For best results, iron cotton shirts while damp; remove a shirt from the dryer or clothesline before it’s completely dry. If the shirt is already dry, spray or flick water on it. Then roll the shirt up with the collar and cuffs on the inside, place it in a plastic bag, and leave it for an hour or so until the dampness penetrates the fabric.
Set your iron for cotton and turn off the steam. Place the collar flat on the ironing board, wrong side up, and press from the points toward the center. Turn the collar over and repeat.
Press the sleeves next, beginning with the insides, then the outsides of the cuffs. Place the sleeve flat on the board, taking care to crease it properly: press one side, then the other. Drape the yoke (shoulder panel) over the wide end of the board and iron it.
Lay the back of the shirt flat and press it quickly. Iron the side seams from the inside, then the outside. If the shirt has a pocket, press the inside of the pocket first. Iron both front panels and let the shirt dry on a hanger in an open space before storing it in a closet or a drawer.
Follow the same procedure with shirts of synthetics or cotton blends, but set the iron to a lower temperature. On all shirts, test the iron on a shirttail first to make sure it does not scorch or crinkle the fabric.