of Your Dress Shirt Front and Yoke
Pull one shoulder of your dress shirt over the narrow, pointed side of the ironing board. The optimal position is where you have a clear view of one side of the yoke and having the front of your dress shirt just below it. The collar should be sticking straight and curving around in a circle. Spray this area damp and iron carefully around the curve of the collar.
Ironing The Collar
Firstly, take out any removable collar stays (if any). Next, unfold the collar and lay it flat on the ironing board with its back facing up. Spray the collar to make it damp and give it about 30 seconds for the water to soak in. Start ironing from the middle of the collar outwards to the tips of the collar points. You may need to exert slightly more pressure than before as the collar is thicker and stiffer.
After ironing the back of the collar, fold the collar back down and iron the front of the collar to make your collar look more angled and sharper. Insert back the collar stays if you had removed them earlier on.
Ironing The Shirt Front
Iron the sides of the shirt front, one at a time. Make sure the front placket is not folded over in a way that it should not be folded. Be mindful of the buttons and iron away from them.
For the areas around the front of the collar, use the pointed part of your iron to help you. While ironing, pull your dress shirt gently to keep it tight and straight to ensure smooth ironing and to prevent any wrinkles from forming.
