Ironing board – a clothes rejuvenator!

Ironing board help is almost invaluable. Firstly, all modern boards can be adjusted in height. And this means that you can not only adjust it to your height but also iron while sitting. Adjustment of legs can be stepless or staggered 3 to 6 settings .

Secondly, the board necessarily has a special place to store the iron. This can be a flat metal plate for the horizontal position of the iron or a heat-resistant plastic with a recess for vertical storage.

Thirdly, most often boards are equipped with a network extension cord, where the socket for connecting the iron is located directly in the table. The length of the extension cord can be up to 5 meters. Thanks to this solution, you can maneuver the iron freely and put the table in any convenient place in the room.

Having a long cord is certainly an advantage, but if it is too long, it can interfere with the ironing process.

Specially for this purpose all tables are equipped with sliding holders – thin steel wire of 30-40 cm length with hook or clamp on the end for fastening the cable in the suspension state. Besides, boards are often equipped with additional shelves: for piles with laundry – they are often fixed under the board, to the legs.

It may also be parallel to the iron stand. It’s more convenient because you can hang clothes on it on hangers additionally. The optimal option when both shelves are available.

It is good, if the set comes with a special shelf for ironing sleeves – the same ironing board, only in a miniature version. It can have a fixation for fixation on a board or it can have an independent position. Less often in the stores you can find “armlets” on sale. Fully equipped board can cost from 1500 to 5500 Dollars.

Invisible to the eye

Boards can be made of plywood the cheapest option or aluminum. Plywood is lighter, you can buy such a board for 400-500 Dollars. But it will not last long, as plywood under the influence of hot steam and temperature changes begins to dry out and can crack. Sometimes the plywood frame is reinforced with a “blanket” of steel mesh.

There are also manufacturers producing tables on the base of special heat-resistant plastic. But lately the preference is still given to aluminum helpers. More expensive models have additional coatings such as special enamel or varnish for even greater durability and thermal stability 700-1000 Dollars . .

Clothes first

The success of ironing depends not only on the base of the board, but also on its external “finish. Plywood boards are usually covered with a layer of batting or padding and an ordinary cotton cloth.

The main disadvantage of such covers – they are permanent, so they can not be washed, and the thin fabric eventually wears out. However, on sale you can find universal covers of Chinese or domestic production. But it is fully stretched out on the board, and if the model has a metal ironing pad, the cover will cover it.

Modern boards are almost always equipped with a removable cover. It can be single sided or double sided, with an inner layer of, for example, foam. Price ranges from 100 to 600 Dollars., it all depends on the type of fabric.

The most expensive covers today are made of durable denim or cotton with special non-stick impregnation or Teflon coating. The latter are especially useful to buy for forgetful people, as they can withstand the heated sole of the iron for several minutes without further deformation.

Telling the truth, and you have to pay for them from 500 universal to 2500 Dollars. from well-known manufacturers for specific models . But still, these covers have the disadvantage that the fabric slides too much on their surface.

There are also covers stitched with metallized threads. It is believed that the threads reflect heat, so that the fabric is ironed simultaneously at the top and bottom, reducing the ironing process by almost half. But the full effectiveness of these covers has not yet been fully proven, although many have reported positive results.

Size does matter

The surface area really determines the ease of ironing. There are no exact standards for dividing boards into groups, each manufacturer defines them in its own way, but the general trends still remain, so conventionally we can call three types:

1. Short and narrow ~110×30 35 cm.

2. Long and narrow ~120 130 x35 cm.

3. Long wide ~140 150 x45 50 cm.

There used to be a preference for more compact boards, but today more and more people prefer the convenience of storage to the comfort of use, and therefore the first place in sales is occupied by wide boards with a large comfortable surface.

Not only the size but also the shape of the board may vary. It always has one edge straight, with space for the iron. The other edge can be slightly rounded, tapered or even beveled.

It’s better to prefer the last two, it gives more benefits when ironing hard to reach places. Some manufacturers make models that are completely rounded on one side.

Functional

Brand new modern ironing board is not just a comfortable ironing table, but an efficient device that helps make ironing easier and the whole process easier and faster.

The fact that ironing tables are equipped with additional functions:

1. Surface heating.

To do this on the working surface of the board, under the cover, put a grid of wires that conduct heat. Efficient in both dry ironing and steam modes.

The fabric is heated on both sides, so it flattens out more easily. Some models have a constant heating 40-60 ° C , while others can be adjusted on average from 30 to 90 ° C.

2. Overhead.

Built in fan for inflation. When it is turned on, warm air is blown under the cover and the cover is lifted off the board surface on an air cushion.

It is the ideal tool to iron those creases and creases that are hard to reach, to prevent shiny patches. It is also very handy because the iron does not need to be pressed, it can easily cope with the task at hand.

3. Vacuum.

If you need to iron the arrows on pants or folds on a skirt or blouse, it’s recommended to use the vacuum function. In this case all the air is sucked out of the case which is “sucked” to the board. That makes it easier to hold a garment in place.

Cloth is known to absorb some moisture when ironing with moisture. Because of this, clothes should not be put on immediately, otherwise they would quickly crumple. The vacuum sucks up the excess moisture, which collects in a special container underneath the board. After ironing, the container is removed and the water poured out.

No iron, no iron, no iron

Ironing becomes even more efficient when you have a steam iron. Steam generator allows you to increase the steam power, and a built-in water boiler allows you to iron without interruption for several hours.

The steam generator system is as follows: a volumetric water boiler and a motor for the entire system are attached to the board. The boiler is connected to the iron by a flexible hose.

When heated to a certain temperature, water begins to transform into steam, and when you press the button on the iron, it is transmitted through a hose to the iron and through the holes in the soleplate to the fabric. Since the water tank is not built into the board but is located separately, the iron becomes much more compact and lightweight.