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Original poster

Ironing?

28 replies

MichelleC69 · 12/07/2019 15:39

Don't know if this has been asked before but I wondered who bothers to iron their clothes these days? Apart from stuff that really can't be worn without being ironed like tailored shirts for example. I was talking to my mum before we went on holiday when I was packing my stuff and she said 'I bet you're up to your eyes in ironing' ....erm no, I don't iron many things mum and if DH wants anything ironing he can bloody well do it himself! She was like 'oh, poor X having to do his own ironing'

I'm sure this is just my mum's old-fashioned view that a wife should do everything for her husband but I wondered if I'm in the minority here and a bit of a slattern....

OP posts:
SingingLily · 12/07/2019 15:46

My DH does all of the ironing in our house, mine as well as his. He always has. I suspect this might put me in a minority too, just a different one Smile. I also suspect I might be of your mum's generation so even then, it was an old-fashioned view.

thenewaveragebear1983 · 12/07/2019 15:48

I don't iron day to day stuff but I do iron occasionally, usually if I have a load of linen, or cotton things that just look crumpled without. It's quite therapeutic to stick on a podcast and iron. Plus after reading it on here, I sometimes set the ironing board up outside in the sunshine and iron out there! Game changer.

I also iron ds's polo shirts for school if they need it because I think school notice if kids are crumpled.

And, if I'm going on holiday i iron and fold everything into my cases/bag (only mine, not everyone else's!) then unpack as soon as I get there.

I don't iron bedding or anything like that, but honestly- I do think clothes look nicer if they are ironed.

Pipandmum · 12/07/2019 15:55

I don’t iron. Our cleaning lady used to iron my husband’s shirts. My son irons his own clothes.
My mum used to iron EVERTHING! Clothes, sheets, underpants...

Greenteandchives · 12/07/2019 16:00

I iron everything. Clothes, including boxers, bedding, tea towels, my nice knickers...I find it satisfying. It looks nice all done.
Neither of my dils iron. It seems to be a generation thing.

mrsb345 · 12/07/2019 16:03

I bloody despise ironing. Only iron DH's suits/ shirts and some of my work clothes. His DM and granny iron literally everything.. 😳

Unsureofthescore113 · 12/07/2019 16:04

No, gave up ironing 2 years ago. Kicked myself for not doing it sooner. I have so much free time now! The only clothes I iron are if I’m going out or to say a wedding but otherwise I don’t waste my time anymore. Life’s too short.

AnneLovesGilbert · 12/07/2019 16:05

Hate ironing and haven’t done it in years. DH used to iron all his shirts as he quite likes doing it but my laziness is rubbing off on him and I haven’t seen him wrestling the ironing board for ages. We have a tumble dryer now and shirts get less creased for some reason.

Original poster
MichelleC69 · 12/07/2019 16:06

My cleaner will take in ironing too so I do sometimes use her for that. This makes me sound like a right lazy cow so I probably need to stress that I work full time in a job that requires me to be away from home a lot. Life's too short and all that....

OP posts:
AnnieOH1 · 12/07/2019 16:06

I love ironing (in a totally non-sadistic way). We used Marie Kondo's method a year or so ago and since then I've put freshly starched bed linen on every day. It is bliss and my gift to me. I iron practically everything, throw some music on or the TV and just work through it. The steam generator helps take the back ache out of it too. :)

Oldraver · 12/07/2019 16:16

I iron cotton stuff but try and get away with anything else. When I'm working OH does his own stuff, Ive finished work two weeks ago and have still yet to do any of his

OH found out earlier in the year if he takes things out the tumble dryer warm they can go straight in the wardrobe..was a revelation to him..I'd forgot to mention it.

We share DS's stuff

Jasharps · 12/07/2019 16:31

Never ironed. Husband irons his shirts and occasionally school stuff but we tend to get blouses that never really look crumpled

Life is too short

JoylessNewMarriage · 12/07/2019 16:38

I iron for my employer, along with a million other jobs. She wants EVERYTHING ironed, she even left me a yellow duster this week! I don’t mind, it’s a quiet calm job, I can listen to the radio, better than cleaning windows or ovens.

mbosnz · 12/07/2019 16:40

I iron. I can't help it. It's catching. It's a very bad habit.

I iron the girls non-iron school shirts, I iron his business shirts, I iron his boxers, I iron the tea towels. And everything else, barring woollens, dischcloths, tights, underwear that is not boxers, and fitness gear. And towels.

bellinisurge · 12/07/2019 16:43

My dad taught me how to iron. I just do shirts these days or anything that looks too wrinkly. Dh would do it but I'm quicker.

Ginger1982 · 12/07/2019 16:47

Gosh I iron most things except pants, socks, PJs and bedclothes. I hate wearing stuff that looks obviously un-ironed, but I appreciate this just creates work for me!

DappledThings · 12/07/2019 16:49

I iron everything except underwear, socks and towels. I do it front of the TV every two to three days. I like it.

In terms of splits yes I do do all of DH's ironing as well as I do everything to do with laundry. But he does everything to do with food. He doesn't care if his stuff is ironed or not but I do so I do it!

user1471453601 · 12/07/2019 16:57

This is interesting, 're is it a generational thing question.

My younger ( not by much) dear sis told me that she does her sons ironing, because if she didnt, he would have to do it himself as his wife wouldn't do it ( big deal, I thought). Then I realised, and said, DD her partner and I share a house and I had no bloody idea what their arrangements were 're washing and ironing. It just had not occurred to me to be at all curious about it. DD and her partner are grown ups, and I wouldn't even think to ask. Turns out they do their own.

I'm retired now, and lucky to have disposable income for the first time in my life. I have a cleaner and someone who does my ironing. I think of it as my small attempt at 're distribution of wealth. Plus, I prefer to spend my limited energy on doing things i like to do. I most emphatically do not enjoy cleaning and ironing.

Nicolastuffedone · 12/07/2019 17:11

I iron everything. I put on a podcast/music etc and away I go. Someone’s bound to come along and say they have better things todo, me too.....I do them when I’ve finished ironing

KathrynOfArrogance · 12/07/2019 17:11

If it needs ironing I don't buy it Grin

drsausage · 12/07/2019 17:16

If it needs ironing I don't buy it

This is pretty much my attitude. I do have some linen and cotton trousers that I iron on the rare occasion that I wear them, but other than that I don't buy stuff that needs ironing.

KathrynOfArrogance · 12/07/2019 17:20

I put mine back in the dryer until the creases piss off 🤣

mbosnz · 12/07/2019 17:29

The kids swear the cat gets nervous when the ironing board comes out and disappears, in case she moves too slowly and gets added to the ironing pile.

It's my mothers fault, she says glumly. Ironing and competitive housework. It's practically genetic now.

Original poster
MichelleC69 · 12/07/2019 18:08

Interesting....glad I'm not alone in my laziness!!

OP posts:
Stamz · 12/07/2019 18:41

I haven't owned an iron or an ironing board for years!

Simonfromharlow · 12/07/2019 18:48

Ex h used to do all the ironing. I've not taken the iron out of the cupboard since he left!