Remove & Prevent Creases
Nobody likes clothes that are a rumpled and crumbled old mess. Even if it’s the height of fashion and you’re attempting to make some kind of bold statement, trust us, pleats are good, creases aren’t. Unless they’re the deliberate kind creating a sharply tailored trouser leg, in which case, unless you get them exactly point perfect, again forget it. Wrinkles in clothes are best avoided at all costs.
There are plenty of ways you can remove and prevent creases, from clothes steamers to steam irons, to expertly lying out your laundry over a clothes drying rack. Let’s take a look at some of the best ways to remove and prevent creases.
Grab Your Iron And Ironing Board
Bit of a no brainer this one, but the singularly most successful way of removing creases in clothes is to set up the ironing board, grab your iron and get to work smoothing out those wrinkles. Ironing isn’t everyone’s favorite chore, so maybe pop on some tunes or a podcast to keep yourself amused. Be sure to select the most appropriate heat setting and if you have a steam function, then add some water and set it to spritz more stubborn creases with a hot shot of steam. Fabrics like denim and heavy cotton will respond better to this extra level of treatment.
Invest In A Steamer
Whether you go for a larger free-standing steamer or a smaller, portable handheld type, both are excellent options when it comes to removing creases, especially if you’re one of the many people who loathe ironing. Besides de-crinkling your clothes so that you look altogether more respectable when you leave the house, many clothes steamers also feature an additional deodorizing function, helping to keep clothes fresher in between washes. It’s like giving your clothes the five-star dry cleaning treatment from home but for a fraction of the price you’d spend annually on cleaning bills. They’re easy to use and don’t require setting up a cumbersome ironing board either so ideal if you just have the one item to steam, rather than a laundry load of weekly ironing to soldier through. Steamers are great options for what we’d call “occasional” pieces.
De-Wrinkle Using Your Tumble Dryer
We know that the tumble dryer has a notoriously bad reputation for actually putting wrinkles into clothes, but if you try and create a steamy environment inside your drum by placing your dry creased items in with something wet like a hand towel, you should be able to eliminate most of the wrinkles successfully. Just pop your dryer on to a quick 5-10 minute spin and let it work its magic. Knowing how to use your tumble dryer correctly will also help prevent as well as remove creases.
The Shower Trick
This is a bit of an old wives’ tale and while it works, to a limited degree, it’s not the most reliable hack on today’s list! First up, you’re going to need a really hot shower to try and create any semblance of steam. So windows shut and air ventilator off! If you’re really desperate and don’t have access to an iron or a clothes steamer, you might get some of the creases to drop using this technique. Better still, if you prime your clothes this way then lie them out on a flat dry surface and smooth the fabric from the center out to the edges firmly with your hands, you’ll have a much better chance of removing some of the more stubborn creases.
The other option you have is trying to and eliminate wrinkles from appearing in the first place. Knowing how to dry your clothes effectively so that creases are minimized will help. So let’s move on next to look at the smart way to dry your clothes.
Loading Your Dryer Correctly
Did you know that there’s actually a technique you can follow that will prevent your clothes from coming out of the dryer looking like they’ve just done ten rounds with Mike Tyson? It’s called a tumble dryer for a reason. Your clothes should have ample space to tumble around, which means resisting the temptation to overfill your machine. The more you overstuff with clothes, the likely they are to come out a wrinkled old mess. When you first remove clothes from your machine, they’re also likely to be twisted from the fast action torque spin of that final setting. So take them out and give them a really good shake first before putting them back into the dryer. Don’t be in a rush to heat your clothes either. The best setting to use if you want to prevent creases is a medium heat cycle, followed by a cooling down cycle to help those wrinkles fully release.
Hang Or Fold Clothes Immediately
This can be challenging as many people stick a load of washing on, then head out for the day or pop their clothes in the tumble dryer then get sidetracked doing something else, completely forgetting about the laundry. Without a shadow of a doubt, the best way of preventing creases is to remove your clothes immediately and neatly fold them or hang them straight onto clothes hangers. That way, they will be halfway prepared, crisp and ready for a quick blast with the handheld steamer when you get a chance.
Air Dry Clothes
Your other option is to skip the dryer and air dry your clothes. This works exceptionally well with dress shirts, particularly if you want to achieve a clean and pristine finish. Hang them up to dry and while they’re still a little bit damp, iron or steam them, which will result in a lovely, professionally pressed look.
Use A Water Spritz
This is a very simple but basic hack and it really does work. Just fill spritz bottle with water from the tap and simply spray the affected wrinkle. Lay the garment out flat or place it on a coat hanger and use your hands to smooth out the affected area. As the water dries, you should see the crease naturally disappear.
For Even Longer Lasting Results, Use Starch
If you have a sizeable pile of laundry to get through and you’ve gone to the trouble to set up the ironing board, then consider using some starch or a product called sizing, which can be used on fabrics to create a stiff but crease-free overall finish. Both deliver longer-lasting results than ironing alone, which is great news all round.
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