20 most worthless pieces of junk: #17 -- The iron
Filed under: Home, Shopping, Health
When I was a young and foolish bride-to-be, the main excitement I got out of filling out a registry was to concoct an ideal household; you know, the kind with matching dishes I could never afford on my own, linen tablecloths, and every known kitchen gadget. Also on that list, culled from weeks of researching all the advice available on the Web: an iron. I had never had an iron of my own before. I'm not even sure my parents owned one. I don't remember ever once seeing my mother iron when I was growing up. I certainly never saw my grandmother with one (she didn't even cook). My father and grandfather? Forget about it. My dad wore a button-down blue shirt nearly every day, but my mom bought the kind of wash-and-wear shirts that magically were neat enough if you hung them up right out of the dryer.
But, yet, I felt compelled to add that item to my fantasy household of the future.
And I got that iron, of course. It came from some dutiful relative, along with the matching sheet sets and the salad spinner (which we use often and has amused the children for hours) and the other useful items our family and friends gave us. And today it sits under my bed, unused after five years and still sealed in the box. Perhaps some day I'll trot it out for some purpose -- to make grilled cheese on a rainy day or afix Girl Scout badges to a sash. But for now, it's safe and sound and out of reach, the most useless item in the house.
So what do I do when I have a wrinkled shirt? I go to the dry cleaners, of course. I live in New York, so that's easy, and inexpensive. But I have taken random polls of people across the country over the last few weeks and have come across only one person who has an iron and regularly uses it -- my boss.
Maybe using an iron is a measure of success, and if I employed one more regularly, I'd climb up the corporate ladder. But something tells me if I spend any of my time ironing, I'd be a less productive employee. As it is, I can barely manage to keep myself and my family in clean laundry.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
7-09-2009 @ 7:12AM
Thomas Kelner said...
As a Tailor with 25 years in the industry, I was appalled that you listed the Iron as worthless. Pressing a shirt is a talent to be mastered. As is being able to press out minor wrinkles in your wardrobe.
Numerous people have asked me where I get my shirts pressed. I proudly tell them "I do it". It doesn't take long and you can do it while watching TV if you wish (personally, I like to listen to music).
Dry cleaners are expensive (add up your dry cleaning bill for a typical year) and are extremely harsh on the garments. Laundries use very hot (scalding) water, much hotter than a normal person would use on their own, even on garments labeled warm or cold water. This can cause the garments to fade, shrink, etc. And unless your cleaner is pressing items by hand, their pressing equipment can distort, pull and tear the fabric itself. How many items do you get back from them that have crease marks or folds pressed into them? The "talent factor" in the pressing also comes into play. Most dry cleaners go through employees like popcorn at a movie, Most pressers don't have the actual talent to do the job correctly. And they are working against a clock, so no one is going to take extra time on your garments. Only you will be able to do that.
The chemical process in dry cleaning actually harms the fibers and prematurely cause them to wear out. That is why there are labels from most cleaners telling you to not store your garments in the plastic bags and to remove them. This allows for airing and ventilation of the fibers. Personally, I usually have wool items dry cleaned quarterly or at the end of the season, prior to seasonal storage.
And if a cleaner ruins one of your garments, rarely do you ever get replacement value, let alone, actually be able to find that replacement.
Your boss is right on using the Iron regularly (it might be one of the reasons they are where they are, someone noticed their appearance and then noticed that they do a good job as well). Nothing looks as good or as professional as a person with a crisp, pressed appearance ( look for this in your everyday life, and what you think about those that are pressed and neat appearing and those that aren't). I think you should learn to use your Iron properly and you will see amazing results. And feel better because you know you will be looking better.
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7-09-2009 @ 8:56AM
Janice Sherwood MD said...
I use an iron every day. Whoever wrote the blog must wear only old polyester or wrinkled t-shirts. THey dont know how to buy an iron.
To chose an iron, hold it and make sure its light and comfortable. Look at its settings and make sure it has automatic turnoff. Check that tap water can be used and you dont need distilled water for steam. Check that it has easy cleaning instructions. Dont buy off-brand or bargain no-names. A good iron will serve you for years.
As a quilter and sewer my iron has its own "home" and is always ready to perform.
Touch up a tablecloth, a pair of slacks, a blouse, a jacket etc..
My visitors know its there to take out the wrinkles from their travells.
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7-09-2009 @ 9:33AM
L. Rope said...
I understand where the idea comes from thinking the iron is a piece of junk, hence it explains why so many walking around today look like they just rolled out of bed. In some cases, I believe that to be the story but... Do I agree the iron is a piece of junk, no. For those of us who cannot afford to take everything to the cleaners or higher someone to iron for us, which would be most of us, an iron will always have a place in our homes. Personally, I always feel better when I look neat, clean and put together. I've learned over my years, the day goes better when you feel better about yourself. In addition, the impression you leave on others is better too.
Wash 'n Wear, right, maybe on occasion but iron most of the time. As for scorched fingers, sounds to me like someone doesn't know how to iron! Try learning. You'll be glad you did.
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7-09-2009 @ 11:05AM
E.Tilghman said...
I agree! I have to have an iron or my clothes would look like crap. I can't afford to take anything to the cleaners, let alone higher someone. That's just nuts! Whoever wrote this blog has no clue about real people.
