They have it in 'public laundries/dry cleaning' stores, but they don't know how to use it properly.

Just buy no iron shirts, they are widely available at roughly the same price today, problem solved.

it dates back many years and is based on a language mix up. everyone kept telling the Chinese they don't get irony

How many Chinese have you met without an ironing board? Do you inspect their pantries or laundry rooms at their homes? (Not trying to be funny.)

I do sympathize with you, though, because I share the same sentiment - about half the time. Let me explain.

I've had two "ayis" since living in China. The first ironed like Iron Woman. She was FE+MAN!!! She ironed everything I washed - down to the gym socks. The second refused to do any ironing because she simply didn't know how. Nor did she want to be held liable for burning my business shirts (or gym socks).

Could be a cultural/historical explanation. Who irons in China except me and possibly you? As icnif states above, public laundries take care of the ironing. But not all Chinese use the public laundries, at least, in my neighborhood.

Stll and yet, you've asked a question that I would have probably asked when pondering the mysteries of this strange, strange place we expats live in.

In sum, I take my ironing to the laundry across the street or I do it myself on an as-needed basis.

My wife had never seen an iron till I showed her.

Then I taught her how to use it.

Her mum still has no idea what its for.... and its in her bedroom !

I don't use irons as well in China, I find it to be very convenient, then again most of my shirts are no iron shirts.