HOW TO IRON A SHIRT | BACK-TO-BASICS SKILLS 

When I turned 16 my fathers rules were that men were to be responsible for their own subsistence. It was mandatory that I get a job and contribute to my mothers contribution to me for the last 16 years. That included personal management in all forms and that Included ironing all of my own clothes. This policy has stood me well in life. I grew to be very successful and have retired and now mentor young professionals to be successful. Thank you Dad.

That was the most simple straightforward video I’ve ever watched on how to iron a shirt. Ironing is one of my least favorite chores. This technique streamlines the process. One, two, three and as you British would say, “Bob’s your uncle!”

For the first year of my naval career, as a fresh-faced 16 year old, all my ironing was done on a wooden chest of draws with a blanket on the top. I was quite good at ironing so I'd iron my mate's shirts while he bulled my boots... Took me a while to get used to using a proper ironing board! 😅

Love the idea of this series! Many of us were never taught these important life skills, thanks for taking the time to allow us to get another step closer to chap nirvana ❤️

Excellent explanation sir! Not too long, not too detailed, just perfect! Thank you 😊

The laundry I have used for years went up to $4.20 per shirt and as a teacher I need to wear a dress shirt 180 times each year. Last year, I just started washing and drying them myself and then hanging them up. This year I have begun ironing them. I save about $750 each year and ironing shirts is almost better than watching RU-vid videos!

Thank you Ash. I have always struggled ironing as I have never been taught. I have now learned from a master.

Might I recommend: 1) I clean the plate of the iron occasionally, using baking soda and a bit of water. A quick rub and wipe and I'm certain it's clean, and no residual starch or extraneous material to stain a shirt. I pay attention to the steam holes, they can hold 'stuff'. 2) I use distilled water in my iron. Regular tap water will have minerals dissolved in it, which gets left in the steam vessel when the water evaporates into steam. This will eventually coat the inside of the steam vessel, reducing it's efficiency and eventually killing the iron. Plus, distilled water is CHEAP, around 89 cents a gallon. This is cheap insurance to extend the life of the iron (mine was $35, bought 20-odd years ago), and guarantees no iron or other minerals might get pushed out onto the fabric...paranoia has it's benefits. If you must use tap water, drain it out as best you can (CHECK THIS FIRST BEFORE DOING, SOME CANNOT BE DRAINED PROPERLY/FULLY), and give it a rinse with white vinegar, flushing out out after 10 minutes or so. Flush thoroughly! 3) I find small spray bottles at hardware and other stores, they have a multitude of uses. I label mine DISTILLED H2O. One filling will do several shirts. 4) I sometimes drop shirts off for laundry, but have yet to find anyone that can do a proper Military Starch. I'm STILL learning how to do it myself. My dad had a laundry that could do it for his uniforms, no one around here that I can find to do it. I think I'm going to have to go to a local military recruiter and find out the best way to get it done, there's a station nearby. The same laundry also did my mother's Nurse's Caps....I'm talking early 1970s here, but still.... 5) The ironing board cover may need an occasional cleaning, I just wipe it down with a damp cloth and dry it off. Thank You for covering this subject. It and many other minor skills must be taught or will be lost. I hope this helps.

Bravo, Ash! Well done! So many men do not know how to iron, and you demonstrated in a matter-of-fact, no-nonsense way. I was also taught in the military, but have let my skills lapse. No more!

Great video Ash. I find this back to basic series very helpful. I am looking forward to the trouser video. I am glad that my father taught me ironing over 20 years ago. He ironed his dress shirts himself. It was never seen as my mother's job because he chose a profession in which he had to wear shirts everyday. The only thing I do in addition is that at the end, I fold the collar into position and iron from the inside over the collar crease to enhance the crease.

Having spent a lot of time in the military this is about the same way I do my shirts with perhaps a few more spritzes of starch. Good show!

My father was a police officer, and he had me iron his white police shirts each week for pocket money from a young age. He would inspect every shirt I ironed, and any not meeting his high standards had to be redone. Thousands of shirts ironed over many years taught me an essential life skill. I didnt enjoy it at the time but now I thank him for that, as well as for teaching me about responsibility, quality standards and pride in a job well done.

Good effort. I’m ex navy, I also iron my own shirts exactly as you do. I use starch on formal shirts on the collar and front. I generally only iron my shirt when I wear it. My wardrobe has many shirts, un-ironed!

