Polyester is a very common and convenient fabric that is widely used today. Despite all the benefits of using it, there is one huge disadvantage. Yes, if now you are thinking about the wrinkles then you are right!
To learn how to get wrinkles out of polyester and keep your apparel neat and tidy, this article will be a great help for you.
Can You Iron Polyester?
Shortly speaking, yes, you can iron this fabric. However, if you need to do this, remember to follow simple ironing recommendations so that your polyester item remains good-looking and of decent quality.
First of all, all polyester clothes must be ironed using low temperature settings only (around 300F or even lower)! Since the material is actually thermoplastic, it will simply melt if you put a hot iron on it! And anyway, this fabric is wrinkle-resistant so the worst that can happen is that you have it slightly creased, and for that, you don’t need a super hot iron.
The second nuance you need to keep in mind when ironing polyester is that this fabric must be ironed only when turned inside out. In addition, always make use of a damp iron cloth placed over the piece of clothing you are about to iron. Like that, the garment will remain safe.
Is Polyester Iron Safe?
Generally speaking, yes, polyester can be called iron safe but only if we follow the basic ironing instructions and rules! Fortunately, they are not difficult to memorize at all.
- You must use low heat settings only
- Use dampened pressing cloth for ironing
- Don’t leave your iron in the same spot since the fabric will melt
- Dampen your polyester item slightly before ironing
- Test the iron temperature before using it
If all these rules are followed precisely, your polyester garment will be safe and sound.
Why Can’t You Iron Polyester?
Well, it’s not actually that you can’t iron it. It is more that you can’t do this under certain conditions. See, due to the specifics of its manufacturing, this fabric can’t stand heat so using a hot iron is prohibited. This is why a myth appeared that polyester can’t be ironed at all. And perhaps because polyester is basically wrinkle-resistant, too.
But since the material does tend to crease a bit, it still needs some light ironing now and then. Only ensure you are using a low-heat iron setting and a damp pressing cloth, and there will be nothing to worry about.
What Setting To Iron Polyester?
To keep your garment in a proper condition, double-check the iron settings each time before you start ironing polyester.
- The temperature must be around 300F or lower (use cool to warm regime)
- Start ironing on the lowest temperature setting and if needed, rise it a bit
And always remember to test the iron on the corner or a reverse side of the apparel first! Like this, you will see whether the level of heat is OK or not.
What Temperature To Iron Polyester?
Different irons have different scales displaying the temperature settings. But no iron shows it in degrees unfortunately. So to be absolutely sure that you are using the correct heat regime, opt for a one-dot setting (if your iron use dots to indicate temperature).
You can raise it up to two dots, but only if you see that the colder setting doesn’t work well, and only after you test the iron on the corner of your apparel.
How To Iron Polyester Dress?
To iron a dress made of polyester, follow a few simple recommendations:
- Turn the garment inside out
- Dampen it slightly by pulverizing with water. The dress must not be wet or soaked through!
- Prepare a damp pressing cloth
- Set the iron to the lowest heat
- Cover the dress with the pressing cloth and iron as usual
If you see that the crease won’t go away, set the iron to the medium heat and test it on the corner (or a reverse side) of the dress. If the fabric is OK with that temperature, iron it whole using it.
How To Iron Polyester Pants?
No matter what polyester item you are ironing, the rules will remain the same. Set the iron to the low heat regime. Turn the garment inside out, pulverize it with water a bit, cover your pants with a damp pressing cloth, and iron them.
Can You Iron Polyester Flag?
If you need to get rid of wrinkles after washing on your flag, ironing is the only option even though the item is made of polyester. To successfully iron your flag, do the following:
- Fill the iron reservoir with water
- Set the iron to the lowest heat regime
- Stretch one end of the flag over the iron board and smooth it to delete wrinkles
- Iron it slowly with the medium pressure
- When done, hang the flag up and let it cool down
Can You Iron Polyester with Graphics or Prints?
Cleaning polyester garments with graphics, prints or logos means top attention towards the product and prints that are on the fabric. Up-close heat can also ruin the prints on the garment, and this makes it weary to wear them. To iron such items safely, consider the following steps:
- Turn the Garment Inside Out: Turn the print side inside the garment before ironing the clothes in the correct side of the fabric. This puts an imperative role in designing it slightly off the heat source so as minimize on the chances of it getting damaged.
- Use a Protective Cloth: Lay another thin cloth and damp cloth or pressing cloth over the area of the image that will contain this graphic. This barrier prevents the iron directly pressing on to the print thus offering an even effect without actually scorching.
- Set the Iron to Low Heat: Polyester is a material which is affected by high temperatures. Do not use high heat setting because this isn’t good for the garment and the design; instead, use low or synthetic setting.
- Avoid Steam: Heat and steam can affect the adhesives used in some prints. To retain the look of the design, it’s best to iron the fabric without using the feature of steaming.
