Wrinkles are a big problem if you aim to look as presentable as possible. A wrinkled outfit can show other people that you are unkempt and improper. If you want to know how to solve this problem, read down below as we guide you on how to get stubborn wrinkles out of your clothes.
What Causes Wrinkles?
Wrinkles are caused by two things: heat and water. By having these two properties while cleaning your garment, the bonds between the microfibers of your clothes shift and form as wrinkles.
Fabrics such as cotton and linen are much more prone to wrinkles due to having high absorbency.
Now you know what causes wrinkles, let’s get into how to remove them.
1. Use a Clothing Iron
Of course, the easiest method is to use a clothing iron. Not only is this appliance designed to remove the stubborn wrinkles out of your clothes, but it also works for a lot of fabric types.
Fabrics that are harder such as linen provides more difficulty when removing wrinkles as they need more heat. A clothing iron is perfect for this, as it has settings best suited for different types of fabric.
Although, one of the cons of using this appliance is that it can cause some clothes to burn. The best way to handle this problem is to look at the tag of your clothes.
Know what fabric you are using to ensure that you have the proper setting suited for your garments.
You can watch this video for some general tips on using clothing iron.
2. Use a Kettle
Kettles are not just great for heating your afternoon cup of tea, but it’s also an incredible clothing iron alternative.
To use this method, just put water inside the kettle and let the water boil. Layout your clothing item and top it with a dry towel to ensure that no stain will transfer from soot and burn marks.
Once the water is boiling, place your kettle on top of the towel and use it as how you use a clothing iron.
This method is the closest alternative for clothing iron. You can even adjust the temperature by putting on ice cubes or layering the towel thicker which means that the kettle method can work from cotton to linen garments.
The kettle is also similar to how old clothing irons work, although those old irons use heat from coals instead of hot water.
Note that you should be careful not to spill the hot liquid to yourself. You can use potholders to help you with handling the kettle.
3. Remove Wrinkles with Pots
Pots are not only useful for cooking up your favorite meals, but they are also great for being a makeshift iron.
This method is also similar to the kettle one, the only difference is that you can remove the water and let the hot pan de-wrinkle your clothes.
4. Use a Hairdryer
If you don’t have a clothing iron at hand this method is perfect for you. You need two things, a hairdryer, and a spray bottle.
Put your clothing piece on a hanger or lay it flat. Then, spray the wrinkled areas with a spray bottle until the clothing is damp. Set the hairdryer to the hot setting and let it dry your garment.
This method is incredible for traveling, especially if you have a limited supply of appliances and need a quick fix. The hairdryer method works best for fabrics such as cotton and polyester as their easier to flatten out.
5. De-wrinkle While You Shower
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Are you running late and need a quick way to flatten out the wrinkles of your clothes? Doing it while you shower is one of the best methods to remove wrinkles from your clothes.
As you shower, you need to turn the water into the hottest setting. Make sure that the temperature is still bearable for you and won’t burn your skin.
Put up your clothes with hangers and let the steam of the water flatten out the wrinkles.
If you don’t want water spots in your clothes, you can put them far away from where the water can hit them directly.
Note that this method has a greater result on smaller wrinkles. If you can, use a hairdryer before putting your clothes on to remove the dampness.
6. Use a Dryer
The good news about this method is you can do this before storing your clothes. Before putting your clothes into the cabinets or drawers, you can do this hack to ensure they have no wrinkles.
Before you use the dryer, make sure to check if your clothes are safe for machine dry. Then, put in the damp clothes inside.
If you are doing this with dry clothes that are not fresh from the washer, you can toss in a damp towel with your clothes. Once the towel and clothes are inside the dryer, let it run for around 15 minutes.
The steam from the damp towel will help de-wrinkle your clothing. You can either let the clothes dry out under the sun or use a hairdryer for a faster process.
7. Flat-it out with Flat Iron
The flat iron is not only good for flattening your hair, but it’s also a great tool to remove wrinkles on your shirt. With this tool, you can either damp the clothes with a spray bottle or do it while the clothes are dry.
Note that before using your flat iron, make sure that the metal that’s in contact with your garment is clean to ensure there is no staining from dirt and grime. You clean your flat iron by putting a little bit of alcohol on a cotton ball and rubbing it all across the surface.
8. Buy a Wrinkle Release Spray
Wrinkle release spray is a great product if you want to travel and can’t bring your clothing iron. This tool is constructed to remove wrinkles in a pinch.
Although, it can be less effective for larger areas and heavy fabrics. Make sure that if you are going to use this product, your clothes are easy to flatten out.
9. Make Your Own Wrinkle Release Spray with Vinegar
Wrinkle release sprays are widely available for general consumers albeit a little bit pricey. If you can’t afford this product, making your own is a great alternative.
By creating your do-it-yourself spray with vinegar, you can ensure a cheap and chemical-free substitute.
To do this method, mix one-part vinegar with three parts of water in a spray bottle.
Spray the wrinkled part of your clothes until it’s damp and let it sit. If you have a blow dryer, use it to accelerate the drying time.
10. Use a Damp Towel
This method is among the easy ones, take a damp towel and put it on top of your wrinkled clothing.
Let the towel sit for a minute, then press it against the clothes underneath.
The pressure from your hands will act as a makeshift iron while the dampness of the towel will make the flatting out easier.
11. Flatten out Your Clothes with a Mattress
This is great while you are traveling and want to do two tasks simultaneously. Roll up your garment like a burrito and place it underneath the mattress. Sleep on the mattress overnight and let your body press down overnight.
That’s it! You will have wrinkle-free clothing by the morning.
Note that some discomfort might happen while having an item under your mattress. We recommend that you place the garment under the top or bottom part of the mattress to minimize discomfort.
Tips to Minimize Wrinkles
As the saying goes, prevention is better than cure. In this section of the article, we will tell you all about how to minimize wrinkles on your clothes and make the ironing process much easier.
Don’t Stack Wet Clothing
Improperly storing your clothes during laundry will result in wrinkles in your clothes. Letting your wet clothes stack on each other while damp will guarantee very wrinkled clothing.
After rinsing, you should put the cloths on a clothing hanger and hang them to dry out. This method is the best way to minimize wrinkles while drying your clothes. This
Minimize using Machine Dryers
If possible, also minimize the use of dryers. The constant pressure and friction from the dryers’ spinning cycle can cause wrinkles.
Opting for air-drying your clothes is an excellent alternative.
Store Your Clothes Properly
Minimize folding when storing your clothes. Folding the garments and stacking them against each other will cause marks to form. Instead, roll them up like a burrito to minimize the wrinkles.
If you have a closet with hanging bars on it, that can also work great too.
In Conclusion
No one wants to go out to the world looking like their clothes have gone through so much. Wrinkles can send out the message of not caring enough and being unkempt. With this article on how to get wrinkles out of your clothes, we hope to help you go out into the world with a nicer-looking outfit.
If you have more questions about clothing and fashion in general, be sure to comment them down below.
Jessica Oliver is a fashion enthusiast with more than ten years of experience in the industry. She previously managed her own clothing store in New York before becoming a mother of three. With a passion for sustainability and a desire to share clothing care and recycling tips.