No time to iron? Don’t panic. These tips will have you smoothed out in no time.
No iron? No problem
We’ve all experienced that horrible feeling of dressing for an important engagement only to discover that the shirt we were planning to wear to that job interview, big meeting, or dressy event is full of wrinkles. Inevitably, there’s no time to heat up the iron. As much as we’d like to believe otherwise, a shirt will not unwrinkle as you wear it. But there’s no reason to panic! We’re going to show you how to get wrinkles out of clothes without an iron.
Some of these methods may surprise you, and some will come in especially handy when you’re traveling. Because even if you’ve perfected how to do laundry and how to iron—and even if you know when to use a steamer vs. iron and what the best steam irons are—sometimes you need to know how to iron without an iron. So let’s get to it.
Unwrinkle clothes in the dryer
Curious about how to get wrinkles out of clothes without spending your whole morning tending to each garment? Toss ’em in the dryer. First, check your garments’ labels for the laundry symbols to determine whether you can safely machine dry them. If you can, spritz the items with water and toss them in with a damp item or two (like damp socks). You can even throw a couple of ice cubes into the dryer. When they melt, they give off steam that’ll help your garments ditch their wrinkles. Spin for about 15 minutes on medium.
Use a hair dryer to get wrinkles out of clothes
Lay the wrinkled item on a flat surface and blast hot air with your hair dryer. Keep the dryer a couple of inches above the fabric, and cover the front and back of the garment. Like magic, the wrinkles will disappear before your eyes. You can spritz or flick a few drops of water on the item before blowing it dry to help soften it.
Steam away wrinkles in the shower
You know how to hand-wash clothes when you’re away from home. Now learn how to unwrinkle a shirt when you’re traveling. Hang the wrinkled item in the bathroom and turn on the shower, using the hottest water. Shut the door to create a sauna effect. Check back in about 10 minutes but understand it may take up to 20 minutes to completely remove the wrinkles. If you’re hanging the garment on the shower rod, be sure the showerhead is facing away from it to avoid getting your clothing item wet.
Use a hair straightener to unwrinkle clothing
The best dryer sheets can help you avoid wrinkles. But that’s not always enough—especially if you’ve stuffed your clothes in a suitcase. A flat iron works really well on stubborn wrinkles, especially for hard-to-iron areas like collars, cuffs, and sleeves. Just make sure your device isn’t rusty, stained with hair products, or holding loose hairs. And be careful of the heat setting and the pressure you use. You don’t want to damage your clothing or burn yourself
Release wrinkles with a damp towel
This is such a simple method, but it totally works. On a flat surface, place a damp towel over the wrinkled clothing. Use your hands to press down and smooth out deep creases. Hang the item to air dry. Prior to leaving for your event, check yourself for stray hairs and lint balls—and remove pilling on clothes before you walk out the door.
Use a wrinkle-release spray
Keep a bottle of professional wrinkle-release spray in your laundry room for quick fixes. Downy Wrinkle Releaser, an Amazon’s Choice best-seller, comes in a crisp linen scent to make garments smell like they were freshly pressed. Wondering how to get wrinkles out of clothes while you’re on the go? The Laundress Crease Release is the answer. It’s TSA friendly (read: small) and won’t weigh down your luggage.
Steam out wrinkles with a tea kettle
Don’t have a steamer on hand? Learn how to get wrinkles out of clothes with nothing but a teapot. Boil water in a tea kettle, then hold your clothing item about a foot away from the steam.
Make an iron out of a pot
Boil water in a metal pot. Once it reaches a rolling boil, toss the water. You’re going to use the bottom of the pot as an iron to smooth out the wrinkles in your garment. Make sure the bottom of the pot is clean, though, and be careful because it’s going to be hot.
Tuck it under a mattress
Here’s how to get wrinkles out of clothes with nothing but your mattress. Lay your garment on a flat surface, smooth out the wrinkles, and then roll it like a burrito. Slide your fabric burrito under the mattress and wait 15 to 30 minutes. Remove it and—surprise!—no more wrinkles.
