Iron Pants
Even with today's wrinkle-free fabrics and casual workplaces, sometimes you need to iron a pair of pants. Unless you live with your mother or have a spouse with some free time (who actually knows how to iron) you're going to have to know how to do it yourself. Luckily, these steps make it easy to get sharp-looking trousers in no time.
Steps
- Set up the ironing board. You can iron trousers on just about any flat surface, but for best results (and to avoid scorching your dining table) use an ironing board. Adjust the ironing board to a comfortable height and make sure the legs are locked.
- Check the fabric. Before you jump into ironing, make sure you know what material your pants are made out of. Not all fabrics can be ironed (the tag will tell you), but most require different heat and steam settings. Most trouser pants are made from wool, cotton, polyester, flannel, or a blend.
- Wool and blend fabrics require lower heat settings, while cotton can be ironed at the hottest temperature.
- Fill the steam compartment. Many irons these days come with a built-in steam compartment. If it isn’t full, add some water to it.
- Turn on the iron and set it to the desired temperature. Adjust the temperature and steam settings based on the type of fabric you’re ironing. When you’re unsure what temperature to choose, it is better to be safe than sorry by going with a lower heat setting.
- You can tell when the iron is hot and ready by flicking a few drops of water on the metal plate. If it sizzles and steams, then the iron is hot enough. If not, wait a few more minutes and try again.
- Some newer irons have specific buttons/dials for each type of fabric.
- Iron the pockets. It may sound like a strange first step, but think about it: if the pockets are wrinkled and you iron over the top of them, you’re just going to add more wrinkles to your pants. Pull the pockets inside out and press them flat with the iron. This mainly applies to the back pockets, but you can do this with the front pockets as well for good measure.
- Press the waistband. Slide the pants over the ironing board so that you are working on the upper 25% only. Press the waistband down by setting the iron on the fabric for a few seconds, and then lifting it up again. Don’t move the iron around, just press it down. Keep the pockets inside-out as you do this.
- Pay attention to any pleats at the waistband. Fold them back in place and iron them flat if they’re present.
- Work down each pant leg. Unless your pants were left crumpled in a laundry hamper for several days, they probably won’t have a ton of wrinkles down the length of the legs. However, remove any that might be present by pressing them out with the iron. Set the iron down flat on any wrinkles for a few seconds.
- Make sure to get both the front and back of the pants, in order to remove all wrinkles.
- Iron in a crease. Many classic dress pants have a crease down the center of the leg. Create this by laying a single pant leg on the ironing board so that the inseams are directly over each other. Press the iron down at the top and bottom of the leg, and then ‘connect the dots’ by pressing the rest of the crease between the two iron points.
- Keep an eye on the inseams to make sure they are lined up throughout the process.
- The crease should stop at the bottom of the pockets (on the inside of the pants) on the front of the leg.
- Allow everything to cool. When you’re finished ironing, let the iron and your pants both cool down. If you attempt to fold or hang your freshly-ironed pants while they’re still warm or hot, they will form new creases from being folded. Wait till everything is cool to the touch before putting it all away.
- Make sure to fold or hang your pants if you don’t intend to wear them right away.
Tips
- Don't iron your pants if there are any stains present, as the heat will cause the stains to set in completely.
- Keep a spray bottle of water handy to help you with particularly stubborn wrinkles. Even spray a light mist of water over the length of the trousers, or spray a little bit here and there as needed.
- Some fabrics and colors, particularly dark trousers or wool trousers, may develop a shine during ironing. To prevent this shine, lay a light towel over the trousers as you iron them, and simply iron the towel. Spray the towel with water before laying it over the trousers.
Warnings
- Irons and presses are hot enough to cause serious burns or fire. Be careful when operating them, and be sure not to leave them on unattended.
- Be sure to keep the iron constantly in motion to avoid scorching the trousers.
Things You'll Need
- Trousers
- An iron
- An ironing board
- A spray bottle filled with water/Starch
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