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compumom_gw

Do you iron your bed sheets?

compumom
15 years ago

What is going on? I've bought 3 sets over about 18 months. The first set was a 400 count by Wamstutta from BB&B. They feel good, but look an absolute mess. I'm all about color and FEEL in my new bedroom so I held off buying more.

The duvet, shams etc are the Italian Sateen Collection from Restoration Hardware, but I'm too cheap to spend $274 for a set of CA King sheets to match. Recently I saw what I thought was the right color and feel at Homegoods in their "Hotel Collection" sateen stripe for $39.95. Washing weekly and replacing the same sheets on my bed was getting boring, so I bought that the Hotel Collection set, washed it and tried it. It felt okay, not great, but okay, but wrinkled like crazy.

Then as luck would have it RH put on a 20% off sale and additionally I was holding a $150 gift certificate that brought the sheet set down to a level I could swallow!

Let me start by telling you that we adore the feel of the duvet cover and the pillow shams that we had from the same collection. The only difference was that we bought it over a year ago. It gets slight wrinkles, but we don't wash it weekly, just dry clean sparingly (once or twice) this past season. So my expectations for the new sheets was the same.

When we took them out of the bag, there was a bit of a smell, so we washed them and I'm NOT happy. They are wrinkled (not quite as badly as the Homegoods set), but wrinkled nonetheless. They don't feel nearly as soft as their counterparts and I'm truly annoyed! Just think how much more annoyed I'd be if I'd paid full price!

WHAT DO THESE MANUFACTURERS EXPECT US TO DO? IRON THE DAMN SHEETS? He!! Most of us work outside the home and the ones who do not, don't have time either! I checked with my local laundry and the cost for a pillow case to be laundered and pressed is $5 each! I think the Cal King sheets were close to $15 each. That isn't going to happen! I don't like messy beds and I don't particuarly like sleeping on wrinkly sheets either. I'll try these for a few more washings and see if they really soften up, but I'm another who longs for the "good" sheets from Wamsutta etc that didn't need ironing, wore like iron and became softer and softer over time.

Please don't suggest jersey sheets, I get way too hot for those and the texture is offputting!

Comments (68)

  • housekeeping
    15 years ago

    I only have all-cotton sheets and mine never need ironing because I hang mine out on a line. I do iron the pillowcases, and of course, guest sheets. I iron mine with an Ironrite mangle, which doesn't take very much time, perhaps 90 seconds or so for a case and five minutes for a flat sheets.

    The best sheets, the ones you're remembering, can still be purchased on eBay though since you have a California King you'll have to seam pairs of twin sheets together. (The good news is that twin sheets are much easier to find than other sizes, and usually quite cheap.) Buying them and having a seamstress seam the sheets and create fitted corners will be much cheaper than buying pricey modern sheets and they will give you more satisfaction, comfort and very long wear.

    Two brands that I like are (vintage only) Wamsutta Supercales and Pequot percales with the running stag label. There are other good brands, but these two are the best in my view. I've bought dozens, so I'm stocked for life! If you have trouble identifying them, I would be happy to link some correct ones so you can get familiar with the right labels. Sellers often have no idea what type of fabric they're offering.

    HTH,

    Molly

  • Ideefixe
    15 years ago

    Molly--are you the sister I never had? I truly thought I was the only person in the world looking for those Wamsutta and Pequot sheets.

  • mustangs81
    15 years ago

    Ellen, To answer your question--if I have to. I am also frustrated with sheets. The last set I purchased at considerable expense was for the guest bedroom. The thread count was about 7 million so I thought they would be luxuriously soft. Yes, I know that thread count is no longer an indicator of softness. Reality was that it was like sleeping on potato chips even after several washes with fabric softner and again with vinegar.

    Sherry and Peppi were staying the week with me so I thought I would take them to the cleaners (the sheets, not Sherry and Peppi) to be pressed because nothing I could do  even ironing damp  got the wrinkles out. The cleaners charge was so high I said skip it. Needless to say I was embarrassed to have guest sleep on them thinking that every time they moved, it would wake them up.

    I know that the bamboo tee shirts are wonderful, I'm going to give the sheets a try.

  • mustangs81
    15 years ago

    Ooops, I thought I was on the Cooking Forum--reference to Sherry and Peppi, they are friends of ours (Compumom & me).

  • michelle_phxaz
    15 years ago

    Iron sheets? Hell no! Life is too short to worry about wrinkles in sheets. I would rather spend the time with my husband.

