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Commercial Ironing Equipment for Ironing Service Businesses
Running a professional ironing service means your equipment works as hard as you do - every day,
for hours at a stretch. Domestic irons and cheap boards aren't built for commercial use. The right
professional kit reduces fatigue, speeds up throughput, and delivers the consistent, high-quality
finish your customers expect and return for.
The Ironing Equipment Company has been supplying professional ironing businesses across the UK for
over 12 years. From sole traders starting out to established ironing services looking to scale up,
we'll recommend the right equipment for your volume and working style - free advice, no pressure.
Call 0800 955 0245.
Who We Supply
Home-Based Ironing Businesses
Sole traders and small operators working from home need compact, professional equipment that performs reliably all day without taking over the workspace. A vacuum ironing table with a dedicated steam boiler is the standard starting point - it's what separates a professional finish from a domestic one.
Collection & Delivery Ironing Services
Collection and delivery ironing businesses - processing customer laundry from a central location and returning it pressed and ready - need high-throughput setups that handle volume without bottlenecks. Multiple ironing stations, a centralised boiler, and ergonomic tables all contribute to a faster, lower-fatigue workflow.
Laundry & Dry Cleaning Add-On Services
Laundries and dry cleaners adding a professional ironing service to their offering need equipment that integrates into an existing workflow. Steam presses handle garments at speed, while vacuum tables finish shirts, trousers, and delicates to the standard customers expect from a professional laundry.
Corporate Uniform Ironing Contracts
Some ironing businesses specialise in corporate contracts - processing uniforms for hospitality groups, care homes, or retail chains on a weekly or ongoing basis. High-volume operations of this kind benefit from commercial steam presses and, at larger scales, flatwork ironers for any linen elements in the contract.
Holiday Let & Airbnb Linen Services
The growth of short-term holiday lets has created strong demand for professional linen finishing services. Operators pressing bed linen and towels for holiday properties between lets need a flatwork ironer or compact rotary ironer to keep pace - hand-ironing at this volume simply isn't viable.
Alterations & Tailoring Businesses
Tailors and alterations specialists require precision finishing equipment - a heated vacuum table is essential for setting seams, pressing linings, and achieving the flat, professional finish that distinguishes quality alterations work. Steam boilers are typically the preferred heat source for consistent, controllable steam.
Equipment for Professional Ironing Businesses
Vacuum & Heated Ironing Tables
The foundation of any professional ironing setup. A vacuum ironing table uses suction to hold garments flat and draw excess steam away during pressing, giving a faster, crisper finish than any domestic board. Heated surfaces maintain a consistent pressing temperature. This is the single most impactful upgrade a home-based ironing business can make.
- Dramatically reduces ironing time per garment
- Suction holds fabric - no chasing sleeves or collars
- Heated surface prevents re-creasing as you work
- Available in multiple sizes - from compact to full commercial width
- Available from Comel and Speedypress
Steam Boilers & Iron Packages
A dedicated steam boiler paired with a commercial iron delivers continuous, consistent steam pressure that a domestic steam iron simply cannot match. Boilers are available from 3.5 litres (suitable for 3–4 hours of continuous ironing) up to 20+ litres for all-day commercial use. The right boiler size depends on your daily volume and working pattern.
- 3.5L boiler: ideal for sole traders and part-time businesses
- 5L boiler: suits medium-volume operators ironing 4–5 hours daily
- 9L–20L boilers: for full-time, high-throughput operations
- Centralised boilers can feed multiple ironing stations simultaneously
- Available from Comel and Speedypress
Steam Ironing Presses
A commercial steam press reduces the time per garment to 15–30 seconds. For ironing businesses handling high volumes of shirts, trousers, and similar garments, a press pays for itself quickly in time saved. They require minimal operator skill - consistent results regardless of who is using them.
- 15–30 second cycle per garment
- Ideal for shirts, trousers, and flat garments
- Consistent results without specialist training
- Can be used alongside a vacuum table for delicate or shaped items
- Available from Speedypress and Comel
Flatwork Ironers (Rotary Ironers)
For ironing businesses processing significant volumes of flat linen - bed sheets, duvet covers, tablecloths, pillowcases - a flatwork ironer (also called a rotary or cylinder ironer) is the most efficient option available. Feed items in at one end, collect them pressed and finished at the other. Labour time per piece is minimal.
