Hello beautiful steemit ladies, how are you doing from your end?. I'm doing great from Lagos Nigeria. Today I am pleased to be engaging in this contest by @patjewell. This contest is all about choices, choosing from among an outlined objects and writing about them. If you missed the contest post, you can have it here.
The Pressing Iron; Revolutionizing Ways To Care For Our Clothes.
The pressing iron is one important object that is found in almost every home today. It is one of the house equipments that is indispensable. The pressing iron had been in exists for decades now and had passed through series of inventions and transformations. From Charcoal iron to normal heat iron and now to electric iron.
Charcoal Iron:
Source
The charcoal iron's invention is been said to have dated back since 15 centuries or more, though no specific date due to several trials and errors in the quest to smoothen fabrics and clothes.
The charcoal iron comprises of metals coupled togetther that can be opened and closed at will, with another metal inside to enable the heat from charcoal penetrate and supply the necessary heat for smoothening of clothes and fabrics.
Advantages Of The Charcoal Iron:
The charcoal iron was a rescue mission from lots of trials and errors people were making with stones and metals trying to smoothen their clothes for good looks.
It could be moved front and back easily without burning the person controlling it.
It made use of charcoal which is easily accessible as at then.
It helped in straightening the fabrics and clothes been applied.
The heat can be controlled by always placing the bottom of the iron on water to let the heat reduce and avoid burning of clothes and fabrics.
Disadvantages Of Charcoal Iron:
With it's many advantages and problem solving, charcoal iron also had its own issues.
It could easily stain clothes if not properly handled.
Little patches of coal could easily fall out from the holes on the iron and burn the fabrics if not properly handled.
It's a but stressful to use, especially when fanning the coal to keep burning while ironing. So if the fabrics to be ironed is bulky, that's a whole lots of stress.
Using the charcoal iron back then in secondary school was my first experience with ironing clothes, and I burnt my school uniforms lots of time.
The Heat Pressing Iron:
This iron came out few years after charcoal iron was invented, in a bid to invent more comfortable equipment with better features. It was used by simply placing it on a stove or fire to absorb some heats, then the heat can be applied to the clothes and get it smoothen and straightened for good looks.
Advantages:
It doesn't stain clothes.
It can also be moved back and front for even smoothening of clothes and fabrics.
Disadvantages:
The heat cannot be controlled, so it can easily burn clothes.
Once it goes cold, it will take a little more time trying to hit it up again for use.
I've not had an experience/encounter with this type of iron, so I don't really know how it feels like to use.
The Electric Iron:
Source
According to Wikipedia, the electric iron was invented in 1882, by Henry Seely White.
The invention of electric iron was one of the best thing that happened to humans in a quest to make life easier in taking care of our clothes and fabrics. Though since the invention of electric iron, different forms of electric iron had come into existence. It kept transforming and evolving till date. Now we have electric iron in different sizes and shapes, we also have the ones that water can be added to so as to help control the heat and as well ease the stress of always sprinkling water on clothes while ironing it.
Advantages Of Electric Iron:
The advantages of electric iron cannot be over emphasized. It's benefits are more than it's down side.
It is very easy to use.
It doesn't stain clothes unlike charcoal iron.
The heat is powered by electricity, so it doesn't require human effort and strength in heating up.
The heat can be regulated with ease by the buttons on the iron, to avoid burning of clothes and fabrics.
Disadvantages of Electric Iron:
It can only be used with electricity, so in some places where there is electricity issues, it can't be used once there is no power supply (eg: Nigeria).
It can also burn clothes if not properly managed and regulated.
An Unforgettable Experience With Electric Iron:
I have had lots of experiences with electric iron starting from the first day I used it, during my secondary school days after series of using charcoal iron.
My first encounter was the first day I used the electric iron, I could still remember that day I was so in a haste to iron my school white (uniform). I didn't know that I was supposed to regulate the iron and watch the temperature before ironing, I just places the iron on my cloth straight away and I got this burning sound and smell, only for me to lift the iron and I discovered that the iron had drawn the map of Africa 🌍 on my cloth.
I didn't know what to do, my mum was so angry because it was a new uniform. I had to wear an old uniform to school so I can fix the new one later.
But my Unforgettable and second encounter with electric iron was when I went to live with my uncle in Abuja Nigeria.
My uncle's wife had given me her new wrapper (fabrics) which she just got for 50,000 naira (333.33 Steem) as at then (2009) to iron for her, I wasn't attentive enough to observe the temperature of the iron and I quickly placed it on the fabric, that was how I burnt the wrapper.
She couldn't talk, she couldn't shout, the event made us to observe few minutes silence in the house, nobody could say a word. I was so unhappy with myself and the iron all through the day. Till date, she didn't say anything about the fabric and she stopped giving me her clothes to iron for some times.
Conclusion
The electric iron is one of the very important items or appliances any home can't afford to miss having. In as much as one wants to look good and appear smart at all times, the pressing iron has the magic. For someone like me who can't wear a cloth without ironing it, I cherish my iron a lot, it is one of the appliances I count as very important.
And this is my entry to contest, I hope you enjoyed reading it. Don't forget to drop a reasonable comment below.
I invite @ninapenda and @thomisin to come participate in this contest.