  • graywings123
    15 years ago

    I have a set from Lands End that wrinkles horribly. First I started ironing the pillowcases, then the top band of the top sheet. Now I'm also ironing the sides of the top sheet. I'm doing an experiment to see whether an extremely hot iron used over time will lessen wrinkles permanently - so far, the answer is no.

    Next wash day, I'm going to try drying them on a low setting and see if it helps.

  • kswl2
    15 years ago

    I love ironed sheets! We use high thread count all-cotton sheets from Frette, Pratesi, Porhault ---that I get at discount places like Tuesday Morning. I like Pottery Barn sheets but they don't last longer than a year; 52 washes in hot water with chlorine bleach is too much for them!

    We have a housekeeper who loves to iron, and irons the sheets and pillowcases beautifully. She even irons the fitted sheets, we are very lucky :)

  • work_in_progress_08
    15 years ago

    The last two sets of sheets I purchased were 800 thread count. They come out of the dryer a total mess. It seems the higher the thread count, the more wrinkled they are when they come out of the dryer.

    No ironing sheets for me! I will say that I press the pillow cases, as you can see them when the bed is made. Fortunately, the duvet and coverlet hide the wrinkles on the top and fitted sheets.

  • squirrelheaven
    15 years ago

    In a previous thread, it was noted that perma press fabrics contain chemicals like formaldehyde.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Permanent Press Chemicals

  • greenthumbfish
    15 years ago

    Hmmm, I have a 14" pillow-top and when the sheets go on, it's like they're ironed automatically because of the tight fit. Oh, yeah, I don't use a top sheet, so that's not a worry and the cases are fairly tight-fitting on the feather pillows too.

    Then again, I've never given wrinkled sheets a second (or first, for that matter) thought. As long as they're soft 100% cotton... I'm asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow!

  • johnmari
    15 years ago

    What's an iron? :-)

    I managed to score some Wamsutta "Sateen Couture" sheets on clearance @ BB&B (with the coupons I had accumulated, I paid under $200 for two top sheets, two bottom sheets, and six pairs of pillowcases!) and we haven't had any problem with the top hems scrunching up. If they're taken directly from the dryer to the bed they're nice and smooth looking, although once they've been slept on of course they wrinkle. I can't really see how they wouldn't unless they're either cardboard stiff or you sleep unmoving like a corpse! We dry sheets on medium-low to save energy and preserve the fabrics (cooking your fabrics with hot water and high-heat dryers breaks the fibers down) and our dryer has a cool-down stage at the end to keep wrinkles from setting, which is nice.

    BB&B does have a formaldehyde-free perma-press sheet set - too crisp for my taste but I am ultra-picky about my sheets.

  • mustangs81
    15 years ago

    I'm not concerned about what I put on my bed, it's the guest bed where I want maximum comfort. I don't usually use high heat not even on sheets. I do use 4 dryer balls which are suppose to advance drying and keep the wrinkles to a minimum...still max wrinkles on the new sheets.

    I learned on the Laundry Forum to fold the sheets before putting them in the dryer. That's a great tip; it cuts down on wrinkles because the sheets don't twist and tangle.

    I checked out the bamboo sheets at Target today. The price was good, then I noticed that it was like 40% bamboo/60% cotton.

  • compumom
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Hi Cathy!
    The bamboo sheets that I bought and returned to Tuesday Morning were made of Rayon! Yes, they were soft, but they also had a slippery quality that we hated!
    Also DH bought a pair of slacks from Nordstroms that were made of bamboo fiber. He loved the way that they felt, but got rid of them because they wrinkled horrendously after just sitting while driving the car! They were worse than linen!
    I guess not all bamboo is created equal! LOL

  • sarmstro469
    15 years ago

    If anyone has Pequot queen size sheets that they would be willing to sell (new/never used preferably), please let me know. Especially if they are white with red polka dots (long story).

    Thanks.

    Scott
    sarmstro469@hotmail.com

  • chipshot
    15 years ago

    A pain in the neck to do but, IMO, the results are worth it.

  • igloochic
    15 years ago

    I start on the sheets right after I get all of DH's undies ironed (which is my way of saying never) heh heh

    I only use Seffra sheets, which are high thread count. They do wrinkle, but I find if you take them out of the dryer and stretch them right out on the bed as you make it the wrinkles tend to relax out mostly.

