I use duvet covers and they get washed and ironed every couple of weeks. I iron both layers at the same time. The trick is when you take it out of the drier you shake it out and smooth out any wrinkles and arrange the seams perfectly square. The quality of the cover will make a huge difference in this step. Good quality percale covers from Calvin Klein come out of the dryer with no twisting or sticking :-) You can just grab the corners, shake them out and after ironing they have zero wrinkles. Cheaper covers I have often twist and the layers of fabric stick together.

I iron starting on one side working down the width of the ironing board, then the other side and then the middle part. Make sure you iron on the same side of the cover and then put the cover on so that the ironed side is on top of the duvet.

Easiest way would be a rotary iron or mangle. As a quilter I have a Big Board that fits over a regular ironing board to increase the size. I use this with the steam iron and do both sides at once.. also works great with large tablecloths and long lengths of fabric.

I wonder if I can find a big board to fit on my Proctor Hi-Lo ironing board since its wider than modern boards..I'll have to take a look see..lol

I have a rotary but before, I put a sheet down on the floor and cranked up the steam iron. Remove the duvet damp -- not completely dry -- and use the steam iron which goes through both layers. A large ironing board (expensive but...) like Brabantia really helps. I got one at Target for less.

That's a nice size board Roc..I think my old Proctor is 54L and 16W..its a Hi-Lo so you can sit and iron but I've never got the hang of ironing while sitting lol.

@pinky

https://bigboardenterprises.com/bigboard/  If that one doesn't fit. I just saw a new version at Nancy's Notions:

http://www.nancysnotions.com/product/foldaway+big+board+.do?sortby=ourPicks&refType=1

Or if you have handy people around, build your own.

That sit down trick with the ironing board is just practice and an iron with a decent cord length.

I agree with others that size and quality of the board will make a difference. I have a large sturdy Brabantia ironing board and a Rowenta iron that produces large amounts of steam.

In some countries (like Poland) it is customary to bring your large pieces like bed linens and table cloths to a place that will mangle them for a small fee. I miss that :-)

Wow, those are some awesome boards. Wish there was something you could slip inside the duvet on the bed! Like a piece of thin, heat resistant . . . dunno. Then you'd be bending over. I do have a good iron and ironing board. I am alternating my jacquard Marriott duvet with a nice one from Restoration Hardware. They don't look BAD out of the drier. But I like them perfect. Sigh. Thanks, all!

As roc said do not dry them bone dry, then it will be harder to iron them good.

I fold them in half legnth wise with the side that will faceing up outward. Then I iron one side turn it over and do the other side. Then fold it one more time legnth wise and hang up to finish drying. This is also the how i do it in my Miele rotory iron. The key is it needs to be a little damp. When I cold mangle you fold it 2 times legnth wise and feed it into the machine, then let the mangle go for about 3-5 min depending on how piccy you are about the finnish.

Pull it out and hang to finnish drying.

MizLizzie, are you primarily struggling because of the size of the duvet cover or is the fabric not coming out crisp and smooth enough for you? If the latter, you could use some light spray starch or spray sizing before ironing. And in terms of the ironing technique, you just need to be methodical and make sure you move your cover on the board in a steady pattern - like mowing the lawn :-)

Forget the starch. The best fabric finish is Mary Ellen's Best Press--no sticky residue to gum up the sole plate on the steam iron.

It is the size. Just hard to manage and keep out of the floor! I do think some spray starch might help. Thank you!

OMG I love starch. And hairspray.

What brand does the group recommend? Again, thanks.

I LOVE sheets starched..so smooth and crisp..nothing like crawling into a bed with white sheets that have been freshly washed and ironed with starch and linen spray.. and of course my duvet cover gets done with the sheets..I think this is why I wash my bedding so often..lol

And where can I get Mary Ellen's Best Press? Looking forward to crisping up!

Lizzie...if your going to use a spray starch..I have found Faultless Heavy works well. A few tips...spray starch can cause flaking, I've found after you spray wait 10 seconds before hitting it with the iron, you'll get less flaking.. Also if you re spray and re iron a second time you will get a really beautiful smooth and crisp finish. All starches are not created equil so you may have to play around a bit. and for super starched things you can use a liquid starch in the washer and a spray starch lol.

BTW, I don't worry about keeping the cover off the floor when ironing. I usually iron in the den while watching TV and I just make sure that my floors are super clean :-)

Mary Ellen's Best Press is available at quilting stores and Joann's fabrics. You might also look at your local hobby and craft stores.