Do you iron/dry-clean your clothes?

I take my shirts to the cleaners. I hope my cleaners are doing okay as I haven’t been there since Covid started and I’m working from home

I iron everything before I wear them. My hubby doesn’t

[quote]and was raised to always have your clothes pressed.

GUUUURL!

I never dry clean at home with Dryel if something is that important.

I iron only if something is wrinkled. But it has been over 1 year since I've had to worry about that.

General rule: wash on hot and dry for 20 minutes.

I buy non-iron shirts and pants and they look fine. No wrinkles, but you need to grab them from the dryer the second it stops and put them on hangers. A few items benefit from a little spritz from a water bottle, but that's it.

I iron all-cotton shirts (usually).

[quote] General rule: wash on hot and dry for 20 minutes.

I agree with low and short dryer cycles, but washing clothing in hot water is a great way to destroy your clothes in just a few washes.

R4 - I never dry clean; I just clean it at home with Dryel if something is that important.

I send all my dress shirts and suits out...I wash everything else at home, and hang, but not iron them.

Dry cleaning for all of my dress shirts and suits. Everything else gets washed, dried, and put on a hanger immediately. I don’t have wrinkled clothes that way.

I loathe ironing. It’s the worst job around the house, and I avoid it like the plague.

R10 I don't mind ironing. I listen to Audible while I do it.

I just hate when wearing wrinkled clothes. It looks so bad and white trashy.

What R1 said.

I do have two no-iron shirts from Brooks that are my go-to travel shirts/I need a white shirt for Client X tomorrow.

Laundry does them pressed on a hanger, no starch

I hate ironing. I subscribe to the "snatch it from the dryer immediately and place on a hanger" school for anything that has a chance of wrinkling. But for the most part I just don't wear dress clothes; problem solved.

I dry clean suits (when I had to), blazers, outerwear. But I delicate/cold water wash sweaters. Not to be pompous, but I get the best wool and cashmere, and there’s no need to dry clean top quality. Someone once said to treat cashmere as you’d treat your own hair. You’d never use dry-cleaning chemicals on your hair, would you? So I use baby shampoo to wash them, and occasionally use diluted conditioner.

I dont iron clothes. I dont think I've ever even owned an iron, I certainly dont know how to use one. Most of my clothes dont need ironing, the ones that do I just wear wrinkled unless its some sort of special ocassion like a wedding or funeral, in which case my partner does it or I send it out to get it ironed. Since ironing is only a 2-3 times a decade event for me that works OK

It’s not a hem until I iron it. Otherwise, I now have three oxfords and two pairs of chinos I keep ironed. I just hemmed some cutoffs, so I gave them a nice steam.

I live in the city and I have to figure a way to get out in the sun without making children cry. My legs are in good shape, but the skin is really really white. And old. And I’m supposed to pretend I don’t care. And, that will be easier with some sun on them.

I’m not sure I could iron a shirt but I do iron my pillowcases. Well, they don’t come out perfectly but I am working at it. I like the ends to be crisp.

[quote] Not to be pompous, but I get the best wool and cashmere, and there’s no need to dry clean top quality.

Lol. For someone trying not to be pompous...

R16 I'm in good shape but really really white.

I dont have to pretend I dont care, because I dont give a shit for real. I done run outta fucks years ago

I enjoy ironing. I iron shirts, pants, pajamas, sheets, dish towels, handkerchiefs, etc... I have a steam generator iron, and it makes quick work of everything.

The secret to ironing pants around the pockets - turn them inside out, iron everything above the crotch, then turn right side out and iron the legs.

I have done my purchasing so that ironing is not a huge issue. But you cannot avoid ironing dress shirts.

In the past, I have dry cleaned dress shirts. But the fucking dry cleaners break buttons at a fast clip. They no longer get my business.

Being forced to choose between ironing and sewing on replacement buttons, I'll iron.

I also try to pull clothes from the dryer quickly and give them a few crisp snaps, which with most of my clothes is sufficient. I have a few cotton shirts that get wrinkly around the breast pockets, collar and front placket, and I'll iron those if I wear them because I'm a little too OCD to not

My friend who has a degree in textiles and owns a clothing store is mortally opposed to dry cleaning and says that "Dry Clean Only" is a lie. He washes *everything* at home -- even suits. You just have to know the right techniques. Also, he washes everything in warm water -- never hot.

No, I do not.

What’s dry cleaning?

[quote] My friend who has a degree in textiles and owns a clothing store is mortally opposed to dry cleaning and says that "Dry Clean Only" is a lie. He washes *everything* at home

I started doing the same right before 9/11, R22. After getting the umpteenth dry cleaning back that smelled awful (at the time you were supposed to make sure they had a plant on premises), I finally looked up “European Drycleaning”, purchased the supplies, and dived in. I was able to use large window screens for sweaters, jackets, and pants.

It also taught me to spot treat and avoid going commando. Also, cologne went on while I was naked - no spritzing while wearing drycleaning clothes.

[quote]Dry cleaning for all of my dress shirts and suits

Everyone dry cleans suits. Suits are dry-clean only. It's pretty clear that OP wasn't referring to suits when he posed the question.

Were you picturing us pulling a business suit from a dryer?

R20 how do you do the sleeves on a shirt?

I have my clothes ironed. I like to wear crisp dress shirts and pants with sharp creases.

R25, please explain European Drycleaning. I can't find anything about it online.

R27 Lay sleeve across iron board button side up, with seam facing you, and buttons buttoned. Gently flatten the sleeve, keeping the seam aligned, and neatening any pleats. Run your fingers across the sleeve, feel for any wrinkles or creases on the far side. When arranged, gently press using steam if fabric allows. Move the iron slowly and gently so as not to disturb the fabric, iron around buttons, not over.

