Happy Ironing

Agencies and other headaches, keys and cleaners, running costs and contracts...in short, all the things we spend so much of our time doing behind the scenes.<br>
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enid
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Happy Ironing

Post by enid »

I know many of you use a laundry service but I am in the group that prefers to do it myself - but what a change to my life as I have recently acquired an ironing press ( thanks Sue for your advice) _ I do the sheets sitting down with an eye on the view through the laundry room door - well worth the pennies. Happy ironing from now on :D :D
la vache!
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Post by la vache! »

Well done Enid - I hope you enjoy your new press and that it saves you some time! I do my own laundry and am now getting to be a convert of ironing. It's an excuse to do something and watch the TV at the same time, which is something I don't get the time to do very often. I'm working my way through the first series of Lost on DVD at the moment, on a full changeover (18 x sheets, duvets, pillow cases and tea coths) I get through about 5 episodes. After 4 years of doing this I'm actually starting to enjoy it!
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Sue Dyer
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Post by Sue Dyer »

Well done Enid! I wouldn't be without my press - £500 but money well spent. I whiz thru the stuff. I put rubbish tellly on and watch property programmes and the like. Hadn't thought of DVD's.

Susan - you should be able to get through the 3 Lord of the Rings films with that amount!
la vache!
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Post by la vache! »

Susan - you should be able to get through the 3 Lord of the Rings films with that amount!
I think the Lord of the Rings would take too much concentration. I find that Lost works well as it is pretty low level intelligence wise and therefore doesn't require 100% attention, which is impossible especially when doing my favourite fitted sheets!
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Post by A-two »

Hi Folks,
Am intrigued by the iron press issue as they seem to be getting such rave reviews. Is their another thread that discussed the various brands that I missed?

I am currently washing myself and using laundry service for pressing, but the bills are high and after the recent fiasco of "The 3 Duvets", I am thinking of in-house pressing again.

I would like to know how much to pay - Sue says her cost was GBP 500, yet I see some advertised for $99, so I guess there's good and bad ones. What kind of space do they need? Do you put it up and take it down like an ironing board each time you use it? Or do you have a TV set up in a separate laundry room? (hey, that's not a bad idea!) Is it only for sheets, or do you do everything that way now? Does it make the room all hot and steamy?

Sorry if this is repeating questions that have already been answered, but I didn't find anything this specific on a search.


TIA
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enid
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Post by enid »

I have the same press as Sue - it cost 630 euros I think. I too saw the cheaper ones but decided thatI wanted something sturdier and with a good track record.

You can do all ironing with it but I find it tedious for shirts and trousers -I use it for t shirts and skirts though. I bought it for the bedding principally.

The secret is in the folding - I have only had mine a few weeks and I am getting very fast at it. It does save me a bit of time but I like it because it is so easy - and I do it sitting down! There is no steam but there is a water spray for stubborm creases. It irons so well beacuse it is exerting so much more pressure than you can with a hand held iron.

I have mine on a table in the laundry room (I have an enormous room though) - but it is very light and portable so you can use it anywhere.

I would def recommend it - oh and another thing it is easier to check for stains as you iron as you are hands free.
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Sue Dyer
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Post by Sue Dyer »

I'd agree with Enid's comments. I do iron dress shirts with mine but find the fiddly corners a bit difficult. A breeze for tshirts though.

Again, as Enid says the secret is in the folding of the bedding. I have to fold the stuff with someone else and get it precise. I fold in a long "line" then in half and half again. Shove most of the sheet/quilt to the back, bring it forward, 2 presses and it is done, turn over and repeat. Really really quick!!

I have a spare box room I leave mine set up in (listen to radio) but for bulk take it into my office (to watch TV). We used to go through a steam iron every year as they'd get gunged up or just weren't effective after a while.

I think our model is Elna Opal? Some of the bigger dept stores (John Lewis) will give you a demo of the machine.

Mind, don't know about enid but I have had a few burns on top of my hands when unthinkingly repositioning the quilt/sheet and hitting the top. There again, you'd talking to someone who once burned their stomach ironing!!! Yes, I was ironing a tshirt in my bra and knicks. This was on a standard ironing board, I carelessly brought the iron too close to me and had a long thin scar along my stomach for days. Ouch!!! :)
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Giddy Goat
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Post by Giddy Goat »

I'm at the stage of life when a few well directed strokes of the iron might rid me of some unwelcome creases!
Last edited by Giddy Goat on Wed Aug 16, 2006 8:13 am, edited 1 time in total.
Nostalgia isn't what it used to be
Guest3
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Post by Guest3 »

:lol: :lol: :lol: Cheaper option than going for plastic surgery I suppose!

As I said on another thread, got my iron press Monday and ironing pillowcases and anything else flat is a whizz! I could not believe how quick it was compared to the 'old way'. However, I still need my hand held iron for fiddly garments though.
Last edited by Guest3 on Wed Aug 16, 2006 8:18 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Alan Knighting
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Post by Alan Knighting »

In my youth my mother used to have a roller iron for sheets and other flat items. Is that the same as a press or are they different animals?

Joan doesn't have anything other than the usual electric steam-iron. When she was equipping our accommodation she chose non-iron bedding specifically to cut down on the work involved. That was seven seasons ago and the bedding is still crisp and fully non-iron although the colours have inevitably faded a little. It is all high quality and quite expensive but as is said “if you buy cheap, you buy twice�.

Not one guest has ever made any adverse comments about the bedding. Indeed some have complimented Joan on the fact that she uses colour co-ordinated bedding and boxed sheets.

Joan’s ironing is largely limited to shirts and blouses. She would watch paint dry rather than spend her time ironing – it’s not one of her hobbies.

Fluffy
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Ju
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Post by Ju »

I'm interested in the Iron press I must say. I have a "professional" ironing centre, the type of thing they have at the dry cleaners. It produces huge quantities of steam, and has a fan in the table to suck the steam through. It more than halved my ironing time when I got it.

So after having spent nearly 600 Euros three years ago on it I am loath to shell out again, BUT if an rion press would genuinly save me time then I might.

So how can I tell if it will or won't?

Would anyone be interested in a time trial? We could iron the same things, say one double bed and two singles, and time how long it takes, including the extra folding required for the press. This way we could tell which is the quicker.

What do you all think?
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enid
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Post by enid »

I'm up for it - I'm back on ironing this afternoon so I'll try it. I did look at the board and iron you are talking about so you may feel that's enough.
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Post by Guest3 »

I bought the press because I have rheumatoid arthritis and the backward and forward movements of using a conventional hand held iron made the joints in my arm ache. The iron press eleviates the strain and has cut my ironing time in half. I am actually hunting around for flat things to iron now as it's so easy! :lol: I had a stack of cotton napkins which I kept deliberately overlooking to iron...the press flattened them all with no effort!

Like you Sue..I've got a couple of burnt knuckles..but who cares, I'm still on cloud nine with this find!
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enid
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Post by enid »

Agree with all of Crystal's points. Sorry Ju - I was going to do the time trial but my friend came and I started chatting to her and forgot to watch the clock. Perhaps Crystal is a better bet for a time trial as she seems to have got up a speed. I am a bit slow but it is all so much easier and less strain on the old bits and bobs that the time isn't the most important for me although I am quicker with the press.
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Post by Guest3 »

I am a novice at this but OK...I'll give it a go..I'll iron one double and 2 single sheets, including folding.

Ju ..I'll do it tomorrow morning and let you know how long it took me.
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