I found this video very satisfying. It was almost Zen.

I love the yoke technique. I always iron inside out with everything. With the exception of course, the arms. The collar is always ironed on back. I tend more to press it with the iron and steam as opposed to moving back and forth. Cuts down on material puckering.

the iron he uses in the video is the Philips Azur Performer Plus GC4522 priced at $160-$170 and is currently discontinued.

Liked the way you utilised the iron stand.. nice..

Great video, Ash. Very instructional (and dare I say inspirational?) for those gents who neglect, or outsource, this critical item in the sartorial regime. One item you may find useful is a sleeve board. This is designed to fit inside the sleeve barrel of most long sleeved shirts, and is ideal for achieving perfect creases on pleats and cuffs. They aren't expensive (less than £20) and can be purchased from a variety of sources. As you suggest, it's a good idea to "batch" your shirt ironing. It's also a lot easier if your shirts are slightly damp. I never put good shirts in my tumble dryer (the heat and tumbling accelerates wear) - so I let them hang until they achieve the right level of dampness. I also use powdered starch in the washing machine. This can be a bit tricky as it requires you to put the powder in at just the right moment in the cycle. But powdered starch gives the absolute best finish and level of "stiffness" to your garments. Lastly (and this is a tip I got from a military pal) - use ironing as an opportunity to give your shirts a very close inspection. Any loose threads can be snipped of with small scissors. Any missing or loose buttons, etc. can be addressed with a needle and thread.

Another straightforward, non fussy advice video concerning a skill that's much over looked, dismissed or not even on properly considered. I use to iron my own shirts as a 12 year old, as I was not happy with my mother's efforts! What I like about your series Ash, is that you cover all of the finer details of " chapdome" without any condescension or affectation. In order to perform the job one needs the right tools and skill set. Beautiful video. ❤

Thank you very much Ash! I was glad to see that I do it very much as you do. As you said "It is not rocket science" but, as always, the devil is in the details. You are not only a brilliant presenter and speaker but also a master ironing shirts and polishing shoes! 🤩🤩🤩 My wife said: "My God, he is even more finicky than you!" 😂😂😂BTW, that is a compliment. All the best and have a great weekend!

I know people who never iron their clothes (jeans, t-shirts, sweaters, etc) with the lame excuse that clothes get crumpled anyway. Ironing for me is not a chore as I know the result is gratifying. I iron every morning the clothes I will wear on the day so they are freshly ironed. Only if there is a special occasion the next day then I iron the chosen outfit the day before to avoid stress. Btw I iron my shirts collar first then shoulder panel followed by left front side, back and right front side. Sleeves last. Just a different lineup. I also don't put water in my iron as it shortens its lifespan (maybe if you use distilled water might be good). I iron by spraying on the clothes and it removes all wrinkles. Thanks again Ash !

Thank you for that tutorial. I work for a doctor and his housekeeper has been ill. So I offered my services. And he's mainly looking for someone that can iron. I just wanted to refresh and make sure that I was going to do everything proper because I have to work with him everyday and it would be a shame if I didn't iron his shirt a proper way.

Good morning Ash and assembled chaps and chapettes. As the main ironer my house, I concur with all points. I do though, when ironing shirts, tend to go; collar-cuffs-sleeves-yoke-back-fronts. Looking forward to the next back to basics video. 🫡

Great video Ash. Its a labour of love for me. I do collar - sleeves & cuffs - body - shoulders - in that order. But employing exactly the same techniques as you.

The front of the shirt is what I found hard, but the way you do it looks much easier. Gone are the days of my youth, when I used to only iron a ‘V’ shape in the front. But I had to keep my jacket on. 😂😂😂 Looking forward to the trouser video.

I struggle with my coordination skills so this is a blessing

This really helped me!!!! ✅✅✅❤️❤️❗️ I ironed my own shirt today for the first time!!!!!! 😁😁😁😁 Love you from the Czech Republic🦁🦁🦁🦁🇨🇿🇨🇿🇨🇿🇨🇿🇨🇿🦁🇨🇿🦁🦁🦁🇨🇿🇨🇿

Tram lined one of my long sleeve shirts, rushing to get on parade in time... It cost me a week on solo parade so my shirt could be inspected.