If you don't have a steam generator, you may need to turn over and iron the other side.

Repeat with other sleeve

I've not ironed anything in 25 years. I used to wear 100% cotton dress shirts that I would have laundered/starched/pressed commercially. I left the office environment 5 years ago, and have not had to wear a tie since my niece's wedding 2 years ago. I now work in the beer/cider industry and dress is very casual.

The closet is still full of starched and laundered shirts. I've not touched them or the suits in several years.

News Flash: your dry cleaners don't "dry clean" your cotton dress shirts. They outsource them to a laundry place that washes and irons them for you and puts them in a box or hanger.

R21--why are you sewing buttons back on. Just take the shirt back to the cleaners, tell them they cracked your button and get them to sew a new one on. That's a Their Problem not a Your Problem.

Yes and yes. I don't have laundries iron clothes because they just don't take the time to keep bad and semi-permanent creases from turning up in the wrong places. I iron them because I cannot afford a valet.

Downy Wrinkle Releaser. Spray on the clothing, pull and tug a bit where it's wrinkled. In about 15 mins, you have a wrinkle free shirt/pants, etc that smells good, too.

I hate ironing so this product has been a dream come true.

Yeah, right, R32. But finding the broken button in the morning when I'm dressing for work is my problem. And making a special trip back to the dry cleaner with the subject shirt is my problem. And picking it up. And the whole fucking thing is my problem.

No thanks.

I believe one of my fussiest possessions is a press cloth - it helps me avoid Downs and broken buttons.

Do you only have a single dress shirt R35?

Next time you drop your shirts off, show them the one with the broken buttons and tell them to fix it.

"Downs?"

For the Dryel users and even those who don't use Dryel.

IMO, it's the centripetal force of the spinning dryer that "cleans" your clothes. I have a black wool coat that I throw in the dryer (no heat). I don't use Dryel and my coat does appear cleaner (less lint, at least) when it comes out of the dryer.

Thanks R30. The buttons make it really difficult as do the underarm area. Thank you for the instructions- I’ll give them a try.

[Quote] R21]--why are you sewing buttons back on.

It's good to have some basic skills and do a few basic things.

Here is a bonus tip for you, R40. The pointed end of an ironing board is for skirts. Turn the ironing board around, slip your buttoned dress shirt over the end so the board is inside the shirt. Pull the shirt taut and smooth with the corner of the board in the shoulder. Iron, and then pull the shirt so that the other corner is in the other shoulder. Once the front or back is ironed, remove from the ironing board, and pull the shirt back over with the other side facing up.

I have an ironing board with no taper, and it has made a world of difference when ironing shirts and sheets (and curtains and drapes - though I don't do that often.)

I’ve donated all my dress shirts. Half zips and tshirts are all I wear now.

R29, it’s actually not “drycleaning” because you don’t use PERC.

You use a gentle soap solution in cool water, a ton of towels to roll out water, and screens for drying. It requires measuring every garment (especially sweaters) and forming them on the screen to dry close to their original size.

I starch and iron the sheets

Do you own a shotgun, R45?

Thanks again, R42. I will try that once I get an iron board. Right now I am using my dining room table’s marble surface. Maybe a board works better?

When you guys say you “starch” a shirt at home does that just mean spritzing it with that anti wrinkling spray before ironing? Or is there more to it?

R47, google "Spray Starch"

Oh OK. I use that spray stuff on my Pillow cases.

R49, don’t know if this is going to send you into a spiral, but Ralph Lauren used to make pillow cases out of their oxford shirting material - thicker weight than most bed linens.

R50 hahah actually that sounds easier to iron! The thinner material always bunches up. I need to watch a YouTube video on this, I guess.

I really do like the way the pillow case looks when the ends are nice and flat.

I finally splurged and bought a Jiffy J-2 steamer with a metal head for my house. It’s everything I always dreamed it would be. The steamer has made it so I iron less, and I think it’s easier than ironing.

yes, dry clean sweaters, scarfs etc

I very rarely iron since I obtained a steamer in the late 80s. Even a mini portable one is the only way to go when traveling.

I did pull out my stored iron & ironing board to take care of wrinkles in some new curtains a few years ago. Otherwise, they stay wrapped up in a back closet.

I dry clean dress suits occasionally since I still wore them for meetings and conferences pre-Covid.

When I started to make money, I decided that it was worth paying to get my shirts cleaned and ironed.

Always have dress shirts laundered at the dry cleaner and pressed with medium starch. Other items like suits, trousers, sport jackets, coats dry cleaned as necessary.

Do people even wear these old timey clothes anymore? Seems like ties went out about 10 years ago and starchy shirts and pants followed. Now I only see them on people who think they need to look fancy (car salesmen).

Pre-Covid when going to work or out a night with friends, "yes" to ironing. I don't think I've used my iron once, however, in over a year so far. Couple of good winter coats I have, yes I have those dry-cleaned seasonally.

Has anyone seen the new Discovery+ show called "The Laundry Guy?" It is about a gay man who gets stains out of laundry. I am serious.

Oh, my!

[quote]Do people even wear these old timey clothes anymore? Seems like ties went out about 10 years ago and starchy shirts and pants followed.

R57, you're calling suits and ties "old times clothes?" Seriously?

Have you heard of professionalism? Or professions? Are you acquainted with the concept of working, at all? Are you aware that not everyone works while wearing a paper hat and a smock with a name tag?

I am an intelligent person typing words on the internet. Please believe me.

Only my suit's, which I rarely wear in the first place.

Unless you work in a line of business where it's expected of you to wear suits all the time, I don't see the point. I've worked in corporate environments (IT), I only wore a suit once at each place, for the interview and that was it.

There's plenty of business casual attire that doesn't need ironing.