Irons and ironing boards are typically available in United States hotel rooms by request. If there is no in-room iron and ironing board in your hotel room, you only have to call reception to avail of them.
Packing the right clothes is crucial whether you are spending a holiday or going off on a business trip in the United States. Choosing your wardrobe should be the first item on your checklist whenever you’re traveling.
Besides expressing your personality and fashion sense, your outfit choices also provide several other benefits that you may not realize until now.
4 Reasons Why You Need to Pack the Right Clothes During a Trip
Reason #1: They will protect you against the elements.
Firstly, your clothes protect you from the sun, rain, snow, wind, and other elements. Picking the right wardrobe is crucial to avoid getting too warm, being exposed to chilly weather, and even keeping clear from hypothermia depending on the season.
Reason #2: They help prevent sickness and other health issues.
Secondly, your garments are barriers against germs, bacteria, mold, and other toxic materials that can potentially make you sick. There are even fabrics like polypropylene nowadays designed to help filter out pathogens.
Reason #3: They help you become comfortable.
Thirdly, your choice of wardrobe can help prevent discomfort and injury by acting as your first layer of defense against wayward pebbles, sticks, chunks of concrete, and similar things that can unexpectedly become projectiles when you’re on the move.
Reason #4: They stimulate positive feelings and emotions.
And finally, choosing the right outfit not only helps you look good but also feel good. Experts in psychology relate that wearing comfortable clothes promotes the release of happy hormones like dopamine and serotonin.
Apart from stimulating an overall feeling of joyfulness, these happy hormones also prevent mood swings and help improve sleep quality. Moreover, some studies show dopamine and serotonin may even help boost memory and learning power.
Why Ironing Plays a Key Role in Keeping Clothes Well-Maintained
But the thing is that your wardrobe picks will only give you these benefits if they are correctly maintained and prepped before you wear them. If your clothes require ironing, you must inquire with the hotel staff before booking a room.
List of Contents
Do most hotel rooms have an iron?
Most hotel rooms in the United States have an iron and ironing board for guests. However, most of these hotels do not offer them as in-room facilities but only upon request. You have to call the receptionist first to use them.
If you’re anything like most people, chances are you have probably ironed at least one article of clothing in your lifetime. But what many individuals don’t realize is that ironing is more than just moving a clothes iron from one direction to another.
A Quick Guide on Properly Ironing Your Clothes in 6 Simple Steps
Whether you’re getting ready for a boardroom meeting or prepping up for a romantic date, here are some quick ironing tips to help ensure that you’re going to look sharp each time.
Step #1: Have all the essentials ready.
Before you even start ironing, make it a point to check if you have all the things you need to get the job done. Besides having an iron and ironing board, you may also require an extension cord and extra clothes hangers sent to your hotel room.
Step #2: Pick the right spot for your ironing session.
Set up your ironing board in a vacant area of your hotel room. Choose a spot far from foot traffic but near to an electric socket. Make sure that your ironing board is as flat and even as possible while you’re at it, too.
Step #3: Get rid of dirt, grime, and other unwanted stain-causing substances.
Use a paper towel to check the cleanliness of your ironing board’s base plate before you begin. Make sure you examine the base plate for traces of dirt or grime and any starch build-up on its surface. These can be transferred to your clothes if you’re not careful.
Step #4: Go through your garment’s label carefully.
Next, check your garment’s label for specific ironing instructions. Some fabrics require lots of heat to get rid of wrinkles, while others only need a touch to smooth out. Skipping this can lead to disaster, especially with delicate fabrics.
Step #5: Have a systematic and detailed approach when ironing shirts.
Start with the sleeves when you’re ironing shirts. Open the cuffs, if there are any, to smooth them out. Work your way up to the collar and the front of the shirt, using fluid motion to cover as much surface area as you can. Repeat this for the back portion.
Step #6: Consistency is vital when ironing pants.
Check the pockets for change and other stuff before you start ironing your pants. Begin at the top of the waistband and work your way down to either leg. If there are any, make sure you follow the creases of each pant leg for a crisper look.
Do hotels have clothes irons?
Hotel rooms in the United States have clothes irons and ironing boards for guests. However, you will need to call reception or the front desk first to use them. Some hotels have them in-room for guests to use immediately.
Many guests mistakenly believe that ironing in their hotel rooms is as easy as plugging in a clothes iron to a power socket, setting up an ironing board, and they’re good to go. You have to remember some crucial things to get the job done correctly.
Important Pointers to Remember When Ironing Your Clothes in Your Hotel Room
Here are a few hotel room ironing tips and tricks that you need to consider. Apart from helping make your clothes as wrinkle-free as possible, these will also prevent any untoward incidents at the same time.
Pointer #1: Inspect the hotel clothes iron for any signs of damage.
Start things off by carefully examining the hotel clothes iron before you even plug it in. Apart from checking for signs of damage like cracks and dents, inspect the clothes iron’s heating plate for any unwanted residue.
Pointer #2: Examine the ironing board’s durability and cleanliness.
Do the same for your ironing board. Apart from checking the board’s baseplate for any traces of grime and dirt, make sure that it is structurally stable and won’t wobble when you apply pressure on it.
Pointer #3: Inform the reception or front desk as soon as you can when you find an issue.
Notify the front desk or reception immediately if there are any damages on the hotel clothes iron or ironing board that they provided so you won’t be held liable for the same, which will require you to shell out a few bucks.
Pointer #4: Check the iron’s functionality before using it on your garments.
Test the hotel clothes iron if it heats up properly when you plug it in. Make sure you check if the heat from the device corresponds with the settings on the dial.
