The choice of an ironing board is an important moment, because the board will be responsible for the quality, speed and comfort of ironing. But how to choose the ironing board?
The weight of the board should not exceed 5-10 kg, so that the woman carried the board without much effort. And the design should be strong and reliable.
The simplest ironing board is made of plywood and is sometimes equipped with low paving legs, top covered with a cloth, and between the plywood and the coating is usually placed foam rubber, sintepon or batting. The first two materials under the influence of temperature melt over time and deform, so that the batting is preferable.
The low price of these boards is, perhaps, their only advantage - while the disadvantages are much greater. The main one is that plywood from steam and heating quickly becomes wavy, and maybe even curved, like a fan blade. And the design of the legs of the board does not allow to arrange the device conveniently.
Metal planks are not more convenient. More truly, these are planks with a metal surface and sliding adjustable feet. The construction is facilitated by the fact that the metal surface is provided with holes in many places and ribs of rigidity along the edges. Legs are steel tubes with a round, rarely - with a triangular profile. Between themselves, as well as to the bottom surface of the board, the legs are fastened with rivets, welding or bolts. The rivet fastener is usually diluted with time, so it is best to avoid it. The best way is to fix the bolts.
It is necessary to adjust the board in height, and with a reliable fixation at a given height. The mechanism for fixing the height can be smooth or stepped - in the first case, you can set any height of the board, at the expense of the legs sliding along the guides on the underside of the board and fastened to the desired height by the lever or screw. Please note that the fastenings of such a system may eventually loosen, and the board will "slide" down against your desire. In order to avoid such cases, choose stepwise height adjustment. Its essence is in the arrangement on the bottom of the board of several depressions, in which it is possible to insert the foot bases: the deeper farther from the center, the position of the board will be lower.
The legs should protrude somewhat beyond the board surface - this will increase the stability of the device. From the bottom of the legs should be put on rubber or at least plastic tips that will prevent slipping on the floor and provide even greater stability. The main thing - the tips should be attached securely and do not slip at every opportunity.
Consider finishing not only the legs, but also the rest of the exposed metal surfaces of the board. So, the enamel is easily scratched and abrasion-resistant, and plastic or chrome coatings are considered very durable.
The coating of the working surface should be soft enough, and at the same time not burn. Such a board does not have to be covered with a blanket for the time being ironed. In simple models use a cotton cover, in expensive - from heat-resistant material, waterproof and possessing non-stick properties. The fabric will not stick to such a coating. Even better, if the cover is removable on the board - it is fixed on the surface with strings, an elastic band or "Velcro", which makes it possible to replace the cover if necessary - it is cheaper than replacing the entire board with a new one.
The board should be of sufficient width and length to make it comfortable to ironing any things, especially bed linen. Optimum is a board with a width of 38-40 cm and a length of 130-150 cm. The winning moment is the presence of a pedestal for the iron: it is made of non-combustible materials and will prevent accidental drops of the heated iron on the floor. For the stand it is desirable that it with the board is one, and not screwed to the board. Some manufacturers have special staples instead of a stand for hanging the iron, but the iron from them is very easy to "brush off".
Next, pay attention to the electrical outlet placed either on the board itself, or near the iron stand. This will allow the board to be placed in any convenient place, rather than becoming attached to the stationary socket location.
Sometimes boards are completed with shelves for clothes, holders of hangers, mini-boards for sleeves and collars, sprinklers and additional extensions. All this increases the construction more and leads to its appreciation, than it benefits. Remember that the board in the folded state should be compact and placed in the place where you used to store it.
Of modern innovations, mention should be made of surface heating, vacuum and blowing modes. Equipped with such functions, the boards turn into a device class-higher-ironing tables.
The heating mode of the surface makes it possible to better ironing the laundry due to the fact that ironing of the laundry is heated simultaneously from both sides by an iron and a board. In addition, the heated surface helps to remove excess moisture from things faster.
Under the working surface of the ironing table there is a fan, which is rotated by an electric motor and can operate in two modes. In the inflation mode (vacuum), it "pulls" the air down, and the fabric "sucks" to the surface of the board - this reduces the sliding and creasing of the laundry when ironing. In the blower mode, the fan pushes the air upward, creating a peculiar air cushion. This is convenient, for example, when ironing silk. The thing is simply put on the surface of the board when the blowing mode is on and smooth with a steam iron, keeping it at some distance from the fabric. As a result of the lack of direct contact with the tissue, you can avoid ugly glitter, unwanted folds and scrapes.
Ironing system, or ironing machine - a set consisting of an ironing table and iron, equipped with a steam generator. Such systems have unique features. The table with their hose is connected to the steam generator so that the steam flows directly to the working surface. This function - "atomization of the desktop" - allows you to "iron" most things without using the iron at all - its role is played by the surface of the ironing table itself.
Remembering how to choose the right ironing board and what to look for in this case, you can make it not only a household item, but also a subject of your pride.