Health benefits of ironing the clothes.

Ironing clothes can have some potential health benefits, but they are primarily related to reducing the risk of infection rather than directly improving physical health.

  1. Killing germs and bacteria: Ironing clothes at high temperatures can help kill germs and bacteria that may be present on the fabric. This is particularly important for clothing that is frequently worn or for items that come into contact with bodily fluids or surfaces that may be contaminated.
  2. Reducing allergens: Ironing can also help reduce allergens such as dust mites and pet dander that may be present in the fabric. This can be especially beneficial for individuals with allergies or respiratory issues.
  3. Enhancing appearance: While not directly related to physical health, ironing can help enhance the appearance of clothing and promote a sense of confidence and well-being.

It is important to remember that ironing may offer some potential health benefits. It should not be relied upon as a substitute for regular cleaning and disinfection practices.

Impact on the environment from ironing the clothes.

Another important issue here is the impact of ironing on the environment due to energy consumption.

It is difficult to accurately estimate the total amount of electricity used for ironing clothes worldwide in one day, as it would depend on many factors, such as the number of households with irons, how often they are used, and the efficiency of the appliances. However, we can make some rough calculations to provide an estimate.

Assuming that there are approximately 2 billion households in the world and that each household irons an average of two loads of laundry per week (which may include several items of clothing), that would result in approximately 572 million loads of laundry being ironed each day. If each load of laundry takes an average of 30 minutes to iron and a typical iron uses around 1,000 to 1,500 watts of power, that would result in a total daily energy consumption of approximately 286 to 430 million kilowatt-hours (kWh).

Australia’s average daily electricity consumption is around 550 million kWh per day, according to data from the International Energy Agency. Therefore, the energy used for ironing all clothes in the world in one day is approximately half of the electricity used in Australia.

However, according to some estimates, ironing clothes can account for approximately 3-5% of a household’s energy consumption. This figure may seem small, but it can still noticeably impact a household’s electricity usage.

You can make your own conclusions about what impact ironing has on the environment. Do the health benefits of ironing outweigh the impact on the environment?