- Iron with Care: Iron lightly over the protected area by sliding the iron platewards and avoiding pressure on the particular area. It helps in avoiding what seems to be acommon tendency when developing an idea in garment making – overheating of some parts of the garment.
If you adhere to these measures, you will be able to eliminate wrinkles from each polyester apparel that has applied graphic or prints without compromising on the brilliant hues of the added graphics or prints.
How to Iron Polyester Without Causing Damage to It
Quite a lot of synthetic fabrics have the same irritating drawback that turns modest housewives crazy every time they have to deal with it. It’s those nasty wrinkles!
Once you ironed your dress or a blouse, it looks so nice and charming, but just give it a try and sit on a bench or lean onto something, and you will see the slattern gathers on your garment.
Does polyester wrinkle? No matter what people may say, polyester can get wrinkled, however, not so much as some of the natural fabrics like linen, for example.
Its tendency for wrinkling depends on whether it is a 100% pure polyester or a mix of this fabric with some other fibers. And of course, the methods used for making the fabric matter.
Is ironing polyester allowed, you may ask? Indeed, synthetic fabrics are far more sensitive when it comes to ironing and they require a more careful attitude and more attention.
Some say that ironing polyester is strictly forbidden but in fact, when being done correctly following the safety instructions, it is absolutely harmless to your synthetic apparel.
How to iron polyester dress or any other garment without turning it into a mess?
- If you noticed any gatherings on the polyester item after washing and drying it, turn the apparel inside out first.
- Lay it on the ironing board and ensure it is spread evenly without any extra gatherings. Be especially meticulous with the wrinkled areas!
- Take a cloth, dampen it and cover the garment with it.
- Iron on the damp cover directly avoiding touching the fabric itself as it can melt under the influence of the heat of an iron.
- As a variant, you could take a dry cloth, spread it over the garment and spray with water over the shrunken zones.
If you don’t have a special cover for ironing to get wrinkles out of polyester, feel free to use any clean cotton towel, napkin or even a handkerchief.
Remember to hang the garment on the hanger the second you are finished with ironing it to prevent any new wrinkles from appearing!
How to Get Wrinkles Out Of Polyester Without an Iron?
Have you ever thought that it is in fact possible to unwrinkle the polyester apparel without even ironing it? But it is true! And here is how you can do it.
Use your shower
Can’t get wrinkles out of polyester? Your shower may help! Yes, simply it.
Take the synthetic apparel to the bathroom, close all the windows (if there are any) and the door to keep the warmth and moisture inside, and hang the garment on the shower rod. After 10 or 15 minutes, the fabric will start de-wrinkling or, depending on how badly wrinkled it was before, it will be ready to be put on.
Dryer de-wrinkler
A tumble-dryer is another option. To use it, mix together one part of any fabric softener good for synthetics and three parts water, pulverize it over the gatherings, put the apparel into the barrel together with a damp towel and start the dryer for ten minutes.
If the crinkles are not gone, repeat the cycle again.
As a variant, try to simply pulverize the unwrinkling mixture over the garment and hang it up to dry.
Getting wrinkles out of polyester using a hairdryer
Probably the fastest way to get rid of the crinkles is to turn on the hairdryer, direct the airflow to the areas that need to be treated and see how they are vanishing.
Damp towels method
To destroy the corrugations, lay the apparel on the flat and firm surface like a tabletop, take a damp towel and, pressing it carefully, treat the shrunken areas with it.
Hang your item to dry and straighten itself.
Vinegar solution for unwrinkling
To remove wrinkles from polyester, prepare a vinegar and water solution using one part vinegar and three parts water. Pulverize it over the corrugations and hang the apparel to dry.
All of these methods are easy to do and none of them requires any special or expensive means and products to treat the wrinkles. To choose the best one that fits your polyester garment, try them all to see how each of them works on a particular item.
Iron Settings For Polyester
As a synthetic fabric, polyester must be ironed at the temperature of 148 degrees Celsius which is 300 degrees Fahrenheit to remove polyester wrinkles.
In the iron ring, choose the setting number three and be sure you are using a good steam iron!
Steaming Polyester. Instruction And Advice
Except for ironing and different homemade methods of removing wrinkles out of polyester, there is one more approach that you can try at home.
Steaming. Can you steam polyester? Yes, why not? Simply take a kitchen teapot or electric kettle with water, boil it till it starts to produce a lot of steam and then hold your wrinkled synthetic garment about twelve inches away from the steam letting it treat the gatherings on the fabric.
How to Get Wrinkles Out Of 100% Polyester?
To treat the 100% polyester fabric, start with washing the item in cold water with a mild washing agent using a gentle cycle.
After the wash is finished, take the garment out, shake and hang-dry.
Then you can iron the apparel using the lowest heat setting (note that some irons have a polyester regime) until the gatherings are gone. Another option is to use a special steamer for fabrics.
Hope these tips will help your garments to be always fresh and neat!