7-09-2009 @ 10:38AM
bill carson said...
the article says more about the author than the appliance.
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7-09-2009 @ 10:40AM
Jeff said...
You pay a dry cleaner every time you need something ironed? Wow...you must be doing alright in this economy... Is your company hiring? :)
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7-09-2009 @ 10:41AM
R. Stevenson said...
An iron is a valuable home appliance. With the cost of dry cleaning and tailoring on it's way up, I save $$ by ironing my own shirts and do a fairly good job. Probably save $15.00 weekly. Anyone with a professional job should be wearing pressed shirts and slacks; if you don't it's obvious others that see you during the day. Defintely worth the $30.00 or so investment.
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7-09-2009 @ 10:55AM
Karen said...
I also have a home for my iron. I rarely take my ironing board down or put away my iron. I use my iron so much that I have told my husband to move the spare bed from it's room because it is crowding my ironing space.
I quilt and I sew garments. My iron is not useless, and may in fact be the single greatest gadget I own.
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7-09-2009 @ 10:52AM
Jennifer C. said...
An iron is a worthless piece of junk? Whoever chose that one must live in a wrinkled world. I'm guessing you are just to lazy to use one. My husband is a special agent whom I wouldn't think of sending to work in a shirt that isn't pressed and starched. Yes his shirts do look really good when they come out of the dryer, but they look so much better with a little starch and ironing.
Also, I use an iron all the time when sewing. An iron is the only way to get professional results in handmade garments and drapes.
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7-09-2009 @ 10:55AM
Jennifer Carroll said...
I am also appalled and flabbergasted that the iron made this list. An iron is used almost daily in my house. In fact, we have an 3 irons and a steamer. Unfortunately, in our busy lives, the clothes don't always make it from the dryer to a hanger. Usually they are just left in the laundry basket until they are worn. This leaves the clothes horribly wrinkled. Since my roommate and I both work in jobs where our appearance is important, we can't wear clothes that look like we slept in them. Yes, a simple solution would be to spritz them w/water and throw them in the dryer again, but that uses more energy, is more expensive, and (in the summer) makes the house hotter than ironing or steaming them. It only takes a few minutes and isn't hard work. I think it is a bad sign of laziness in our society that a person can't take a few minutes to iron his/her clothes. Geesh!
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7-09-2009 @ 11:01AM
Deborah said...
I use my iron almost everyday. There is a lot of people running around that looks like these could use a iron. Wrinkled clothes, no way. Not, in my home.
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7-09-2009 @ 11:12AM
Angela said...
I think it's irresponsible in this economy to suggest we take our clothes to the dry cleaner when we have a perfectly good iron under our bed. Do I iron my husband's clothes every time? No. But I do it when necessary and I don't waste my hard-earned money to have someone else do something I can do myself for free.
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7-09-2009 @ 11:31AM
Me said...
You've got to be kidding??!! Doesn't anyone SEW anymore? I just used mine last night? What about your table cloth - do you just put a wrinkled one on the table? I use my iron all the time! I was really shocked to find it on this list!
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7-09-2009 @ 12:14PM
richard lundholm said...
Found your list of useless clutter interesting until i encountered your comments regarding THE IRON. Obviously your an effete NYC intellecutal. Hopefully you had invested your riches with Madoff. No need to read the rest of this column or anything else of yours!!!!!!!!
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7-09-2009 @ 11:48AM
Eileen said...
my husband and I iron everyday. He thinks he irons better than I do. So, He will even iron my clothes alot of the time. I certainly can't justify spending $$ on the cleaners because I am too lazy to iron.
We never take the iron down,except to vacuum around it. Which you probably have someone else do for you after they pick up your dry cleaning. As for us, we are just average Joes doing the best we can with what we have, and I don't mean wrinkles.
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7-09-2009 @ 3:08PM
Jolyne said...
If you plan to purchase any clothing with cotton in it you had better keep your iron!
I don't like it but, most shirts that are part cotton will have to be ironed.
If you want to go around looking like a rumpled mess, throw away your iron.
Since the return of cotton in clothing I am ironing more than ever.
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7-09-2009 @ 12:25PM
Dian said...
i still use my iron every week. i don't think it belongs in this list.
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7-09-2009 @ 1:49PM
JGeist said...
My ironing board is up all the time. I don't iron everything but certain things need to be "touched up" before going to work. Even my college boys will iron a shirt before going somewhere they want to look good for. The iron is an essential, doesn't belong on this list.
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7-10-2009 @ 9:35AM
AJ said...
Do I enjoy ironing? No. Do I own an iron? Yes. I typically shop for garments that do not need to be ironed, so the majority of my wardrobe does not need ironing. I also skip the dry cleaner by using Dryel or Dry Cleaners Secret (to me, they work just as well, are much more convenient, and are much much cheaper.) I agree that the iron does NOT belong on the list. Just because someone does not use an appliance every day does not make it worthless.
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7-10-2009 @ 6:59PM
Elizabeth77 said...
Does this person not own a dress shirt? Must not if they think an iron is useless. I dont use them that often but I do have dress shirts, skirts and dresses that definitely need to be ironed and I would never take my clothes to the dry cleaner to have them "professionally" ironed...that's foolish. What a weird thing to call useless.
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