Brilliant explanation and demo thank you👏👏

Very nice straight forward how to; nicely done and presented. Great job, thank you.

Tried it for the first time using this guide. This is gold ! Thank you !

As a house hubby.. I thought I was the only global ironing expert. I’m thrilled to see there’s 2 of us. 🥂

Absolutely fantastic.....I have always had others iron for me.....being in military must of helped... this is possible the most useful video you have done to date...thanks

Fantastic stuff Ash, I had to sort my ironing out from a young age, School uniform, Cadets, part time working in a shoe shop while at college (Where I really got into mens classical fashion) and I preferred my shirts ironed to a very high standard (One of the reasons why my mum gave up doing them and taught me how to use the iron from the age of 12 onwards), but i'm always up for a bit of a refresher course, especially when I have been using a hand steamer for shirts for the last 4 years, I have forgotten what an iron looks like.

I wasn’t aware of the back of the collar test - I normally just run the iron over the ironing board cover to remove anything off the sole plate. I quite like ironing shirts - I always do my ironing for work, and often my wife’s too. Other tip - invest in some stainless steel collar stiffeners (also called bones?) - most good brands of shirt have pockets in the collar for stiffeners, and I’ve always found the plastic types get brittle over time. Just remember to remove them from your shirt before placing in the washing machine! I look forward to your trouser ironing video - I’m fine with flat front trousers, but sometimes struggle with seamed and pleated trousers!

Extremely helpful. I can tell that your process has been refined over many years to maximize efficiency and result. Lots of little details to adopt. Most importantly, the shape of the ironing board. My process is similar but takes more steps due to the sharper shape of my board. I will be updating my board to match yours. Thanks for sharing!

Love to watch it Always something to learn Thanks ❤

Nice In earlier day, people used to have Charcoal Iron & utensils too

Thank you so much for doing these ironing videos!

Great information on ironing the yoke of the shirt. I will employ your method. Very simple. Thanks.

Thank you, i really enjoyed that.

First time ever I am getting a proper solution for something which has tormented me for many years. Great 👍🏻

Thank you for the video, sir!

Very efficient! Good video

Strike while the iron is hot! BTW, don't your shirts have collar stays? If so, please remove them from their pockets before washing and ironing.

Thanks! I have been waiting for this one as I have lot of trouble with ironing.

Excellent vid

Giving this a try this afternoon. Fingers crossed 😅

Efficient demonstration. Thank you, Ash! (also, nice pants!)

What a skilful gentleman!

Very important skill, very well explained step by step . 👔

Never actually learned how to iron a shirt properly, despite doing so for the last 12 odd years.. thanks for the tips!

Thank you, I needed this🙂

Good afternoon sirs. What a great idea for series this is. Hats off to you sir for doing this.

Excellent, thank you.

Been waiting for this one…… 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

Nicely done

Always want to iron my shirt never knew how thanks

Thank you, Ash! I’ve learnt from this video.

Excellent video, I will try the new technique and see if I like it better than my old one!

thank you so much

Thank You very much sir!

Many thanks Sir

Thanks for uploading ! As I have found out, the key to a crisp shirt is a liberal use of starch. If your preference goes to natural material, ditch your chemistry-filled aluminium can and make your own. 5dl water, 1 tsp starch, 2 tsp white vinegar for the sake of conservation, boil and fill into a hand spray. Almost free, no environmental footprint and efficient as ever.

Awesome ‼️

great video ash. been ironing my clothes since late 80's. when is the trouser ironing video out? look forward to seeing it

Excellent

Thank you so much

Very good 👍😊

That was great ash.😎👍👍

I use the spray on starch a good tip especially on button down oxfords just gives the collar a bit of firmness

Thank you.🙏

I have a different sequence. Check iron on board - collar - yoke (pull over board) - sleeves - cuffs - front left - rear - front right. I (used to) mix my own starch. After drying I had to fold my shirts as I lived out of a suitcase (working for an airline) for 20 years. There’s nothing quite like putting on a clean, starched, ironed shirt to start your day.

Ash that is pretty much the way I do it although I do like your method for the yoke. I do like a little starch on my collar. Thanks for the video. Cheers Ron

Nice video, about the ayan and the woorld

When you do ironing trousers are you going to do pleated trousers?

