Ironing Boards: Our Useful Guide and Overview
Most people probably don’t pay too much attention to their ironing board and its cover, let alone worry too much about if it has the right kind of padding on it! For some, as long as they have a flat surface on which to iron their clothing, then this will do! Indeed, most definitions of an ironing board describe it simply as a long, narrow board covered with a soft material usually standing on legs on which clothing, bedding etc. can be ironed’. But as others have found through trial and error, there can be more to an ironing board, its cover, and let’s not forget, the padding, than meets the eye!
Join us for an overview of interesting facts about the humble ironing board to learn more about this essential ironing aid, and how to care for it!
TYPES OF IRONING BOARDS:
The quality of your ironing board can make a real difference to how quickly, or not glide through your ironing pile. There are three different kinds of ironing boards on the market:
i) Freestanding Models.
ii) Compact Table Ironing Boards.
iii) Wall Built-In Ironing Boards.
A FREESTANDING IRONING BOARD
This is typically what we imagine an ironing board to look like. It has a metal structure and an adjustable height mechanism. This provides options for how you might wish to iron- either sitting down or standing up. On these ironing boards, the surface tends to mesh, this is ideal as steam can penetrate the cover for a more powerful ironing action, and for better ironing results.
A COMPACT IRONING BOARD
This is, as the name suggests, a smaller model, which has the same appearance as a regular ironing board but is scaled down to size with no height adjustments. It is ideal for homes with limited space and is lightweight by design making it super easy to store away after use. Because of its size, this makes it highly versatile, which means you can pop it up on a kitchen bench or on a tabletop when you need to do some ironing. Most of these models come with a cotton cover that is easy to remove at any time for washing. However, whilst this model will allow clothing to be ironed, the overall quality of the ironing may not be of a professional standard owing to the limitations of the design and materials used.
A BUILT-IN IRONING BOARD
This model is all about the design and its storage as its key features. It has a unique design that allows for an ironing board to be wall mounted within a recessed cabinet and to be stored out of sight after use. As with the Compact Ironing Board, this model is ideal for small spaces. But again, the quality of ironing may be compromised owing to the design and materials used.
PROFESSIONAL IRONING BOARDS:
While there are three main ironing board types; as outlined above, a professional ironing board separates the ‘wheat from the chaff’. In our opinion, we feel they are worth their weight in gold, as they play a fundamental role in producing high-quality ironing results every time. They are designed to speed up the ironing process as well, which is ideal for the task at hand, and for people who often can struggle to find enough time to iron owing to a busy work schedule.
A high-quality ironing board typically offers a larger surface area to work with, which allows for more space for clothing to be placed on when ironing thus saving time. This type of board invariably has a super smooth surface and cover that improves the ability to move and manipulate clothing around when ironing.
HOW TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR IRONING BOARD:
With the ultimate focus on the goal of ironing your clothes to a high standard each and every time, this will also require keeping your ironing board, and its cover, in pristine condition.
Firstly, it’s advisable to think about and consider where you will store it. We would strongly recommend storing it away after use in a clean, dry, and well-ventilated space, away from dust, dirt and debris, as the last thing you’ll want is for this to transfer to your clothing, bedding etc. when ironing.
As with most household aids and appliances, it’s always a good practice to keep your ironing board ‘spik and span’! To do this we would recommend removing the cover and padding first to assess their condition. If they need to be replaced, throw them away. If they are fine, then read the care label instructions to check how to launder them the correct way in your washing machine. Alternatively, it may simply turn out to be the case that all they need, at this point, is a spot spray or stain remover to clean away any marks, and then allow it to dry, before replacing it on the ironing board.
When cleaning the frame, use an antibacterial spray, a clean cloth, or wipes, and then start to wipe down, starting at the top and moving down the frame to the legs. It’s important not to neglect underneath the ironing board as this is where cobwebs can lurk! When complete, dry off the frame with a microfibre cloth thoroughly. When your frame is nice and clean you can replace the cover and padding.
We would recommend you clean your ironing board and cover it every month to keep them in ‘tip-top’ condition for a great ironing result each and every time!
OUR VIEW:
Over the course of many years, we have tried and tested many ironing boards, covers, and padding, When stripped down to the basics, what we have found is that there are six key features we would recommend you look out for when purchasing an ironing board:
i) It should have a supportive and sturdy base
i) It should have a good layer of quality padding on the top with a good quality cover;
iii) It should be able to hold an iron without fear of toppling over;
iv) It should have a metal top that provides adequate ventilation for steam to dissipate and escape;
v) It should have an ‘iron nest’ built at the end of the board to house an iron comfortably;
vi) It should be easy to adjust to different height settings and be sufficiently lightweight to be able to fold away and store.
When purchasing an ironing board either online, in a store, or from a factory outlet, it’s worth noting that there is an industry-standard ironing board length of 15 inches wide and 54 inches long. However, the height of a standard ironing board can be more variable sitting somewhere between 25 inches and 40 inches. To determine your desired ironing board height, measure from the floor- this will be the height you are most comfortable ironing at for most people this is usually 36 inches.
Whilst standard ironing boards do what they say they’ll do; allow for clothes etc. to be placed on them to be ironed, they do, however, lack the width and quality of professional ironing boards.
Within the professional ironing board range, these models are considerably more expensive. This is because they are essentially longer and wider than most standard sizes, ranging from 63 inches long to 19 inches wide. The quality of materials used is also of a better standard when compared to other regular commercial models. In our opinion, they are well worth the extra expense for professional ironing results achieved every time!
As well as having a great ironing board, its cover is very important in the overall outcome of the ironing task, and as such, shouldn’t be underestimated. Covers come in a range of different types and tend to come with clips, elastic, or string that you tether to the board to keep it, and the padding, in place on the ironing board. When it comes to purchasing a cover, there are a few to choose from. There are reflective types that get really hot from the heat and steam from the iron. These aren’t very good, in our experience, for allowing the ironing board to breathe, and they also eventually crack and crinkle over time. Therefore, this type of cover might not suit all materials so it’s important to be sure you know what cover suits what you are ironing. There are covers with very attractive patterns, which some people love for their aesthetic value, however, for some people, the bold patterns can be a distraction when ironing.
We would recommend that ironing board covers be kept simple. We prefer ones made from plain cotton or muslin.
On its own, a cover is not enough, in our opinion. We recommend that good quality ironing board padding is added and used underneath the ironing board cover. Ideally, padding should measure between 4-8 mm and be made of felt. We prefer padding to be 100% wool felt, as wool is heat reflective, meaning it absorbs heat from the iron and reflects it back onto the fabric that’s being ironed.
We do hope you found our guide and overview of ironing boards interesting and useful.
For a professional ironing service, why not contact us here at Pressed not Stressed, where you can be sure our ironing boards, covers and padding, are of the highest quality to produce professional ironing results every time!
