It can be tricky to iron uniform shirts so they stay perfectly creased. A key to ironing a shirt properly is using the right heat setting on an iron and having a sturdy ironing board to help make the task easier. It also helps to iron the shirt in a specific order so that you don't wrinkle the shirt half-way through the process. Add spray starch if you want to keep the creases in place.

Set up your ironing board so that it is at your waist-level. Plug in the iron. Check the label of the shirt to see what material it is made of. Cotton and linen shirts need the highest heat setting. Polyester shirts can use a medium heat setting. Take the shirt off its hanger and unbutton it completely.

Spread the collar out on the ironing board, laying it down flat. Press the warm iron over it, using even strokes. Add a spritz of starch if desired and move the iron over the collar again.

Move the shirt so that half of the back yoke is flat on the narrow end of the ironing board. Use even, slow strokes to iron the yoke flat. Rotate the shirt around on the ironing board and finish ironing the other half of the yoke. Add starch if desired and iron again.

Add a crease along the spine, below the yoke. Hold the ends of the collar together and pinch the back of the shirt to find the exact middle. Fold the shirt along the center line. Move the warm iron over the crease from the yoke down to the shirt's end until the fabric is completely flat.

Add creases on the sides of the shirt. If there are seams the run undernath the arm hole, fold the shirt there and iron over the fold to make a crease. If there isn't a seam, measure the width of one DVD case from the spine crease. Fold the shirt down and iron over it to make a crease. Repeat the process on the other side.

Turn the shirt over to the front. Starting with one side of the shirt, fold the button side over until it reaches the side crease. Iron over the fold, creating a crease on the front of the shirt, underneath the pockets. Repeat the process on the other side of the front of the shirt.

Place one of the sleeves down flat on the wide area of the ironing board. Line the seams up perfectly and make sure the fabric is not rumpled. Iron with long, even strokes. Add starch if desired. To get a crease on the top of the sleeve area, firmly press the iron on the edge of the sleeve. Repeat the process for the other sleeve.

Iron the body of the shirt one quadrant at a time, avoiding the sleeves, collar and yoke areas that have already been ironed. Keep using slow, even strokes and starch as desired.