How to get wrinkles out without an iron

Why heat and moisture release wrinkles

Cotton, linen and rayon are made of cellulose, and the long molecules in those fibers are held in shape by a network of weak bonds. When the fabric is bent while damp or warm, those bonds let go and reform in the bent position, and the crease stays after the fabric cools. Moisture and heat loosen the same bonds again. If the fabric is then held straight while it dries and cools, it sets flat instead. That is the whole principle behind a steam iron, and every method in this guide borrows one part of it.

Different fibers respond differently. Wool is springy and releases wrinkles readily in steam, often without any pressing at all. Polyester resists wrinkling in the first place but can hold a heat set crease stubbornly, so it wants gentle steam rather than high heat. Linen wrinkles the fastest of all and will never stay perfectly smooth once you sit down in it. Knowing which fiber you are dealing with tells you how much effort is worth spending, and the care label is the quickest way to find out.

Use a clothes steamer or garment steamer

A handheld or standing garment steamer is the most reliable way to get wrinkles out without an iron, and it is gentler on delicate fabrics because the hot plate never touches the cloth. Rowenta, which makes both steamers and irons, recommends steamers for lightweight blouses, knits, dresses, linen and delicate fabrics such as silk, and irons for heavy fabrics and anything that needs a sharp crease. Fill the tank with the water the maker specifies; many recommend distilled water to limit mineral buildup. The steps below cover a quick touch up; our full guide to steaming clothes goes fabric by fabric.

1. 01

   Hang the garment on a sturdy hanger

   Use a hanger that holds the shoulders out, and hang it from a door frame, shower rod or the steamer's own pole. The fabric should fall freely with space around it. A garment that is bunched against a wall will simply get damp without smoothing.

2. 02

   Test the steam away from your body

   Point the head away from you and let the first burst of steam and any spitting water escape into the air. Conair's instructions warn that the steam can burn skin, scalp or eyes if used too close, which is also why you should never steam a garment while you are wearing it.

3. 03

   Pull the fabric taut and work slowly

   Hold the hem with one hand and gently pull down so the cloth is under light tension. Keep the head about 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5 cm) from the fabric and draw it slowly along the wrinkle in long strokes.

   CheckYou should see the crease soften and fall out as the steam passes over it; if it does not, slow down rather than pressing the head into the cloth.

4. 04

   Do the details from the inside

   For collars, cuffs and plackets, steam from the inside of the garment and keep your fingers well clear of the steam's path, since the heat comes straight through a single layer of shirting. Seams and double layers need a little longer because the steam has to pass through more cloth.

5. 05

   Let it dry on the hanger

   Leave the garment hanging for 10 minutes or so before wearing it. Damp fabric creases again the moment you sit down, and the smoothing only sets once the moisture has left.

Hang it in a steamy bathroom

With no steamer, the bathroom becomes one. Hang the garment on a good hanger as far from the spray as you can while still keeping it inside the room, close the door and run the shower hot. Stay out of the way yourself or take your own shower; what you want is a room full of warm, damp air for the length of a normal shower and a few minutes beyond. When you come out, smooth the fabric with flat palms, tug the seams gently straight, and then move it to a dry, airy spot to finish drying.

Shower steam works best on wool, rayon, crepe, knit dresses and anything with soft, rounded creases from folding. It is the method Woolmark suggests for refreshing wool trousers. It will not do much for a sharply folded cotton shirt or a crushed linen jacket, because the air is not hot enough to release deep creases in cellulose. It also makes the whole garment slightly damp, so allow time for it to dry before you put it on.

Use the dryer with a damp towel

If the care label allows tumble drying, the dryer can create its own steam. Put the wrinkled garment in with a clean towel or a couple of washcloths that are damp but not dripping, and run the dryer on medium heat for about 10 to 15 minutes. Many newer dryers have a steam or refresh cycle that does the same thing with a small spray of water. A few ice cubes are a common substitute for the towel; they melt and turn to steam, though the towel gives more even results.

The timing matters more than the heat. Take the garment out the moment the cycle ends and hang it or put it on straight away, because clothes left to cool in a heap in the drum wrinkle all over again. Do not use this method for wool, silk, anything marked do not tumble dry or anything that is not fully preshrunk. Woolmark is clear that tumble drying wool without a label that permits it risks shrinkage, and a hot drum is the fastest way to lose a size in a cotton knit. If you are unsure what the symbols on the tag permit, our guide to reading laundry symbols explains the dryer squares.

Mist, smooth and hang

For light wrinkles, a spray bottle of plain water is often enough. Hang the garment, mist the creased areas until they are just damp to the touch, then smooth them with your palms and give the hem and side seams a gentle downward pull. Gravity finishes the job as the fabric dries, which is why the hanger matters: a shaped one that fills the shoulders does far more than a thin wire one, as our guide to hanging clothes explains. Commercial wrinkle release sprays work on the same idea with a little added softening agent; test one on an inside seam first, and avoid spraying silk, which can water spot, unless you are prepared to mist the whole panel evenly.

Two tools from the bathroom help with the details. A hair dryer on a warm setting, held several inches from lightly misted fabric, speeds the drying and helps set the smoothing. A clean hair straightener on its lowest setting can press a collar point or a placket in a pinch, provided the plates are free of product residue, which would mark the fabric. Keep it moving and never use it on synthetics or anything with a print, which can melt or lift.

Steamer vs iron: match the method to the fabric

The honest comparison of clothes steamer vs iron is that a steamer relaxes fabric while an iron presses it. Steam, in any of its forms, is ideal for knits, dresses, wool, silk and anything with drape. An iron on an ironing board is still the right tool for a crisp dress shirt, pleats, trouser creases and heavy cotton, because those finishes depend on pressure as well as heat. If you have an important shirt and access to an iron later, our guide on how to iron a shirt covers the order that saves the most time.

Linen deserves its own note. You can steam out the worst of it, but linen wrinkles again as soon as you move, and a little softness is part of the fabric's character; our guide to washing linen explains how to dry it so it comes out smoother to begin with. For wool, a steamer or the bathroom is gentler than an iron, and our guide to washing wool covers the rest of its care. For travel, prevention does more than any fix: roll knits, fold shirts around each other, and unpack and hang everything on arrival, as described in our guide to packing a suitcase.