Should you iron your bedding or is it a waste of time? Help us settle the debate

I'll say it again: I'm not the biggest fan of ironing. So when I was asked the question 'should you iron your bedding?', it was a hard no from me.

I do love to dress a bed, especially when I have guests staying, and there's something so lovely about slipping into a freshly made bed after a hard day's slog, but I've never, ever thought about ironing the sheets before putting them on the bed.

Even if I had one of the best irons to use, ironing my sheets would feel like one job too many when I have a mountain of wrinkled laundry to contend with. It also seems like one of those little luxuries for the lucky few who have extra time on their hands, which I, for one, don't have with my two small children to run after.

However, some swear by the crisp, hotel-fresh sheets, and I guess if I did get the iron out, even just when guests come over, it would definitely earn me brownie points if my guest room felt a little more hotel-worthy.

I couldn't help but wonder if I was alone in my opinion, so I asked some of my Ideal Home colleagues whether they iron their bedding.

'I'm a firm believer that life is too short to iron bedding. Single duvet covers are manageable on an ironing board, but double or king-size duvet covers become unmanageable fast,' explains Sleep Editor, Amy Lockwood.

'That said, sadly, I do think cotton bedding does look far nicer when it's freshly pressed and uncreased. My compromise is to opt for textured bedding that hides creases. DUSK's Portofino Waffle Bedding is a great example. I have this lightweight cotton duvet set on my guest bed, and its textured surface means zero ironing needed before visitors descend. Similarly, linen or muslin bedding is a great option if you want to avoid laborious ironing or steaming.'

‘I haven’t used an iron since moving away from my parents over 10 years ago, and I don’t even own one - so I’m very much team don’t-iron-your-bedding. Although I love nothing more than fresh bedding, I don’t have the time or patience (or even the iron) to iron out a few wrinkles. I find that after a few nights of sleeping, they tend to flatten themselves out anyway, so it doesn’t bother me!’ says Content Editor, Lauren Bradbury, when I ask her.

Personally, I'm somewhere in the middle. I don't want to have to iron bedding to get it looking smooth and pristine, but I do like having it as wrinkle-free as I can using other means.

And our Managing Editor, Thea Babbington-Stitt, tends to agree: 'I go for the 'throw on a clothes airer and hope that some creases fall out' method. That said, I truly believe that few things feel as good as getting into a bed with clean, freshly ironed sheets. So while I don't do it myself, I applaud those who make the time and put in the effort!'

I go to some lengths to avoid having to get the iron out. I tend to use a crease release spray like Lenor crease releaser spray, £9.99 from Amazon (my favourite scent is Ruby Jasmine fyi), or a quick steam with my trusty Tefal aerosteam once the sheets are already on the bed. I think they work well for a fuss-free fix that still makes the bed look neat without the faff of a full ironing session.

Although for some, ironing can actually be a somewhat meditative chore, smoothing out those creases and watching the wrinkles melt away under the steam.

And Lauren's nan is one of those who seems to iron for pleasure. 'My nan irons everything from her socks to her handkerchiefs, and I know the act of ironing brings her a lot of joy, but that trait just hasn’t been passed down to me!'

And it's safe to say, it hasn't been passed down from my nan either...

What about you? Do you iron your bedding or do you think it's a waste of time? Let us know in the comments below.