Sounds nice, but it's still ironing. lol. I live about 15 min. away from the cleaners so instead of driving there and back twice a week, I iron my dh dress shirts he wears with his suits. It's a pain, but they look nice.

I just don't have the patience anymore, or the energy to iron linens, even though I'd like to give it a shot.

I may some day! I've got a lot of old linens stored until the house is finished, and they'll definitely need perking up.

I do my ironing during a soap. lol

i don't iron anymore - no iron (someone STOLE it) and no room to set up my ironing board. that will change with my move tho. i'll have a back room for my sewing machine,ironing board and exerciser. Things seldom used...lol!

many, many moons ago (when i was 13) I worked at a rectory for our priest. i ironed all linens - from his boxer shorts to the napkins. including sheets. lots of sheets - they often had guest priests visit. i think i got really tired of it back then but don't remember that part. I remember those times fondly now. My first job - I made 75 cents an hour. my sister worked there with me - we cleaned all rooms and ironed... it was a BIG house.
When my kids were young - before pp i ironed a lot also - with dh and 4 kids. i liked to iron, not sure i will anymore tho. Will find out eventually as i also have some old linens that require ironing. i inherited a lot of those from my MIL.

I kind of like ironing. It's not a messy task, like so much housework is, and you get to see immediate results. I have several old linen tablecloths that were my grandmother's and while I do sometimes use them just unironed right off the line, there are times when I like to see them smooth and neat.

One time, when my town was having a "bulky waste pickup day," I put several things out at the curb the day before--some floor lamps, a busted vacuum cleaner, a wobbly bookcase and an ironing board. All of them were snatched up in hours, except the ironing board, which finally got taken by the trash collectors. I felt sort of sorry for the poor thing; no one wanted it.

bronwynsmom, what kind of iron do you have that you can shut the steam off? With mine, all the high settings have steam, whether you want it or not.

I don't mind ironing either. It is one of those mindless chores that at least gives a bit of instant gratification. LOL

I love old pillowcases, teatowels and such. Since it's just myself and my hubby, thankfully, while I do have these items in our home, they are not actually used much and therefore don't have to be washed and ironed often. In our guest bedroom I have several vintage tatted and embroirded pillowcases.

I can remember my mom and grandmother having a woman to do their ironing. She would come to our house and iron. She instructed my mom and grandmother to do the same fridge/damp items trick with their things that needed ironing. I haven't tried it myself, nor have I tried the dryer trick, but I will do that next time I need to launder some of my pretties.

Thanks for the tips!

tina

I think ironing is one of those virtues that teaches patience and gives you satisfaction without spending a lot of money on things that mean nothing. You can spend that time ironing and making what you have look nice instead of going out to buy some polyester that will never look as good as those old linens and damasks once they are ironed. I iron since my housekeeper who ironed so beautifully died, and I think about her which is a most pleasant thing to do (albeit a bit sad) while I am ironing and thinking of the many hours she sat and ironed and listened to her favorite gospel music and sang right along.

I love to iron my vintage linens.Not clothes though. thanks for the refrig tip I had forgotten.

I thought I was the only nut that loved to iron. I love the smell of ironing white linen especially.

Patricia what a lovely story, you little southern belle YOU. lol I meant that is the most complimentary way, just so you know.

....Jane

I meant that in the most complimentary way, is what I meant to say.

I feel so normal now, I thought I was the only nut that loves ironing. Out of all my daily chores I look forward to ironing the most! My sweet grandma taught me how to iron & I taught my daughter she enjoys it as much as I do. All of her dolls have wrinkle free clothes! lol

Oh, Jane, you are too sweet. I know what you mean.

I have two irons. My main one is a Rowenta, middle of the line. There's a switch on the handle that lets you adjust how vigorously the steam comes out, and if you turn it all the way off and empty the tank, you get none. You get almost none with water in the tank and the switch off, which is what I usually do, in case I want a little zetz of steam for a tricky or stubborn bit. There are two other buttons, one that delivers a burst of steam through the plate, and the other that sends a spray of water out in front of you.
The other iron is a Braun, which I keep upstairs in case I need to touch up a crushed collar or some such thing. It's a little smaller and lighter, but it gets nice and hot.
Both use regular tap water...distilled water actually makes them spit. I don't know why!

The other trick that Mamie taught me, and I forgot to mention in the original post, is that fibers "remember" as they cool, and so if you are careful to hang up shirts outside the closet, and to keep flat things smooth, until the heat is out of them, they won't crease nearly as easily.

bronwynsmom, I love Rowenta irons and have 3, dating back several years to the one I bought most recently from QVC that does the ironing flat on the ironing board and great for using as a steam iron for curtains and hanging items.

I leave the water out of my iron, our hard water isn't good for irons...and I keep a spray bottle for cottons.

Remember the old pop bottles with the lids that allowed water to sprinkle out?

Speaking of ironing boards, when we were poor college students our landlord gave me one of her old wooden ironing boards. And she was old at the time. I still have it, and I still use it! That thing has got to be 50 to 75 years old. It works perfectly!