" Airing " the ironing?

I iron everything with a steam iron, so by default, they are a little damp. I spread them out across the clothes airer. Teatowels I hang on the airer.

Germans don't have airing cupboards. They don't even have linen cupboards nor can I think of a German word for either. The airing cupboard in the UK is usually warmed by the boiler from the heating system. Here in Germany houses have cellars and the boiler room is downstairs and not really a place where you would like to put your washing. However, I do sometimes hang outer clothes (tee shirts, jeans) on a dryer in there, because, despite loads of insulation round the boiler and heating system, it is quite warm and dries them better in the winter.

Is it a throwback from the days before electric irons, when everything had to be slightly damp if it was to be ironed successfully?

Yes, I air all the ironing, preferably overnight too. I always use steam and lots of it when I'm ironing so stuff does get a bit damp. Don't iron undies, socks, towels/tea towels or fitted sheets though - life is far too short ?

DH does the ironing; this is mostly the "small linens" (like tea-towels, table-napkins, table-cloths, hankies) so that they store easily in drawers. Most clothes are hung up (on hangers) after washing and don't need ironing. I see "airing" as part of the washing process: once anything is dry and/or ironed, then it's put away!

my husband does all the ironing while listening to woman's hour

I don’t iron much, but I put the ironed items in a pile or on hangers to take upstairs. Occasionally if an item is still damp, Eg if I have taken it straight off the clothes dryer, I will put it back on the dryer to finish off.
I don’t have an airing cupboard since we went over to a combi boiler.

I take it off the washing line and iron it and pop it over the radiators or have a three pronged Airer and leave it in their till I come home from work. Then put it away.

In the days when I did iron, I did what you did because it was the way my mother taught me. I aired clothes individually and not in a pile. I do not think you are a dinosaur.

Unfortunately my airing cupboard is taken up with rather an over large boiler and bits for the solar panels.

If anything seems a bit damp, unless I am going to iron it which dries it anyway, I give it 10 minutes in the drier which at the same time gets rid of any creases. Problem solved.

I rarely iron. On the odd occasion I bother I do hang the items afterwards before putting them away or using them.

When I was a child my mother ironed everything that she had washed with the exception of towels, and the only items that she didn’t put into her huge airing cupboard afterwards were dusters. She was a great ironer. I avoid it whenever possible and I don’t actually have an airing cupboard - she would be appalled!

I iron then put in the airing cupboard.
Isn’t that what it’s for?

My Aunt aired all her babies clothes ........ in the bottom oven ! The clothes all had “tan “ !

Yes, I air everything. This time of year in the conservatory, in winter near radiators.

My dear mum used to think I didn’t air stuff properly.Heaven knows what she would think to DIL, who puts stuff away when I feel sure it is still damp (not that I say so of course).

Mum would say it will lead to rheumatism in old age. I comfort myself by thinking I won’t be here to see it if so.

I am happy to call myself either a dinosaur or an old fogey, pick whichever term suits.
I dry stuff outside, weather permitting, then bring it in and put it on clotheshorses while it awaits ironing. I've just finished that task this morning and while I don't always put it on clothes horses afterwards I certainly leave it knocking about nicely folded on the ironing board for a while before I bother to put it away in the wardrobe. I call it 'airing' - that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it. anyone?

Don’t iron now but when i did the ironed clothes always put on clothes horse, if I could use an iron now I would do the same again.

I used to put ironing in my airing cupboard for a few days but as I’ve ironed less and less I don’t bother as I only iron dresses and shirts that will hang in the wardrobe anyway. All that’s in the airing cupboard now are clean towels.