Ironing Mat Vs Ironing Board – What’s the Differences?
When it comes to ironing, you will find two types of people. The first one is an iron admirer who loves to iron for smooth, wrinkle-free clothes. The second one is an iron hater, who finds it time-consuming and a tough task. This difference of opinion occurs due to the tools they are using. Some people use an ironing mat and some ironing board.
Ironing mats are portable, easy to use, heat resistant, and travel friendly. You can see Ironing Mats Review for your convenience. On the other hand, ironing boards are best for household use, larger in size but small enough for storage.
Ironing Mat vs Ironing Board – What’s the Differences?
In this whole article, we will cover the core differences between an ironing mat and an ironing board.
Ironing mats
Ironing mats are thicker, heat protected, and allow a flat surface for ironing your clothes. You can place an iron mat on the kitchen table, fresh floor, on a bed, and do the ironing. Some mats are designed to work on the roof of a dryer or washer. It can provide those things you just need.
Types of ironing mats
Manufacturers come with different types and features of mats to make ironing easier and safe. There are two types of ironing mats available. These are-
- Magnetic ironing mats
The magnetic ironing mat is designed to iron clothes by laying over the roof of a washer or dryer. It removes the hassle of drag around any boards or bed to iron your clothes. It consists of small magnets around the outer border that allows it to cling to the appliance. This iron mat also comes in a silicone iron. So that you can use it by laying down while not using it.
- Insulated ironing mats
These types of mats are thicker than the magnetic ironing mats. This mat is most useful when you have a wide variety of clothes to iron. It can absorb moisture, and steam can easily pass through. A wool insulated ironing mat can be very time-consuming. Because it can iron both the sides of your cloth at the same time. Also, you can protect the surface from the heat of an iron.
Ironing boards
An ironing board can provide a flat surface for iron cloths, which helps to remove all the wrinkles. It has a rounded shape at the end part. So, it is easier to iron shirt sleeves, open ends clothes, and jean legs. It is made with a reflective and non-stick cover. Ironing boards last for many years, but you have to replace its cover every few years.
Types of ironing boards
Portable, wall-mounted, and tabletop, these are the available three types of ironing boards. All of them come with a flat ironing surface with different purposes.
- Portable ironing board
As the name portrays, a portable ironing board can easily move to different areas in a house. It is lightweight, has extendable and foldable legs. With the foldable legs, it can easily store or transfer. Extendable legs help to adjust its height as per user comfort. But, these types of boards are difficult to set up.
- Wall-mounted ironing board
Wall-mounted ironing boards are best for small spaced homes. It saves your space because it is mounted on the wall also, folds out from the wall. You can set them up with your walk-in closet and other narrow places. It is designed with strong construction and materials. You can easily use it at different angles according to your comfort.
- Tabletop ironing board
The best part of this ironing table is it has short legs. You can use this by placing it on top of the bed, counter, and table. The features of a tabletop ironing board are it is lightweight, portable, and also saves space. It is smaller than the other two ironing boards. You can face some difficulties when ironing long dresses, shirt sleeves, and jean legs.
Lastly, iron boards have hanging racks for freshly ironed clothes. Also, it has an iron rest to keep the iron or prevent from falling it down or damaging the cloths.
Advantages of Ironing Mat and Ironing Board
Portability is the biggest benefit of an ironing mat. You can carry it when traveling. Also, you can use it on the tabletop, kitchen counter, bathroom counter, floor, and wooden table. It will iron your clothes with absolute perfection.
After using the mat, just roll up and store it. It is washable with water and detergent by simply using your hands. Its fabric can absorb and release heat quickly. Wool ironing mat has a fuzzy texture that can grab the fabric tightly. You can choose the perfect mat by comparing different sizes and designs.
On the other hand, ironing boards provide a more sturdy, firm surface. Some iron boards come with water steam stations, sleeve attachment, hanging rails, organizer, storage hooks, and many more. You can move or fold them. Different sizes and designs are available for ironing boards.
Disadvantages of Ironing Mat and Ironing Board
However, both these products have some disadvantages. Like, all ironing mats do not have iron rest. While ironing you have to be more cautious about placing the iron. It doesn’t have hanging rails, organizers, steam stations, and others.
The major concern of ironing boards is it takes space. So, if you have limited space, it will be difficult for you to keep this board. You can’t carry it when traveling. Some of the boards are really heavy, so you can’t move them easily.
Conclusion
Using an ironing mat or board depends on your personal taste and available space of the house. If you want something handy, then an ironing mat is the best choice. It will offer more versatility, less hassle, and cheaper than ironing boards. If space doesn’t really matter for you, then you can use an ironing board for sturdy and wrinkle-free iron. It is the traditional way of ironing with different features. You can easily differentiate these two products after reading this article.