- Process flat linen at high speed - essential for linen service operators
- Available in widths from 60cm to 130cm+
- Minimal operator involvement once set up
- Required for any business processing holiday let, hotel, or event linen at volume
- Available from Electrolux Professional
Garment Steamers
Professional garment steamers are essential for delicate items, structured garments, and anything that shouldn't go near a press or flat iron - embroidered pieces, lined jackets, pleated dresses, and vintage clothing. A steamer complements a full ironing setup rather than replacing it.
- Safe on delicate fabrics, embroidery, and structured garments
- Quick to heat - minimal setup time
- Ideal for finishing and refreshing between full iron cycles
- Available from Aeolus
Sleeve Boards & Accessories
Professional sleeve boards, pressing cloths, and iron rests are small investments that make a significant difference to speed and finish quality - particularly for shirts and tailored garments. We supply a full range of professional ironing accessories alongside our equipment packages.
- Sleeve boards for shirt and jacket sleeve finishing
- Pressing cloths for delicate and dark fabrics
- Commercial iron rests and cable management
- Water treatment systems to protect boilers in hard water areas
Starting or Scaling an Ironing Business?
Whether you're just starting out or looking to increase capacity, the right equipment makes the difference between a business that's hard work and one that runs efficiently. Here's what we offer ironing service operators:
- Free equipment advice - tell us your daily volume and working pattern, we'll recommend the right setup
- Starter packages available - vacuum table + boiler + iron combinations at different price points
- Finance available - spread the cost over 12 to 60 months; payments are 100% tax deductible
- UK-wide delivery - equipment arrives ready to use
- Spare parts and support - we stock parts for everything we sell
- No minimum order - sole traders and large operators welcome equally
Frequently Asked Questions
I'm starting an ironing business - what equipment do I need?
The core setup for a professional home-based ironing business is a vacuum ironing table paired with a commercial steam iron and boiler. This combination is what separates professional results from domestic ironing - the vacuum holds garments flat, the heated surface maintains temperature, and the boiler delivers consistent, sustained steam. A 3.5 or 5 litre boiler suits most sole traders. If you'll be processing flat linen (sheets, duvet covers) regularly, consider adding a compact flatwork ironer. Call us and we'll walk you through the options for your specific situation.
How many garments can I iron per hour with professional equipment?
This varies by garment type and the operator's experience, but professional vacuum ironing tables with steam boilers typically allow experienced operators to iron 8–15 shirts per hour - roughly double or triple the speed achievable with a domestic board and iron. A commercial steam press can complete a shirt in 15–30 seconds, making 20+ garments per hour achievable on simpler items. Flat linen through a flatwork ironer processes at significantly higher rates still, depending on machine width and settings.
What size boiler do I need?
Boiler size determines how long you can iron continuously before the unit needs to refill or reheat. A 3.5 litre boiler gives approximately 3–4 hours of continuous ironing - suitable for part-time or sole-trader operations. A 5 litre boiler extends this to 4–5 hours, covering most full working days. For all-day commercial use or multiple ironing stations, a 9 to 20 litre boiler, or a centralised system, is the right choice. We'll recommend based on your daily hours.
Can I finance the equipment?
Yes - finance is available across most of our equipment through hire purchase, finance lease, and operating lease arrangements over 12 to 60 months. Finance payments are 100% tax deductible as a business expense for self-employed operators and limited companies. A vacuum table and boiler package on a 24-month agreement typically costs less per month than many people spend on domestic ironing appliances over the same period. We'll provide a finance quote alongside your equipment quote.
I'm in a hard water area - will that affect my boiler?
Yes - limescale build-up is the most common cause of reduced boiler performance and early failure. We recommend using demineralised or distilled water in your boiler if you're in a hard water area, and can supply water treatment products and descaling kits to maintain performance. If you're unsure about your water hardness, we can advise on the right maintenance approach for your area.
Get the Right Equipment for Your Ironing Business
Tell us about your operation - how many hours a day you iron, what garment types you process, and whether you're starting out or scaling up. We'll give you a straight recommendation.
