The modern ironing board was invented by Sarah Boone. She was an African American dressmaker who patented an improved ironing board design in 1892. Boone's ironing board was narrow, curved, and padded, making it particularly suited for ironing the sleeves and bodies of women's garments. Her invention significantly improved the efficiency and quality of ironing compared to earlier boards and is recognized as the prototype of the modern ironing board.

Earlier versions of ironing boards and ironing tables were patented by others before Boone, including W. Vandenburg and J. Harvey in 1858 and Miss S. A. Mort in 1866, who invented a folding ironing board. However, Boone's 1892 patent made a distinct contribution by focusing on women’s clothing and adding innovations like a curved, narrow shape and padding.