post off: do you iron your sheets?
I was digging into the new issue of Domino the other day — which by the way is chock-a-block with save-for-ever info — and stopped in my tracks on one factoid that popped out. It is in their cover story The Big Black Book, in which they asked 14 prominent interior designers to spill their secret tips, tricks and sources on everything from must-have books to new paint colors. On the page about linens in the Decorators Debate Box, it says that 85% of their experts iron their sheets. What?! Do people really do this — I mean with real jobs, families and busy lifestyles? I wish the follow up question had been “Do you iron your sheets yourself?” Granted, nothing is lovelier than sinking into a big bed of freshly laundered, perfectly pressed sheets. But isn’t that what vacations are for? Tell me: Do you iron your sheets? — Angela M.
hell no! :)
absolutely, sheets, pillow case, duvet cover, everything!!
I don’t even own an iron.
no way!
Unless I had someone else doing laundry or sending my sheets to wash somewhere else! I barely have time to iron my pants or shirts!
If I had someone to iron for me I would totally have my sheets ironed. I LOVE ironed sheets but really, who has that kind of time. Maybe this is an excuse to buy that mangle I have been wanting…
God, no. I might if I sent my sheets out, but I don’t.
Never. Sinking into clean sheets is enough for me.
But I did used to love to watch my grandmother use the giant ironing machine for her sheets, the kind with the foot pedal and the two big rollers to feed the sheets through.
Never. When I was in high school and college, I did housecleaning in the summer for people and one of my customers was an eldery European lady. I had to iron her 100% cotton sheets – in steamy weather. While the sheets felt and smelled wonderful – I’d never do that for myself. Now, if I could only find a teenager willing to do that for $5/hr, maybe…
My mom started doing this as soon as she retired, and my whole family makes fun of her :) sorry. But after the first night sleeping in them can you really tell the difference? I don’t know. She does the pillow cases too.
not I.
but my grandmother does (herself) and while she is constantly pestering people to stay in her vacation home while she isn’t there, it’s a requirement that you iron them too before you leave. Doesn’t that sound like a great way to end a vacation?
-C
Never! That was what I thought was so kitschy about Edna Turnblad and her ironing board at the center of Hairspray, the movie. It was so retro. In my house, the ironing board is now a collection of clutter. I’d rather hang things up in the bathroom and run the shower for steam than press something with a hot iron! I think that the idea that people misrepresent themselves in surveys, presenting better alternative selves, is supported by the statistic that this high a percentage of designers iron their own sheets!
haha, i didn’t even know you were supposed to iron sheets. in the interest of full disclosure, i suppose i do have to admit that i don’t even remember the last time i ironed anything other then a partly done sewing project.
I do not iron my sheets. I am sure that none of the designers in Domino iron their OWN sheets either. If I charged my own clients $200/hr and 20% markup on items, I could probably afford to have someone iron my sheets for me too.
I was stopped in my tracks when I saw that as well. I didn’t even know that people ironed them. I imagine before dryers that people would iron them to soften and smooth them. But why on earth would you need to do that now? I doubt that they iron their sheets themselves anyway. All I can say is why?
are you kidding me? ha!
this reminds me of an old friends that used to be really anal about ironing her blue jeans. uh, insanity.
I guarantee you that the experts cited don’t actually iron their own sheets but have a service (or a maid) do it. That being said, ironed sheets are the ultimate in chic. So perfectly finished and beautiful. In a side observation, please note that when guests took a nap on their beds without actually getting in the bed, the Duchess of Windsor’s staff would slide a padded board under the fold-down to iron it smooth again before the guest returned to the room.
While I was waiting at my dry cleaners, I saw sheets being pressed. I remember thinking that dropping off your sheets at the dry cleaner seemed weird but then having them pressed well that was just the height of decadance!
Another note: If you’re going to iron your tablecloths and napkins, why not iron your sheets, too?
hell no! (was my original reaction too:)
My Mom used to iron our sheets. When we moved from Massachusetts to New York the house we bought came with one of those big old ironing machines (kinda like a big hot rolling pin!). She ironed our sheets for at least 10 years and then the late 80′s hit and she said “Screw that!” and dragged it outside for a tag sale. I miss the crisp sheets!!!
sometimes. I wish I did more often but I need to relocate my repair pile off the ironing board to make it easier. I bought some high quality sheets with wedding gift money 5 years ago. The edges are almost frayed from permenant creases. If I had consistantly ironed the edges they wouldn’t be so bad now.
hell to the no. i don’t even iron my dresses. and other people see that…
I iron my linen napkins (if guests are coming over) but I never Iron my sheets. Nobody sees them!
I don’t iron anything. Not even clothes. I certainly can’t imagine ironing the sheets!
Life is too damn short to iron sheets.
