Iron a heated tool to remove wrinkles
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Ironing or smoothing is the work of using a heated tool to remove
wrinkles from washed clothes. The common tools for this purpose are
called "irons", though modern designs are no longer made of iron.
Ironing works by loosening the bonds between the long-chain polymer
molecules in the fibers of the material. While the molecules are
hot, the fibers are straightened by the weight of the iron, and they
hold their new shape as they cool. Some fabrics, such as cotton,
require the addition of water to loosen the intermolecular bonds.
Many modern fabrics (developed in or after the mid-twentieth
century) are advertised as needing little or no ironing.
Ironing may also be used as a germ/parasite killing hygienic
operation. |
Metal pans filled with charcoal were used for smoothing fabrics in
China in the 1st century BC. From the 17th century, sadirons or sad
irons (from an old word meaning solid) began to be used. They were
thick slabs of cast iron, delta-shaped and with a handle, heated in
a fire. A later design consisted of an iron box which could be
filled with hot coals, which had to be periodically aerated by
attaching a bellows. This type was on sale in the USA until at least
1902.
In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, there were
many irons in use which were heated by a fuel such as kerosene,
alcohol, whale oil, natural gas, carbide gas (acetylene) as with
carbide lamps, or even gasoline. Some houses were equipped with a
system of pipes for distributing natural gas or carbide gas to
different rooms in order to operate appliances such as irons, in
addition to lights. Despite the risk of fire, liquid-fuel irons were
sold in U.S. rural areas up through World War II. Pictures of these
antique irons can be found through Internet searches.
In the industrialized world, these designs have been superseded by
the electric iron, which uses resistive heating from an electric
current. The hot plate, called the sole plate, is no longer made of
iron but of aluminium or stainless steel. The heating element is
controlled by a thermostat which switches the current on and off to
maintain the selected temperature.
The invention of the resistively heated electric iron is credited to
Henry W. Seeley of New York in 1882. In the same year an iron heated
by a carbon arc was introduced in France, but was too dangerous to
be successful. The early electric irons had no easy way to control
their temperature, and the first thermostatically controlled
electric iron appeared in the 1920s.
In recent years, a Leicester rock climber invented the sport of
Extreme Ironing, which consists of ironing clothing under creatively
difficult circumstances.
Irons are normally classified into automatic and non automatic
irons.
Modern irons available for sale to consumers have some or all of the
following features (more expensive models have more features, as one
would expect):
Ejection of steam through the clothing during the ironing process;
A water reservoir inside the iron (used for the steam generation);
An indicator showing the amount of water left in the reservoir;
A thermostat ensuring maintenance of a constant temperature;
Convenient method for setting the iron down, usually on its end /
vertically, so as to not allow contact between the hot part and
either table or clothes;
A temperature control dial showing a range of possible temperatures
(typically marked with types of cloth instead of absolute degree
measurements, for example, "wool", "cotton", "linen", etc.);
Constant steam feature - constantly sends steam through the hot part
of the iron into the clothes;
Cord control - the point at which the cord attaches to the iron has
a spring to hold the cord out of the way while ironing and likewise
when setting down the iron (prevents fires, is more convenient,
etc.).
Steam burst feature - sends a burst of steam through the clothes
when the user presses a button;
(advanced feature) Dial controlling the amount of steam to emit as a
constant stream;
(advanced feature) Anti-burn control - if the iron is left flat (hot
part touching clothes) for too long, the iron shuts off to prevent
fires;
(advanced feature) Energy saving control - if the iron is left
undisturbed for several (10 or 15) minutes, the iron shuts off to
save energy and prevent fires.
Cordless irons - the iron is placed on a stand for a short period to
warm up, using thermal mass to stay hot for a short period. These
are useful for light loads only. (Unlike other cordless appliances,
cordless irons are not powered from rechargeable batteries, because
it would be difficult for batteries to provide enough power to heat
the iron.)
Irons are commonly available as consumer goods.
Some commercial-grade irons have a boiler unit separate from the
handheld iron.
Most ironing is done on an ironing board, a small, portable,
foldable table with a heat resistant top.
Some commercial-grade ironing boards incorporate a heating element
and a pedal-operated vacuum to pull air through the board and dry
the garment.
Permanent press clothing was developed to reduce the ironing
necessary by combining wrinkle-resistant polyester with cotton.
Commercial laundries typically use steam presses to iron clothes
instead of irons;
Clothes such as shirts, pants (trousers), and skirts are typically
ironed, while underwear, socks, sheets, sweaters, and materials
where wrinkling is not a factor are not, although this depends on
the culture and circumstances.
Irons cause many fires and injuries each year due to their being
very heavy, very hot, and often used on ironing boards that can fall
over onto small children.
Irons used to be very much more dangerous due to the electrical
cords fraying; modern insulation is much safer and better able to
cope with being heated. |
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