How do I set an iron for different fabrics?

Scorching, shine and melted synthetics all come from the same thing: the iron being hotter than the fabric can take. The dot system on care labels maps directly onto the dots on the iron dial, and most damage happens when someone irons a mixed pile at cotton temperature.

What you'll need

• An iron with a temperature dial
• An ironing board
• A pressing cloth or a clean tea towel (optional)
• A spray bottle

Step by step

1. Sort the pile by temperature before you start.Synthetics and silk, then wool and blends, then cotton and linen. One sorting step saves the whole session.
2. Start at the coolest setting and work up.An iron reaches temperature in about a minute but takes five or more to cool. Going down the scale means waiting; going up means never waiting.
3. Match the dots.One dot is about 110°C for acrylic, nylon, polyester and silk. Two dots about 150°C for wool and blends. Three dots about 200°C for cotton and linen.
4. Iron synthetics from the reverse.Polyester and acetate shine and melt easily. The inside face takes the heat and the outside keeps its texture.
5. Use steam on natural fibres, dry heat on synthetics.Cotton, linen and wool need moisture to release creases. Steam on a cool iron just wets the garment, and on synthetics it can mark.
6. Use a pressing cloth for anything delicate or dark.A clean cotton tea towel between the iron and the fabric prevents shine on wool and dark colours, and prevents scorching on anything printed.
7. Press wool rather than sliding.Lift, place, hold, lift. Sliding an iron across wool stretches and distorts it, and combined with steam it can felt the surface.
8. Keep the iron moving on cotton and linen.These take the heat but scorch if the iron sits still. Long even passes with steam, and dampen linen if it has dried out.
9. Never iron over prints, embellishment or zips.Prints melt onto the soleplate, and metal hardware transfers enough heat to scorch the fabric around it. Iron around them or from the reverse.
10. Let items cool before folding or hanging.Fabric sets as it cools. Folding a hot shirt puts a crease exactly where you just removed one.

Tips

• When there is no label, test on an inside seam at the lowest setting and work up a step at a time.
• A shiny mark on the soleplate is melted synthetic, and it will transfer to the next thing you iron. Clean it off before continuing.
• Spray water onto stubborn creases and leave it a minute rather than blasting more steam — even damp beats surface wet.

Common mistakes

• Ironing a mixed pile at cotton temperature — Synthetics melt or glaze at temperatures cotton needs. The damage is instant and permanent, and it usually shows as a shiny patch or a hardened area.
• Turning the iron down and continuing immediately — The soleplate holds its heat for several minutes. The next few garments are still being ironed at the old temperature even though the dial says otherwise.

If it doesn't work

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