How to iron a dress shirt

By How To (/journals/how-to)

Heat plus light moisture loosens the weave so the iron can flatten every fiber and lock the shape. The shirt then stays smooth through hours of wear.

Gear: ironing board, steam iron, water spray bottle, clothes hanger.

1: SET the ironing board so the top rests just below your hip bones.

Turn the adjuster until a sweep of your arm stays level across the surface. If the board feels high, drop it a notch; if you stoop, raise it. Lock the legs so the board cannot wobble.

2: HEAT the iron to the cotton setting while keeping your fingers off the soleplate.

Turn the dial until the pointer sits on cotton or the three-dot mark. Wait until the indicator light holds steady rather than blinks. You are ready when a quick hover near the plate lets you feel even heat without touching.

3: PLACE the open collar face down and mist it with three sprays from six inches.

Spread both collar halves so they lie smooth. Give exactly three short sprays. The collar is damp enough when it feels cool and the color deepens slightly; if it spots dark, blot with a dry towel and wait a moment.

4: GLIDE the hot iron from each collar point toward the center band without stopping.

Start at the far point of one side and draw the iron to the middle. Repeat on the other side. The collar is done when the fold edge stands in a clean line and the surface shows no waves; if a crease lingers, spray once and glide again.

5: SLIDE each open cuff flat and iron inside then outside with two passes each.

Unbutton the cuff and lay it smooth. Run two passes on the inside, flip, then two on the outside. Match the second cuff the same way; each is finished when the fabric around the button and buttonhole lies flat.

6: PULL the sleeve seam to the center underside then iron from cuff to shoulder.

Hold the shoulder end taut with your free hand. Make three slow passes that each overlap half the iron width. Do the other sleeve the same way; both look right when they hang tube-smooth with no center crease.

7: SMOOTH the body in four sections: yoke, left front, right front, then back.

Drape the yoke over the board tip and give two passes. Shift to each front and use the iron tip around the buttons, then stretch the back flat. The body is complete when your palm slides over every panel and finds no ridge.

8: HANG the still-warm shirt on a hanger so the shoulders sit square.

Button the top collar button and both cuffs to hold their shape. Run your hands down the fronts once. You know it is set when the body falls without twists and the collar stands even.

The most common mistake

Pausing with the iron flat on the shirt scorches a shiny print into the cloth. Park the iron upright on its heel every time you stop or reach for more shirt.

Pro tip

Pull the fabric gently taut with your free hand ahead of the iron so wrinkles cannot fold under the soleplate.

Say it every time

SET HEAT PLACE GLIDE SLIDE PULL SMOOTH HANG