Hectic schedules, travel and lack of storage space can wrinkle your clothes and leave you with last-minute wardrobe emergencies. Whether you lack the time or need to figure out how to get wrinkles out of chiffon or some other fabric that cannot be ironed, you can skip the iron and board and try a few basic shortcuts to revive your garments.
Use Shower Steam
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Harness the steam from your shower to do all of the hard work for you. Many lightweight fabrics such as chiffon or cotton respond well to gravity and steam when paired together. Hang your wrinkled garment in the bathroom, close the door and let the steam build up while you take a hot shower for about 10 minutes.
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This process can take up to 15 minutes to produce a hot, steamy room ready to release those wrinkles, advises Sewing is Cool. Keep the door closed even after you're done showering, and give the garment an extra 10 minutes to soften and straighten out.
Remove Wrinkles With Steam
The steam from your stovetop or electric kettle provides the perfect spot treatment on small creases or wrinkles, advises Who What Wear. Bring your kettle to a boil and then turn off the heat. Hold the wrinkled garment about a foot from the steaming spout. The heat and steam loosen wrinkles in a snap. Don't use this technique on heat-sensitive fabrics such as silk.
Use a Blow Dryer
Make your blow dryer work overtime and remove stubborn wrinkles. Dampen the wrinkled garment and then place it on a hanger. Turn your blow dryer on low heat and medium air flow. Hold the blow dryer a couple of inches from the garment and allow the heat and moisture to smooth the fabric. This technique works well on cotton or linen fabrics that wrinkle easily and need a refresh.
Hang Up Damp Clothing
Wrinkles multiply when an item sits too long at the bottom of a finished load of damp clothes. Prevent this inconvenience by hanging up the damp garment right after the wash cycle. Alternatively, place dryer-friendly fabrics, such as synthetic blends and pre-shrunk cotton, into the dryer on low heat. The warmth and movement in the dryer smooth fabrics, leaving them fluffed and primed for showtime. Just be sure to remove them from the finished drying cycle promptly.
You can remove persistent wrinkles even if the garment is already dry. Hang up the garment on a sturdy wooden or felt hanger. Spritz the fabric with water from a spray bottle. Fully dampen any areas that need extra wrinkle removal. Leave the garment hanging, and the wrinkles will fall out as the fabric dries.
Wrinkle Release Sprays
Commercial wrinkle release sprays soften out wrinkles in less time, and work best on cotton-blend fabrics. Many of these sprays leave behind a fresh laundry scent for busy or traveling people, and don't require a day of drying or steaming for you to have a wrinkle-free blouse. These sprays are not made for silks or delicate fabrics.
Use a Flat Iron
Another hair styling tool that can double as an impromptu wrinkle releaser is the trusty flat iron. This tool works best on areas that are hard to iron, such as collars or between buttons on cotton dress shirts. Make sure the flat iron is free of hair products to keep them off your clothing.
To avoid burning your garments, only apply the heat to small areas, and leave the tool in place for just a couple of seconds. Avoid applying a flat iron to any heat-sensitive fabrics such as brocades or silks.