Ironing Through the Ages

By Jubilee P. Reid

Ironing fabric is a process so ancient no one knows when it first began. Today, ironing is generally considered only to be for removing creases from, or purposefully adding them to, fabric. However, throughout history, ironing has also been done for hygienic purposes. When water for washing was scarce, the heat from ironing could eliminate some bacteria and lice. Records from the Crimean War (1853 – 1856) mention soldiers ironing their uniforms with 32 lb. shot in response to a lice outbreak as they were unable to properly wash their laundry.

The earliest known records of ironing date to the first century B.C., over two millennia ago, in ancient China. The Chinese used pans filled with coals or heated sand to remove wrinkles from fabric. Ancient civilizations experimented with many ironing methods including using heated glass or stones.

Blacksmiths began forging flat irons during the Middle Ages, though this era isn’t known for frequent clothes laundering. These flatirons, usually weighing five to nine pounds, were cast in one piece. Flatirons, or “sadirons,” were used all over the world for centuries. “Sad” is an archaic word meaning heavy or dense.

There are negative aspects of using cast flatirons. They must be heated in a fireplace or on a special stove which tailors and well-to-do households would have. These irons would cool after a little while, so many times one iron would be in use while a second and third iron heated. From time-to-time, flatirons would have to be polished and oiled to maintain their condition. These irons also had to be held with a cloth as the handle would be hot. In 1872, a sadiron was patented with a detachable wooden handle. Wooden handles quickly became popular as they reduced the chances of getting burned.

Among the McMinn County Living Heritage Museum’s collection are a variety of irons from different eras of design including cast iron models, gas irons, and early electric flatirons.

Many cast iron flatirons are available today. Some are used for decorative purposes like the six-pound iron in the museum which is painted with red, yellow, and green flowers and used as a bookend. This flatiron was once used in the laundry building in Ritter Hall at Tennessee Wesleyan University when it was named the U. S. Grant Memorial University. Ritter Hall, built in 1891, was torn down years ago. It housed 40 female students, some of whom used this iron to press the linens for the school’s dormitory. The iron was later decoratively painted by members of the school faculty.

In the 19^th century, inventors experimented with many designs of irons to invent one that could retain heat longer. Although there were box irons, which held coals, metal pieces or small bricks inside it, these also cooled quickly. Fueled irons came into use during the late 1800s although it was the early 1900s before they came to America. These irons used kerosene, alcohol, petroleum, gasoline or even whale oil.

Fuel irons would have a small tank attached to the back which would be ignited. The heat was transferred to the soleplate, quickly heating the iron. Some fuel irons had temperature control dials. One had to be careful using gasoline irons indoors, as they caused fumes to accumulate in an unventilated room. Although these irons held a more even temperature than early electric ones, they were prone to causing fires or explosions.

Two of the gas irons in the museum’s collection were produced by Coleman Company of Wichita, Kansas. (This is the same company known today for their camping equipment.) These irons are the Coleman-Canada Instant Lite model 4A. Both irons are the popular “cool blue” enamel coated versions. This was Coleman’s most popular model, manufactured from 1929 to 1948. Coleman Company ended production of all gas irons in the late 1940s due to the popularity of improved electric irons.

In 1882, an electric flatiron was patented in New York City. This model was not successful as it did not have an electric cord, instead it took a long time to heat on a rack and cooled quickly. It took several more years for irons with electrical cables to be produced. Electric irons continued to improve slowly over the next several decades. The first steam iron was patented in 1926 but did not become popular until 1938.

One early electric iron on display in the museum is a 625-watt, 108/116-volt model stamped with the number 67573. It was manufactured by Landers, Frary & Clark of New Britain, Connecticut, a producer of many household appliances. This iron was purchased in 1932 at Harold List’s store, formerly on the corner of Washington and Jackson Streets in Athens. Made of shiny metal with a wooden handle, this nearly 100-year-old iron is in excellent condition.

Modern technological advances have allowed for the large selection of irons available today. There is a variety of cordless electric irons, miniature travel irons, and many other types on the market. Visit the museum to see examples of how irons have changed over the years.