There’s no reason to resort to synthetic dress shirts because cotton shirts require ironing.  Learning how to iron a dress shirt is easier than you may think.  Invest in an ironing board and a good steam iron, and then follow these simple tips.  Soon you’ll have a dress shirt that’s crisp from collar to cuffs.

• Always iron a shirt when it’s slightly damp.  This can be done by removing the shirt from the dryer before its completely dry or using a spray bottle to dampen a dry shirt.  You can also use steam from the iron to dampen the shirt while ironing.
• Consult the shirt’s care instructions for the correct heat setting for your shirt’s fabric.  Begin by ironing the shirt collar, starting with the underside and pressing from the collar points to the center.  Repeat on the inside of the collar.
• Drape one of the shirt’s shoulders over the end of the board.  Iron the yoke (the strip of fabric between the collar and the shirt back) from the sleeve to the center back.  Iron flat any pleats on the back of the shirt.  Repeat for the other shoulder.
• Lay a sleeve on the ironing board and iron the inside and outside of the cuff.  (Iron around buttons with the tip of the iron to avoid damaging them.)  Iron the sleeve flat, beginning with the back and then ironing the front.  Repeat for the other cuff and sleeve.
• Iron each shirt front from top to bottom and then iron each side of the back.  Finally, iron the shirt placket being careful to iron between the buttons.
• Check for any remaining creases or wrinkles and use steam if necessary to smooth them out.

After your shirt is ironed hang it on a wooden or plastic hanger to keep it wrinkle free.