Next, make sure you empty the hotel clothes iron’s water reservoir before using it. And while you’re at it, check the container itself for traces of mold or mildew, which can potentially transfer to your garments when you use the device’s steam function.
Pointer #5: Have a “practice run” on a towel.
Always test out the hotel iron on your in-room bath towel or washcloth before using it on your garments so you can determine if you can use it on your business attire or the outfit you’re planning to wear for that anniversary date.
Make sure you choose a light-colored towel or washcloth to “practice” on to check for flaws and marks quickly.
Remember to use the hotel iron on the bath towel as if it were your shirt or your pair of pants to see if it works as it should. Don’t forget to check for blemishes and unwanted odors afterward.
Never skip any of these steps to ensure that your outfit looks well-kept and free from unwanted smells and blemishes.
Do Hilton rooms have irons?
All Hilton rooms in the United States have irons and ironing boards for hotel guests. These facilities are either available in-room or requested by occupants through the front desk or reception.
Moreover, all Hilton brand hospitality establishments like Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, Canopy by Hilton, Conrad Hotels & Resorts, Embassy Suites by Hilton, and LXR Hotels & Resorts, are equipped with irons and ironing boards for hotel guests.
While most of these establishments have irons and ironing boards available in-room, you need to call housekeeping or reception in some of them to access these amenities.
Simple Reminders to Keep Your Clothes in Tiptop Shape During Your Trip
Whether you’ve booked a hotel room for business or leisure, knowing how to take care of your clothes while traveling is crucial. Besides ensuring that your garments will remain in tiptop shape, you’ll also stay looking fashionable at the same time.
You’re going to find the following tips and tricks useful when it comes to caring for your clothes during travel:
Always be thorough when folding your clothes.
Make sure you fold your garments properly when packing them in your traveling bag or suitcase. Pay close attention to the creases of your pants and the seams of your shirts and coats so they won’t get misshapen by the time you need to wear them.
Never mix your clean and dirty garments.
Remember to bring a separate container for your dirty garments like a compression bag, dry bag, laundry bag, or plastic bag to segregate your fresh clothes from their dirty (and possibly smelly) counterparts easily.
Make sure your clothes go in dry when storing them.
Always dry out wet, dirty clothes before storing them in your suitcase or traveling bag. Besides potentially becoming a hotbed for germs and bacteria, wet, dirty clothes will also become smelly before you know it.
Having a clothes brush with you will be very handy.
Packing a clothes brush when traveling helps keep blazers, coats, and suits looking and smelling clean without exerting a lot of effort. Apart from getting rid of lint and stray hairs, a clothes brush can eliminate a lot of crumbs and dust in a single stroke.
Bringing along an odor spray will do wonders for your wardrobe.
Bringing along an odor spray during your trip will help keep your clean clothes smelling fresher for a longer time. It will also prevent unwanted odors from your dirty garments from seeping into your clean clothes.
Be prepared for garment emergencies with a mini-sewing kit.
Don’t forget to carry a mini-sewing kit with you during your trip. Having one allows you to personally take care of the tears and scuffs on your clothes immediately. Moreover, having them repaired in the hotel can be a bit costly.
How do you iron a shirt in a hotel?
You can use the in-room clothes iron and ironing board to iron your shirt in a hotel in the United States. If there isn’t any, you can call the front desk or reception to request an iron and ironing board for your hotel room.
A Quick Walkthrough on Ironing Your Shirt in a Hotel Room
Always check the hotel clothes iron and ironing board before using them.
Never immediately iron your shirt when housekeeping in a U.S. hotel sends a clothes iron and an ironing board to your room. Make sure you check it carefully first before using it on your garments.
Since you don’t know who last used the clothes iron or where they used it on, check the heating plate and, if there is any, the water reservoir before removing the wrinkles on your clothes.
Keep clear from unwanted dirt and grime by inspecting the hotel clothes iron’s heating plate.
Make sure you examine the heating plate of the iron to see if there are any traces of dirt, grime, and dust. These can transfer to your garments straight away if you’re not careful. It’s also crucial to check for any starchy residue.
Dispose of any leftover water in the steam reservoir.
Immediately dump any water in the steam reservoir before using a clothes iron with a steam function. You don’t know if that water has been there for days or even weeks.
Additionally, check the clothes iron’s water reservoir for any signs of mildew and mold. Besides making your garments smell bad, water tainted by these organic matter can also leave unwanted blemishes on the fabric.
If you’ve already carefully examined your hotel clothes iron and found no issues, then you can move on to the next step.
Examine your shirt’s label thoroughly first.
Begin by laying your shirt on the ironing board as flat as possible and check its label. The label gives you information on the ideal heat setting and other crucial details.
Pick an ideal spot to have your ironing session.
Remember to have adequate space to move the iron around when pressing your shirt. You have to keep the iron moving at all times to prevent burning any part of your garment.
Be methodical when using your hotel clothes iron.
Begin with the sleeves, then move up to the collar and down to the front area of your shirt. Flip your shirt over and repeat the process. Remember to use long, fluid strokes instead of short, circular movements when maneuvering the iron.
Stay clear from prints, buttons, and sequins that the heat may damage.
You must carefully guide the iron when working around buttons and printed areas. Applying heat on buttons and printed areas might damage them.
It is crucial to iron shirts having decorative components like sequins and embossed marks from the inside out to avoid warping or deforming them.
Have a clothes hanger ready to wrap up.
Keep in mind to properly hang your ironed shirt using a clothes hanger as soon as you finish to maintain its crisp and well-kept appearance.