Greetings young man & thank your for a very instrumental video - I learned quite a few things, being 60 years of age & NEVER exiting my frontdoor unironed for work or formal attired. Alas - I spied, that your shirts had front pockets on the front - that travesti died in the former millennium = they are a ruiner of quality shirts, accumulating debris over time. …I would suggest for you to purchase tailormade shirts, they last longer…I can recommend you to my tailor..

Nice 👍

It also depends on the cotton thread as to how easy it is to iron .

Omg ironing the shoulder pads has never been this easy.

Love the way you ironed the shirt without issues BUT I find that its extremely difficult to iron out or should I say flatten the seams around the arms, cuffs and where the button panels are on both sides. It seems to always remain slightly buckled up and I was wondering if its just about the material or do you have any tips. Thanks in advance.

This is exactly how my dad taught me. 😊

"I would like to thank you for your video! The Back to Basic Skills videos are a true enrichment. May I suggest creating a playlist with these videos?"

Great how-to for a truly underrated life skill! I did notice the shirt was a bit translucent. Any tips on how to prevent see-through without noticeably wearing an undershirt?

I have slight PTSD from ironing. From the age of 14 to 17 I ironed shirts everyday after school in a laundry (- lacrosse season of course🥍🥍). Child labor be damned, 😂Me mam and I needed to survive. Now instead, I have have an amazing relationship with my seamstress/cleaner. But yes, every man should be comfortable with an iron.

You are such a star was never good with iron coz of the shirt was difficult with lots of parts

* Great opener theme .

Great video. One area I would differ is that I always iron the sleeves before the body of the shirt to avoid the risk of creasing it after I've ironed it. However, many ways and whatever works best for the individual. What do you think of spray starches? I've used them occasionally but not sure if they're really worth bothering with.

Shirt Sleeve is crease comes up. Please could you make it tutorial of it.

Super helpful video, Ash. I've a question, I notice that you prefer to hang your shirts with the collar turned down, and buttoned one-from-the-top. (as apposed to my, leaving it up, and buttoned at the collar.) For button-down shirts, would you just do it as all the others (and if so, do you button it?) or is there another method you use for them?

Ironing is my favorite chore. My mother is a seamstress, but she spent years also pressing clothes for retailers. The room where she'd do it always smelled of fresh laundry and steam, so I have some wonderful memories attached to that distinctive sent. 🙃 I enjoyed the video and learned another way of pressing the yoke. I also see that you are a man who likes a crease on that shirt sleeve too. Some would grab a sleeve board or one of the long tailor's ham to avoid it. Side note: I hope the series will include how to iron a jacket after the trousers! Steamers tend to be enough, especially on heavier wools, but I'd like to know more about how to knock off the worst wrinkles. Another issue is that if I ever get my hands on a canvased jacket, I would like to know how to properly shape the lapel roll as I sense most dry cleaners are not competent enough to do it right. The very last suggestion I would make is if you know how to perform a sponge and press to avoid damaging jackets and pants at the dry cleaner, that would be a fantastic video. That's usually how tailors would care for bespoke garments, but there's no reason not to do it with all of them and stretch their lives a little more.

Good video. However, consider buttoning the top button to ensure optimal collar shape integrity.

I stopped dating for two years after an end to a 5 year old relationship. Today I have date and she said dress up. As the guy with a same color t-shirt this video was a life saver.

I’m a firm believer that the housekeeping money I give the missus more than covers ironing duties.

Video was great. Very comprehensive, easy to understand directions, however when I tried it myself I just couldn't do it. For some reason, I cannot master ironing a shirt and just made a mess of it. But that is my problem. Thanks for posting this.

The absolute business😊

Watching this as I consider quitting a job I quote enjoy cause I hate ironing my uniform. 😂

i recommend anyone if they can afford to is get something like a Singer ironing press board. I got one for £200 and it makes ironing shirts take as little as 5 mins with the right experience in techniques per shirt. And 15 mins with the right techniques for dress trousers like twill chinos. Can be 10mins if theyre pleated linen ones. Im too lazy for hand ironing. Of course you can hand iron the same time, but its more labour intensive but you do get the addes benefit of ironing every corner much easier, harder to do that with a ironing press.

Fairly often I find myself doing the "bachelor's ironing": the collar, the cuffs and the visible part of the breast - as I never take off my jacket.

That crease hits an extra boundary for me sometimes