Purchasing an ironing board cover locally would depend on where one is located. One can easily buy one from Amazon and have it delivered anywhere in the world. In the United States one can purchase from their local Walmart or Asda in the UK.
Nowhere.......they don't exisist. ; ^{
Williams Sonoma, Amazon, Kitchen Source, eBay, and the official webpage for Brabantia Ironing Board Covers are a few places where an individual can go in order to purchase a cover.
An ironing board cover that is only fabric would be more of an insulator between the wood or metal surface of the ironing board. An ironing board cover with a foam backing and an aluminum type fabric on top would be both an insulator as well as a conductor of heat, to have heat distribute more evenly through the item being ironed.
Most ironing boards are vented. If you do not have a cover on them, the outline of the vent holes will be pressed into your garment.
If properly cared for, a good ironing board should last a lifetime. I am 51 and my mom still has the same ironing board she had when I was a child. She has changed the cover many times but it's the same board.
place item on ironing board cover with thick brown wrapping paper and press with hot iron, moisten slightly if required.
The value of a wooden Rid-Jid ironing board will vary with the condition and the "market" for this item. (Does it come with its original cover?) It may sell for $20-25 or for $70-80, depending on what shape it's in and who is bidding or shopping for one. There are individuals with forty- or fifty-year old Rid-Jid ironing boards that still use them, though these folks have to fabricate their own replacement covers because the older boards are not "standard" size.
I have one of those and I tore off all the covering and padding on the board. The newspaper used to initially cover the board was dated January 30, 1938. It was an Albany, NY newspaper. I love the "all wood" and I think I will use it as a plant stand.
Their is really no 100% safe way but you can make it safer. For starters make sure you use a ironing board. Cover it with a large piece of cloth(large enough for the whole board). Then put the cloths on and hold the top of the shirt (or whatever you're using) and iron in a downward position. If you do that you will be pretty safe.
I recently found one in the attic as well. Have you had much luck researching this elbowstables@gmail.com
You can purchase a skillet cover on this website: http://www.thefind.com/kitchen/info-skillet-cover. They have an awesome selection!
Grasslands cover most of Africa. Locally they are called savannas.