ARE YOU A GOOD IRONER?

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20626, 26 July 1930, Page 21

ARE YOU A GOOD IRONER?

SOME HELPFUL HINTS

Linen and cotton are recognised to be the easiest fabrics to iron well, as they withstand heat and friction; with other fabrics it is important to bear in mind that they can bo harmed by an iron which is not hot enough to cause visible scorching. Wool and flannelette are two such materials, the fluffy pile cf the latter deteriorating badly when 'exposed to an overheated iron.

Natural silk stands heat better than rayon, but both need only a moderate iron, otherwise the former tends to become brittle and yellow, while certain varieties may melt sufficiently to stick to the iron. All silk fabrics should be ironed oil the wrong side, the iron being just warm enough to smooth effectively.

Delustred rayon sometimes gives trouble during ironing, which may cause shiny patches to appear. The trouble is duo not to heat, but to damp, as delustred rayon tends to regain its lustro when ironed damp. This suggests a remedy to save a garment that lias developed shiny patches, which is to damp it all over and iron it again, thereby re-lustring it completely. Delicate lace resists heat well, but friction quickly breaks the fragile fibres, so that pressing without rubbing is the safest way to iron it, the lace being placed between slightly damp linen and the iron fairly hot. Coloured cottons should be ironed on the wrong side; have them well damped and do not let a dyed part dry before pressing (ho iron 011 it, as certain dves cannot withstand dry heat. Whether wet or dry, hot colours tend to come off, and, if the coloured part of a garment is ironed upon an uncoloured part, the latter may be permanently marked. A useful tip when ironing dresses with embroidery is that the flattening of the pattern observed when the usual ironing board and sheet are used may be avoided by ironing the dress on the wrong side with the embroidery backing upon a thick blanket.

When a fabric has shrunk in the wash it may be saved sometimes by ironing it very damp, the general rule, to which there are exceptions, being that fabrics shrink when ironed dry and stretch when ironed wet. Coarse fabrics may bo pulled out before and during ironing. Georgette sometimes shrinks alarmingly in the wash; it may bo treated in this way, taking care to stretch it " along the grain."

It is true that a large iron gives bettor results than a small one, as the latter does not retain a steady heat so well, but this is not true of a small electric iron, which is exceptionally useful when a housewife is always doing fine work. If an iron tends to stick or cling to the fabric, try the homely remedy of a pinch of alum in the starch water; this will not. interfere with the gloss. Another homely remedy which has yet to be improved upon is to clean irons with a half potato dipped into bath brick.