It seems we are happy to read over the manual for most home or kitchen appliances, to make sure we are blending, processing, frying or using something correctly. But how many of us check to see how to use an iron? Or look into how best to iron our clothes?
Ironing might seem like a no-brainer, but actually there are many fine points that consumers should be aware of to get the best result out of their iron.

Tips on Iron Use and Maintenance

1. Let the iron heat up. If your iron isn't hot enough, it can't do its job. The indicator light will go off when the right heat has been reached.
2. Check your clothing tags for iron heat settings. Fabrics like silk, nylon and polyester have a low heat setting where pure cotton and linens use the highest setting.

Fill your iron with distilled water. If your tap water is hard the minerals in the water can damage the iron over time and leave yellow-rust like stains on your clothes.Always keep the iron moving. If you leave an iron on clothes, it will burn them.Using the steamer or water spray feature will assist when ironing very wrinkled or high fabrics with high cotton content.To maintain and clean the iron, half fill the reservoir up with white vinegar. Iron an old towel until the vinegar has been used up. This will prevent mineral and dirt build up, which can end up damaging and staining your clothes. Run clean water through the iron to get rid of the smell of the vinegar.
Tips for Ironing Shirts

To iron shirts most effectively, it is best to unbutton them first and as a rule set up the panels of the shirt on the ironing board and iron in sections. For example, do the collar first, then the yoke, sleeves and finally the body of the shirt. Position each of these panels across the board and flatten out using your hands. Keep your strokes short and take care not to iron in any wrinkles. Hang the shirt immediately after ironing.

Tips for Ironing Pants

Turn the pants inside out and start at the top. Do the waistband first and then work on the pockets, fly area, then seams and hems. Leave spread the pants lengthwise over the ironing board and flatten out. If the pants have a front crease, then take care to lay them out according to the crease. If the pants do not have a crease, then take care to iron down the leg in one smooth panel. When hanging pants with a front crease, hang along the line of the front crease, not the seam on the side. When hanging pants without a front crease, hang along the seam line.

Care and attention must be taken when ironing items such as pants, shirts, dresses and delicates. Poor care and incorrect use of an iron could damage and stain your clothes irreparably. Of all of your small appliances, the iron can possibly do the most damage. You should take the time to read about your iron, to ensure the correct usage and maintenance.