    I'm hoping if we're lucky enough to have a girl child (if we get pregnant) that she'll love ironing...that will be the closest I get to ironed sheets in my lifetime LOL

  • oceanna
    15 years ago

    My mamma had a mangle and used to iron all our sheets when I was growing up. I save up all my ironing, and every few months I donate it to charity. :)

  • susieq07
    15 years ago

    I discovered that my high thread cotton sheets, come out a nightmare on cotton, high heat, still wrinkled on perma press med. heat but actually come out nice on delicate, low heat, take a bit longer but it's worth it...and it actually said on the pkg. to dry on low...go figure?

  • artlover13060
    15 years ago

    Not into ironing. What I'd like to find is really smooth, thick, crisp sheets like my mother had in the 50s. These must have been 100% cotton and I'm sure she hung them outside and never ironed them. Any suggestions on where to buy something like this?

  • bbstx
    15 years ago

    art, I don't know if they are what you are looking for but I have a friend who swears by the Martha Stewart sheets at K-Mart...and this woman could afford anything from anywhere. According to the K-mart website, they are called Martha Stewart Everyday 5 Star sheets and the king size set is $79. They say they are 500 thread count. HTH

  • yogacat
    15 years ago

    Yes. And I'm jealous of those of you who have old mangles!! I actually like to iron nice cotton sheets. Why? Unlike the work in my professional life:

    it's easy,
    the results are highly predictable,
    it's hard to make major mistakes,
    if I do goof, no one has to know,
    and, best of all, instant gratification!

    Funny how things change. In their earlier years, my mother and aunt ironed anything that didn't move. When I was in my thirties, I mentioned ironing my sheets. They looked at each other. Mother to Aunt:"See?!" Aunt:"Do you iron dish towels, too?" Me: "The linen ones." Mother to Aunt: "What'd I tell you?" Aunt to Mother: "She's just not right." Mother: "No s***, Sherlock!" They had both discovered the joys of perma-press.

    The Company Store and Land's End have cotton sheets that are supposted to be wrinkle resistant. I have no idea if they really are. There has to be some sort of processing or coating, so you might want to do some research if that's a concern for you.

  • ingrid_vc so. CA zone 9
    15 years ago

    I'm allergic to ironing. My mother and grandmother ironed all the bedding, their bras, hubbies' underwear, everything! I think they ironed enough that it would be safe to skip a generation. That would be me!

  • bigdoglover
    15 years ago

    Housekeeping/Molly -- Yes, please! I'd love that link to get the good old Wamsutta sheets. DH and I were just excruciating over how to get good sheets now that everything like that is made in India and elsewhere.

    Compumom, I totally understand you on this. Things are not what they were, even ten years ago, and it is scary. We're still using our old sheets though yesterday to my surprise I found DH had gotten my sewing machine out (which I haven't used for years) and was attempting to mend a large tear that had developed in his favorite soft & cuddly natural unbleached cotton bottom sheet. Which didn't work! So we are going to have to face this problem too now.

    On his own he bought some "high thread count" sheets at Tuesday Morning and they were so thick it was like sleeping on a damask tablecloth.

  • fixeruppityest
    15 years ago

    I wish I could find a link but I read this on a shopping website last year, when I was buying sheets online, from Overstock. I was conflicted because some people gave the sheets lousy reviews, although they were supposedly high quality.

    I kept reading; found some REALLY great advice and here it is: (this is primarily for new sheets, btw)

    People were complaining "these 800 thread count sheets came out of the dryer wrinkly, they aren't as soft as I expected" etc.

    A woman then chimed in and said she worked in a high end department store, and knew all about "linens" :-)

    Her advice was basically as follows: You must wash your sheets in cold water, at least for the first few times, and that was really important in her opinion. Then you MUST iron them, again, at least for the first 3 or 4 washings.

    She said it was something to do with treating the fibers gently, in the beginning, and ironing the sheets helps polish the fibers, which in turn creates sturdy, longer lasting softer sheets. She said people basically throw their money out the window by mistreating their expensive sheets, using warm or hot water, damaging the fibers, etc. If you don't iron the fibers, they are more fragile, because newer sheets have fibers that are every which way, if you looked at them though a microscope that is.

    Ironing, until the sheets develop their soft patina, is crucial. That's what the "expert" said :-)

    OKAY, on to my own experience: I followed her advice. I found ironing my sheets to be an excruciatingly horrible chore, on my tiny little ironing board! LOL HOWEVER!!!!
    Her system works!!! I couldn't be happier with my sheets, they are WAY softer than when I bought them, and I no longer iron them :-)

  • gemini40
    15 years ago

    I agree 100% with Orie...QVC best sheet deals in town.

    june

  • fondantfancy
    15 years ago

    This thread made me smile, because I iron bed sheets for 28 people every week, plus duvet covers and pillowcases.

