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.
July 19th, 2007 at 6:39 am
hell no!
July 19th, 2007 at 6:44 am
absolutely, sheets, pillow case, duvet cover, everything!!
July 19th, 2007 at 6:57 am
I don’t even own an iron.
July 19th, 2007 at 6:58 am
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!
July 19th, 2007 at 7:08 am
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…
July 19th, 2007 at 7:09 am
God, no. I might if I sent my sheets out, but I don’t.
July 19th, 2007 at 7:15 am
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.
July 19th, 2007 at 7:19 am
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…
July 19th, 2007 at 7:22 am
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.
July 19th, 2007 at 7:30 am
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
July 19th, 2007 at 7:40 am
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!
July 19th, 2007 at 7:56 am
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.
July 19th, 2007 at 8:01 am
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.
July 19th, 2007 at 8:28 am
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?
July 19th, 2007 at 8:33 am
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.
July 19th, 2007 at 9:08 am
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.
July 19th, 2007 at 9:08 am
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!
July 19th, 2007 at 9:08 am
Another note: If you’re going to iron your tablecloths and napkins, why not iron your sheets, too?
July 19th, 2007 at 9:25 am
hell no! (was my original reaction too:)
July 19th, 2007 at 9:28 am
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!!!
July 19th, 2007 at 9:46 am
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.
July 19th, 2007 at 10:25 am
hell to the no. i don’t even iron my dresses. and other people see that…
July 19th, 2007 at 11:07 am
I iron my linen napkins (if guests are coming over) but I never Iron my sheets. Nobody sees them!
July 19th, 2007 at 11:08 am
I don’t iron anything. Not even clothes. I certainly can’t imagine ironing the sheets!
July 19th, 2007 at 11:08 am
Life is too damn short to iron sheets.
July 19th, 2007 at 11:25 am
No! I’d just wrinkle them when I slept on them anyways.
July 19th, 2007 at 11:39 am
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!
July 19th, 2007 at 11:48 am
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
July 19th, 2007 at 1:01 pm
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!
July 19th, 2007 at 2:00 pm
hahahaha…..
July 20th, 2007 at 3:54 am
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.
July 20th, 2007 at 4:12 pm
I’m embarassed to confess that I iron the sheets, but just the foldover edge. Am I forgiven?
July 22nd, 2007 at 4:47 pm
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.
July 23rd, 2007 at 7:51 am
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.
July 23rd, 2007 at 10:08 am
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.
July 24th, 2007 at 9:05 am
Hell to the no! [But I know someone who does. She's not very popular.]
July 24th, 2007 at 12:27 pm
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.
July 24th, 2007 at 7:00 pm
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?
July 25th, 2007 at 4:56 am
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.
July 27th, 2007 at 4:57 pm
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…
December 31st, 2007 at 7:06 am
[...] 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 [...]
January 8th, 2008 at 7:08 am
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.
January 10th, 2008 at 6:06 am
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.
September 13th, 2009 at 11:42 am
Yes, I do iron my sheets. My two boys (11 and
will have to teach thier wives to iron them, because they have always slept on ironed sheets!