How to Get Set-In Wrinkles Out of Polyester Clothing

Use a cool iron to avoid melting polyester fibers.

Polyester is a practical fabric. It holds up against everyday wear and tear and is comfortable for wearers. One of the only downsides to polyester is that wrinkles can be difficult to press out, once they become established. Because it is a synthetic fabric, its fibers can melt when exposed to high heat, so special care must be taken when removing wrinkles from polyester clothing.

Things You'll Need

• Wet cloth
• Ironing board (optional)
• Iron

Instructions

1. First wash the garment. Regardless of whether the item is already clean or not, washing the item will help in the ironing process. Wash the item according to the care label, then place the garment inside the dryer and dry normally.

2. Remove the garment from the dryer. Turn the garment inside out. Lay the garment on an ironing board or flat clean surface. When ironing polyester, it is best to iron on the "wrong" side because this prevents iron marks from getting on the fabric.

3. Turn your iron on the lowest setting or on a "Cool" setting if available. Start from the top of the garment and work your way down by pressing with a side to side motion. When you get to the "permanent" wrinkles, press down hard and move slowly. This process may have to be repeated several times to achieve smoothness.

4. Sometimes items are wrinkled so badly that they require wetting. Place a small amount of water on top of the wrinkle and allow the water to soak in. You may need to blot the garment with a wet cloth to get the water to saturate. Iron over the wrinkle while it is wet if it is particularly stubborn.

Tips & Warnings

• Steaming may be effective on a moderately wrinkled polyester garment.

• Avoid overloading the washer and dryer to prevent set-in wrinkles.

• Make sure that the garment is turned inside out and ironed on that side. Polyester can burn easily and ironing on the normal side can cause iron marks to show.

References

• Shop Well With You: Fabric Care Guide
• Good Housekeeping: Hints from Heloise - Getting Wrinkles Out of Polyester
• Made Man: How to Get Wrinkles Out of Polyester