    I run a holiday rental business and I like all the beds to be perfect. I used to hate the ironing, but I now have an ironing roller - a bit like a mangle but it steams and presses as it rolls. The sheets come out perfect.

    And no I don't iron my own sheets - they always seem to be at the bottom of the pile.

  • bronwynsmom
    15 years ago

    Fascinating about the cold water and hot iron!
    I iron my pillowcases, and don't use a top sheet because we use a duvet with sheet covers that we change every week. The key, in my experience, is to take them all out of the dryer while they are still just a bit damp. I hang the duvet cover over the landing railing until it's dry. The bottom sheet gets folded, and put away later in the day. I smooth and roll up the pillowcases, put them in a zip-top plastic bag, and put them in the fridge for half a day or overnight. Then I iron them on the hot dry setting, which takes less than half of "Jeopardy!" for four regular and two king cases. They are crisp and lovely, and make me feel like a rich lady.

  • chipshot
    15 years ago

    We have a new set of Sferra Millesimo sheets (that feel pretty good right out of the package), and while I'd like to think we're disciplined enough to follow the process described by fixeruppityest, I'm not so sure we will.

    The instructions on the package say "machine wash in warm water, gentle cycle using a non-chlorine bleach detergent (bleaching may weaken fabric & cause yellowing). Wash dark colors separately. Tumble dry on low heat. Remove while still damp. Iron on 'cotton' to regain luster and sheen."

    Here is a link that might be useful: Sferra Millesimo

  • homepro01
    15 years ago

    Fondantfancy,
    Which machine are you referring to? I would love to know. Something else to save up for. I currently have a Laurastar, Naomoto and a Miele rotary iron. I iron my sheets and love it. It is one hour or so a week that I get to destress and just push back and forth or roll the sheet through the machine. My mom and dad ironed and it was always the time we chatted and the kids felt like they were helping sort and fold laundry. I also only buy percale sheets. I don't really like sateen sheets.

    Thanks in Advance!

  • terezosa / terriks
    15 years ago

    I also only buy percale sheets. I don't really like sateen sheets.

    I'm not crazy about the sateen sheets either. I love the cool, crisp feel of percale sheets, but they are so hard to find!

  • so-hooked
    15 years ago

    Can I hijack this thread? Can someone please tell me how to fold a fitted sheet? Mine always look like blobs and never ever no matter how hard I try, look nice in the linen closet.

  • fixeruppityest
    15 years ago

    so-hooked; here's a link for you, to a YouTube video that shows how to fold fitted sheets. It'll change your life :-)
    I must admit, when I first learned how to fold them, years back, I obsessively folded every sheet in the linen closet. Since then, I've relaxed a bit; not perfect, but no more "piles" of fitted sheet lumps. (Honestly, I used to ball them up, I didn't even try!!)

    Back to sheet care, I do break in all my sheets using the method I described above, cold water only and ironing is a MUST for the first 5 times or so. It protects the fibers, develops the soft "patina", and prevents damage to the fibers. Damage can be defined as scratchy sheets that weren't scratchy when you bought them! Also, I never use them before I launder them.

    After THAT, I follow the tag, which usually says warm water.

    Ok, here's the video showing how to fold fitted sheets:

    Here is a link that might be useful: How to fold a fitted sheet

  • terezosa / terriks
    15 years ago

    Good video, but the sheet he was using doesn't have elastic all the way around like my sheets do. I think that will make it much harder to "square off" the corners. I do kind of sort of fold my fitted sheets the way he is showing in the video already, except the squaring off part.

  • socks
    15 years ago

    You must be kidding.

    QVC Northern Nights are the nicest sheets I've ever had. Reasonably priced too.

    Susan

  • homepro01
    15 years ago

    Terriks,
    I get percale sheets from Sferra linens, Yves Delorme and Matteo. I also like the linen sheets. I have found some great deals on Matteo. The Yves Delorme one that I love has never been found on sale or ebay in years of searching!

    I don't use fitted sheets so I can't help you with folding.

    Good luck!

  • rosesstink
    15 years ago

    Isn't QVC a shopping network? I figured they sold overstocks and such. Do they produce their own merchandise? Huh.

    No, I don't iron sheets. Ironing my clothes every morning is enough ironing for me.

  • runninginplace
    15 years ago

    I am another who irons pillowcases but not sheets. We use all cotton bedding so ironed pillowcases are my little luxury.

