How to Remove Wrinkles From Clothing

Nothing kills your look like wrinkled clothing. In many cases, ironing is your best option, particularly for deep-set wrinkles or for garments made out of cotton or linen. There are some alternative techniques for removing wrinkles and creases from your garments quickly and simply. After removing wrinkles, keep your clothing wrinkle-free by hanging it, rolling it when you pack or stacking it in your dresser with thin sheets of tissue paper between each piece.

Ironing Wrinkled Clothing

Step 1

Consult the tags of your clothing to check for any restrictions in regard to ironing the fabric. In general, you should not use a hot iron on garments that you must lay flat to dry.

Step 2

Fill the iron with distilled water if it has a reservoir. Plug in the iron, set it and wait for it to heat up.

Step 3

Place the wrinkled clothing inside out on the ironing board, aligning the seams with the edge of the board. Iron rayon clothing right-side out.

Step 4

Iron the larger areas first, working toward the seams, edges, corners and any pleats or trim. You can spray stubborn wrinkles with water if necessary.

Moistening the Garment

Step 1

Add moisture to garments that do not specify dry clean only. The quickest and easiest method involves dampening your hands. Dip your hands in cool water and shake off excess drips.

Step 2

Wipe your hands down the length of the garment, smoothing out creases, tucking in pockets and straightening pleats.

Step 3

Hang your garment to dry or lay it flat between two clean towels.

Softening Wrinkled Fabric

Step 1

Soften the garment if it has deeper wrinkles. Try a commercial wrinkle release spray or concoct your own solution using liquid fabric softener. Mix a small amount of fabric softener into a spray bottle filled with water.

Step 2

Test the wrinkle release spray or fabric softener on an inside patch of the garment to ensure that it does not leave spots or stains after it dries. In general, this method does not work well with silk, satin or black fabric.

Step 3

Spray the wrinkled fabric without saturating it. Smooth the fabric with your hands, pulling on any deeper creases.

Heating Wrinkled Clothing

Step 1

Heat the garment to create a smoother appearance. If you have the time and the resources, a dryer delivers a more polished look than merely dampening and straightening the fabric. Put your wrinkled clothing in the dryer.

Step 2

Toss a damp dish towel or sock into the dryer. Avoid drying clothing on hot settings, which result in more wrinkles. Place the dryer on a fluff or medium setting and remove the clothing in 10 to 15 minutes. If you do not have a dryer available, you can direct a hair dryer onto the dampened clothing or just lay the clothing flat between two towels.