No! I’d just wrinkle them when I slept on them anyways.
i don’t even iron clothes…i’m sure not ironing sheets! i’ve heard that oprah has clean, pressed sheets put on her bed EVERY DAY. when i’m rich i’m going to have that too!
I read that in the issue too and was pretty darn stunned. I have never ironed my sheets and have no plans to. I do let them hang out in the sunshine to dry. That should give me credit for something :)
i fantasize about having the time to iron: shirts, mostly, but god help me if i had so much spare time i could press the sheets too!
hahahaha…..
While I wish I had the sort of time where I could even consider doing things like ironing sheets, the fact that I have a cat who loves to play in the covers while we’re making the bed would render ironed sheets instantly moot.
I’m embarassed to confess that I iron the sheets, but just the foldover edge. Am I forgiven?
Call me an old-fashioned southern belle, but ironed pillow cases are essential, particularly if they are 100% cotton – who cares about thread count, if they are pure cotton. Smoothe fresh pillow slips are to be indulged in and cherished.
ironing sheets is a ridiculous concept. they’re wrinkle-free the first night and then after that?? you’re going to spend all this time ironing massive sheets for one night? the only people who would this have LOTS of free time.
I iron napkins, pillowcases and shams, duvet covers, and if I have the time, the top part of the top sheet. Makes an incredible difference.
Hell to the no! [But I know someone who does. She's not very popular.]
no way on earth! I basically only iron when I’m sewing, unless I have a piece of clothing that really needs it and I have to look nice.
Ha! I never even knew ironing sheets was a possibility. I can’t remember the last time I ironed anything. Isn’t that what the dryer is for – dewrinlkefying?
The image that comes to mind is of Lurch from the Addam’s Family ironing wrinkles IN TO the sheets (not out of). The only pampering my sheets get is a little dustbusting to remove the cat hair my kitties grace the bed with.
Sadly, I do. sometimes if they’re wrinkled badly (too much heat in the dryer) I will iron my towels, too. :\ I’m one of those odd people that find ironing very soothing…
[...] Do you iron your sheets? The debate rages on: To iron our bed linens or not. Almost all of us admit that we don’t, but [...]
of course we dnt iron our sheets me n lou r lafin at our friend kirsty hu irons sheets, pants, socks, pj’s and even towels lol. shes a strange litle egg.
I iron everything, it ameks it look nicer :) i tried not ironing my sheets last ngiht, ti felt wierd :S
and im not some sad 66 year old, im a 16 year old lol.
my friends thign im sad, they r bad eggs.
Yes, I do iron my sheets. My two boys (11 and 8) will have to teach thier wives to iron them, because they have always slept on ironed sheets!
I am astounded at the number of people who don’t iron a thing! I assumed that shirts and chinos, at the very least, were must-iron items. I definitely iron everything except for socks and underclothes. I try to iron my t-shirts and pajamas about every fourth time of washing. I hang my denim to dry, so I need to iron them to make them soft. I iron my linens and keep them on hangers zipped in garment bags with a tag that describes what is inside (i.e., Easter linens, Christmas linens, extra-large linens, etc.) and keep all napkins, placemats, and other things grouped so I don’t have to search for them when I need them. I set the ironing board in front of the television and watch an hour’s worth of shows — a great way to catch up on shows! And I’m a 35-year-old woman! I spend a fortune on clothing, linens, and bedding; I need to take extra-good care of my belongings to make them last. In this economy, we all need to be a bit frugal. :)
My girlfriend and I got some $400 sheets from Restoration Hardware that are nice but very wrinkly. She ironed them today and it’s like having an entirely different set of sheets. It’s like they were only meant to be ironed smooth because they are way better this way.
I always slept on ironed sheets- thanks to my grandmother’s and then my mother’s great ironing machine. I love the crispness of them and it makes them last longer. I iron them (unfortunately the big machine gave out before I could use it) and though my friends used to make fun of my love of ironing, once they stayed the night and slept in ironed sheets, there was much love coming my way the next morning! Quality sheets are a big investment, so the one evening a week I spend ironing in front of the TV is money saved I think.
Hey, why take a bath, youll only get dirty the next day. Yes I iron my pillow cases. not my sheets. they are fitted and do not need it. Ironed pillow cases are the best. It feels great. It’s a personal preference. Kind of like all the people who think it’s INSANITY probably like their old fashioned cocktail time…just like my granny, or like watching Oprah or doing most things that I would find very very boriing. I kind of do it as a relaxation thing while watching tv at night. I’m right there with you Patti. Everyone loves to sleep in the beds I make but everyone is too lazy to do it themselves. And thank you Anne-Marie. I’m surrounded by people right now that do not iron. They all look desheviled and unprofessional. Oh and I am very popular…for the right reasons of course.