By Terry Kovel Permanent-press fabrics have relieved most
households of the need to iron clothing. In past centuries,
ironing was an almost daily duty of a woman in the home. Before
about the 10th century, cloth was ironed with smooth wooden or
glass pieces and a pounding stick. Heat was not used until the
16th century in Europe. By then, pressing irons were metal pans
with long handles. A piece of charcoal was put in the pan to
heat the bottom and the heated pan was rubbed over the cloth.
This crude iron was gradually improved. Charcoal was replaced by
a heated iron rod to avoid the charcoal ashes that sometimes
fell on the cloth. Next came special box irons with handles and
pointed fronts. They were shaped like the electric and steam
irons used today. Soon a solid piece of iron, also in today's
familiar shape, was made to put on the stove to heat, then
quickly used to heat and smooth cloth. By the turn of the 20th
century, irons were heated by liquid gas, alcohol, gasoline or
electricity. Unfortunately, som