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Housekeeping

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Original poster

Ironing bed linen?

30 replies

roisin · 30/09/2006 18:04

A couple of weeks ago we realised our bed linen was as old as our marriage (13 yrs)
So we chose new duvet and bed linen. However, our old ben linen was cheapo polycotton, and looked fine straight on.

This new stuff - not el cheapo - does not. It came out of the tumble drier very crumpled and wrinkly, so I had to iron it.
It took me over an hour to iron just the (kingsize) duvet cover and sheet, plus two pillowcases
Now I'm exhausted.
Can anyone suggest a solution?

OP posts:
TooTicky · 30/09/2006 18:07

Take it out of the tumbler assoon as it finishes. NEVER waste precious time ironing - especially bedding as nobody will see it.

belgo · 30/09/2006 18:07

Don't tumble dry it. hang it up, even in your house. Far better for the environment, and far less work for you then ironing bed linen.

fuzzywuzzy · 30/09/2006 18:08

ermmm when you make the bed stretch the sheets as taut as possible....doesn't it all look fine once it's been slept in...???

Sorry I just don't do ironing....

foxinsocks · 30/09/2006 18:09

ooh definitely don't iron

as tooticky says, either straight out the tumble dryer (or off the line) or once you've slept on it, your body weight irons out all the creases!

moondog · 30/09/2006 18:15

Nowt like an ironed bed. Lovely.

I do it (or rather,pay someone else to do it-£1:50 for any item large or small so I can get two kingsize sets done for £6 and I do the pillowcases.)

crazydazy · 30/09/2006 18:20

The creases always stay in mine for weeks and mine aren't cheap either - have to iron mine especially as we have just decorated our bedroom and got a new bed so it has to look nice.

crazydazy · 30/09/2006 18:21

Ugggghhh that makes me sound horribly dirty doesn't it , what I meant to add was the fact of when I bring them out of the linen cupboard they are very creased especially if I don't iron them before I put them in.

Original poster
roisin · 30/09/2006 18:42

It does look nice on now, and I can't wait to get into bed! But I think next time it will probably just go on crumpled, whatever.

OP posts:
CountessDracula · 30/09/2006 18:45

Half tumble them then take out and fold and hang over your landing or something. That's what I do and it is fine

Pinotmum · 30/09/2006 18:45

No sorry have to draw the line at ironing bed linen - really can't be ar$ed. Just just about cope with changing the bed

hazelnuts · 30/09/2006 19:34

I used to iron the bedding but not any more, well sometime I might do my pillow cases . I just nearly dry bedding then put it in the tumble drier and that seems to work for my bedding. (flannelet bedding )

sallystrawberry · 30/09/2006 19:40

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

themoon66 · 01/10/2006 01:21

My life isn't long enough to be ironing bedding. But tbh I don't iron very much at all really

Bucketsofdinosaurs · 01/10/2006 11:20

I did exactly the same thing Roisin but I don't iron them. If I'm organised I'll put the pillowcases in the ironing pile (DH irons in our house) but I've recently invested in a really nice washable throw that lives on the bed. Hides the wrinkled duvet and keeps the cat's muddy footprints off it too. In summer we can just sleep under a flat cotton sheet and the throw. Keyword here is washable.
Have you got a banister rail you can dry big things over?

tissy · 01/10/2006 11:23

Same as CD, hang over the bannister- if spun well, will dry overnight. Iron the pillow cases, if you want to!

glitterchick · 01/10/2006 11:25

Best thing for it is fold the duvet up before you put into tumble dryer. Then iron asap while still warm. Only iron 1 side. Works for me!

daisy1999 · 01/10/2006 15:43

It seems it's better to buy cheap polycotton - don't iron. Buy new when you fancy a change

MadamePlatypus · 01/10/2006 15:52

I always iron pillowcases, but only occassionally iron duvet covers - never sheets. It always take ages to iron duvets - lovely once its done, but in the time taken I could have made a cake, tackled my huge basket of ongoing knitting/sewing projects, done some gardening etc. etc. I paid somebody to iron the duvet the last time the IL's came to stay, but again this represents the cost of a book for DS, coffee and cake etc. etc.

I find that the creases in an unironed duvet fall out after a couple of days and don't looks so bad.

MoonFrog · 01/10/2006 15:56

I haven't owned an iron for over 10 years now. Much better things to do with my time

PrettyCandles · 01/10/2006 15:58

Get good quality 50/50 cotton/polyester percale - John Lewis's own brand is good. It feels as soft and silky as good cotton, never needs ironing and wears really well, better than pure cotton.

A very fond childhood memory is of my mum ironing our bedlinen - this would have been before she discovered percale - and the smell of pure cotton being ironed has been one of my favourite smells ever since. But my poor mum!

iota · 01/10/2006 16:00

I have one duvet cover that looks awful if it isn't ironed - gets VERY little use

kama · 01/10/2006 16:02

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

KTeepee · 01/10/2006 16:17

Someone I know gets the local dry cleaners to iron hers for her - they charge £2-3 for a super-king size one. Mine go on crumpled!

katierocket · 01/10/2006 16:23

I have mine ironed at the ironing shop. Well worth it, far to much effort if you ask me but I hate it really crumpled. And at the thought of sleeping on sheets that aren't 100% cotton.

Mojomummy · 01/10/2006 16:40

yes it's lovely getting into freshley ironed bedlinen. I get a very crisp kingsized cover pressed at mine dry cleaners - cost £2.50 & worth every penny .

The set in the spare room is softer cotton & when out of the drier I hang over the bannister to air. When it goes back on the bed, I go over the worst creases with a very hot iron.

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