A well-ironed dress shirt collar fits better on your body, looks more professional, and adds to the shirt's overall trendy look. To avoid wrinkles, use a lightweight steam iron. Some professionals suggest using starch rather than iron to keep the collars crisp. But, this is not advisable as it makes it hard for you to remove wrinkles later without using a steam iron.

How to Iron Your Dress Shirt Collar

Removing Wrinkles

There are two standard techniques you can use to avoid starch. One is by laying the collar facing down on a flat surface. The other one is to spray water onto it. Place a clean cloth on top and pass an iron over it while ensuring the iron does not directly touch the shirt. In addition, it will set any crease you have already made before getting it wet.

The second technique is by using steam to remove these stains. Turn off the heat if your machine has that option. Orr you can test with a damp cloth to avoid the heat from damaging the fibers of delicate fabrics, making them lose their shape.

Removing Stains

You should remove the stain carefully not to affect other areas of the shirt or leave any noticeable residue on it. To prevent this, remove stains by gently scraping off excess particles like starch with a blunt utensil like the edge of a plastic card. If it is an oil stain, blot out as much grease as possible before washing it to prevent further staining.

Using Steam

When ironing collars, make sure you don't press directly against them. It can cause sticking or bleeding underneath the fabric where the heat has penetrated. Ensure that you use steam on the fabric, but it should not damp after ironing. Finally, the process should help set any creases you made.

When ironing a shirt, you should start at the two back corners and slowly work your way toward the front. Then want to stop halfway between the front and the back and spray water on the collar. After letting it sit for a minute, you can then begin pressing from the back to the front of the collar. Ironing a shirt collar can be easy if you know what to do.

Without an Ironing Board

Put your hand up through one sleeve (like you're putting on a t-shirt). Spread the shirt out over your head so it hangs down your back. Then grasp the collar and twist hard to iron it. Take a break and grab a cold beer once you get a satisfying 'crunch' sound.

When you're ready to finish off, repeat step one. If this method doesn't appeal to you, you could always try the 'rolling pin' method. Just push your chair up to a closet door and iron your shirt collar over it.

Steps to Have the Perfect Collar

Put on your shirt and button it up. If there is a gap between buttons, one side of the collar hangs lower than the other, unbutton the shirt, and spread the collar out evenly.

One Side

• Flatten your collar out on a flat surface or hang it on a hanger. Use only your hands so it won't catch or pull the fabric Grab hold of the inner corner of the collar and fold it inward to perpendicular to the shirt front.

• Grab hold of the outer corner of the collar and fold it upward until you tuck it underneath, creating an L shape with one side flat against your chest and the other pointing up.

• Gently tug at the tip of your collar to ensure that it creates a crisp fold. Turn your collar over so that the right side is facing up, and crease it with your hand. Pin down each point of the collar with a clothespin to make this easier.

 

The Other Side

•  Repeat steps 3-5 on the other side of your shirt collar Use an iron to press down on the collar, moving it slowly and deliberately.

• Turn your shirt over and make sure there are no creases or folds on the other side of the collar (repeat steps 7-8 as necessary).

• Unpin each collar point with a clothespin and smooth out any remaining creases by hand. Take off your shirt and button it up to ensure that your collar looks its best

Additional Ideas to Consider

The shirt collar is what follows the edge of your neck when wearing a shirt. It's the part that gives the sweater its shape. With all collars, you should make sure there is no excess fabric above or below your fold, as this will cause bubbles when you start ironing. Then turn the shirt over to the undercollar side and fold the collar down so that it rests just above your shirt's edge.

A well-ironed collar can make any ordinary tee seem like a dress shirt, while an ill-prepared one will look out of place in even the most formal attire.

Parts of a Collar

There are three parts to a shirt collar: the collar stand, the band, and the yoke.

The Band

The band holds the two ends of the collar together and makes up more than half of its total width. A vast part of the band - called the "collar ground" - is visible under your necktie knot and forms a sharp edge on top of your shirt.

The band allows the shirt to hold its shape, but it's also where most of the folds are likely to develop during ironing. So when you iron your collar, make sure that you pay extra attention to this shirt area.

The Yoke

The yoke is the section of the collar that connects it to the back of your shirt. Collars without couplings are mostly on tuxedo shirts. Instead, they have a band that holds the collar together tightly around the neck.

Collar Stand

A regular shirt collar has an extension called the "collar tip," which runs to the front of your shirt. It protects your tie knot from fraying and makes it easier to button your shirt.

Ironing Each Collar Part

You must iron in one direction only, whether in little circles moving away from your body or back and forth in straight lines. Avoid ironing around in circles, which can cause wrinkles to form, especially when you are working on collars.

When ironing the shirt, bear in mind that it's best to leave a single layer of fabric at any point. It means that if you starched your shirt, you should remove all collar stays and press to flatten before starting.

 

If there are other layers between the collar and the shirt - such as linings - remove them and smooth out the seams, then re-insert the collar and press it down. You always iron collars after pressing the shirt, ensuring that all layers are appropriately aligned.

Collar With Yoke

You should work on the yoke in one long, vertical stroke from right to left or left to right. It depends on whether one side of the yoke is longer than the other. Continue pressing all around the yoke, then lay it flat against cloth and press on the underside of the collar stand. Iron the half part of it once more to give both sides of the shirt collar an even finish.

Collar Without Yoke

For shirts without yokes, you can start by ironing the collar stand. First, place your board up at an angle of 90 degrees, with the edge of the board resting on the table. Next, place the collar stand flat down on this slant and begin ironing in vertical strokes towards your body while increasing pressure slightly after each stroke. Once you have finished ironing one half of the collar stand, lay it down on a clean cloth to re-iron its underside.

For flat collars, you'll need to make sure the part visible through the neck of your shirt is ironed on top while it is flat.

 

Collar With Wings

 

With collars that have wings (which extend beyond your neck), you'll need to ensure they lie flat against your collar bone. Again, it is a matter of ensuring that you press both sides equally and the folds in them look symmetrical.

Final Takeaways

Start the ironing process by placing the iron at one end of your shirt. Next, place it over a seam where you can see the steam coming out while moving down the shirt. Then, maintain a steady pressure move the iron down, following the seam. Pay attention to where the steam is coming out and how it might be smearing your shirt. If there's a leak, it means you need to clean your iron or change settings so you can generate more steam.

You'll probably also notice some wet spots where the steam has condensed on the shirt. If this happens, move the dry end of the shirt over that damp spot to help remove it. Once you've gone all the way down one side of your shirt, flip it over and do the other side in much the same way. Try to take smaller sections to cover every part of the shirt. If any spots look like you missed, go back over that section again quickly.

Voila! Ironing your shirt does not take that much effort when you know what to do and have the skills to do it properly.