You've been ironing all wrong - easy trick will help smooth around pesky buttons

04 September 2023 , 09:01

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There's a simple method to iron around buttons on shirts (stock photo) (Image: Getty Images/Dorling Kindersley)

Ironing is a simple enough chore for most people but for some, it can be a tricky task. With kids going back to school, parents will no doubt be digging out the iron to tackle the pile of clothes that's been left to languish all summer. While there are no set rules to ironing, there are effective ways you can make the job easier.

Some top tips for ironing include turning clothes inside out to avoid pesky iron marks, not allowing large items to hang over the sides of ironing boards as clothes will begin to wrinkle again and always ironing clothes in long strokes as it works better at eliminating creases without stretching out the fibres.

However, according to one ironing pro, there is a totally wrong way to iron. On social media, he revealed the mistake people are making when ironing shirts. In the video, which was posted on the TikTok page @laurastar_official, the man begins demonstrating the common technique that most people get wrong.

"If you iron your shirt like I used to, well you probably iron around the buttons – avoiding them like they are minefields. Sorry to tell you that's not the right way to do it," he explained. "So here's my secret. Start by flipping your shirt inside out." He then lined the appliance up with where the buttons run, and explained: "Let the iron glide across the fabric one time – et voila."

He proceeded to flip the shirt back around and showed how the space between the buttons became totally smooth and crease-free. Some social media users praised the man for sharing his useful tip. One person said: "That's interesting, will have to try." Another added: "I'm trying this tomorrow morning." While a third wrote: "Feel like an idiot – of course you can just flip the shirt!"

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One TikTok user shared they're already a big fan of the ironing hack, as they wrote: "Knew that!" as a second said: "Been ironing like this since the 80s."

Ayaan Ali