    I also know how to fold fitted sheets-my husband does most of the laundry in our house and he just won't even touch fitted sheets, that is my folding specialty :).

    As for ironing fiends, my MIL talks about how *her* MIL used to iron her husband's SOCKS! And everything else that didn't run away, I suppose...can't imagine.

    Ann

  • fondantfancy
    15 years ago

    Homepro - see the link below for details of my machine. I couldn't find it on the US site though, so maybe they are only available in Europe

    Here is a link that might be useful: Steam roller iron

  • cattknap
    15 years ago

    I have several sets of 900 count 100% cotton sheets that are luxurious to sleep on and wear forever but they definitely wrinkle. Those sheets were an investment, but I have had them for years and they still look new.

    When we were selling our previouis house and it was being seen by prospective buyers, I ironed the top 1/2 of the sheets (and the cases) because I like to fold the bedding down to make room for Euro shams and a few pillows. In our new house, all our bedrooms are upstairs and no one sees them but us, so I do not iron.

  • twizzis
    15 years ago

    Shuffling feet and avoiding eye contact...I've ironed a few sheets in my day, but only the flat sheet and pillow cases. The fitted elasticized sheet smooths out once placed on the bed imho. There is something that I learned about ironing linens that especially may apply to napkins and tablecloths. Don't iron them in advance then store. The starch could yellow and stain the fabric.

  • homepro01
    15 years ago

    Fondantfancy,
    Emm, Thanks? I don't know if I should be thanking you. After I got my Laurastar I wished that my Miele rotary had steam in it too. Now, I have something else to save up for! I think I will blame you for this and just move on:-)
    Homepro01

  • so-hooked
    15 years ago

    Thank you so much for the video link I loved it. It almost makes me want to re-organize the linen closet.

  • jfulfer
    13 years ago

    We always use hotel sheets . There's a reason why hotels use them, because they are no-iron sheets. Just take the sheets out of the dryer as soon as it stops, and the sheets come out fine.

  • anneparker
    12 years ago

    We have just got into a serviced apartment, where it seems they do not appreciate the difference between synthetic bed linen and cotton bed linens. I have searched around, but I did not manage to find some normal, simple, white 100% cotton bed sheets, that would not cost a fortune

    Here is a link that might be useful: Bed linens

  • dretutz
    10 years ago

    Guilty. I thought I was the last person on the planet to iron sheets. I have taken years of ribbing over this peccadillo, but the feel of lightly starched pillowcases and top sheets is luxury.
    I don't iron the bottom sheet, but wash when the the cleaning lady arrives so it can go immediately from dryer to bed. 100% cotton and no sateen for me.

  • Karen Foster
    8 years ago

    I iron my top sheets and pillow cases. Any wrinkles in the fitted bottom sheet come out when you put it on the bed. I have tried to buy iron-free sheets but they are usually sateen sheets and even though they are 100% cotton, my husband and I don't like the feel of them. We like crisp, fairly heavy sheets and they are hard to find, especially if one's on a budget. I have one perfect set and 3 other not so perfect sets in addition to sets that have gone to Goodwill because we hated them.

  • gretelbutt
    8 years ago

    I bought two nice sets of Vera Wang sheets at BB&B and although they are really soft they come out of they dryer so wrinkled! I've tried drying on low heat but they're still all wrinkled. I guess it's the price you have to pay when you want 100% cotton sheets!

  • PRO
    Lars/J. Robert Scott
    8 years ago

    My newest sheets are linen (from Rough Linen) and I iron them. I occasionally iron cotton pillowcase generally not the sheets, except for the edges, if they have folds in them. I have nightmares about wrinkled sheets, and that can disturb my sleep. I wear knit sleepwear, however, and that does not need ironing.

    I wish I had room for a mangle, as that would make ironing tablecloths much faster. I like to iron, but then I also make clothes and use the iron a lot when I am sewing.

  • PRO
    Anglophilia
    7 years ago

    Try a Chinese laundry - you may be able to get them ironed there less expensively. If one wants nice 100% cotton or Irish linen sheets/cases, be prepared to iron them. I have my top sheets ironed and iron the pillow cases myself - so quick and easy if they are wet from the washer when one irons them.

  • mamapinky0
    7 years ago

    What confuses me is why buy 100% cotton sheets and than expect them to come out of the dryer without wrinkles. There is simply no way around it, cotton sheets will wrinkle. You may have found a technique to help somewhat, removing from dryer while damp or line drying, but wrinkles you will have...fact is cotton sheets are not wash and wear.

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