A blazer is one of the most versatile items in your closet. It dresses up jeans for date night, and it adds that professional touch for meetings -- both the business and parent-teacher-conference variety. But in most closets, a blazer is not a wash-and-go garment. You can’t just throw it in the dryer with a damp cloth and hope for the best. Love it or hate it, ironing is a must. So pull out the ironing board and get ready to eliminate wrinkles and set those crisp blazer lines with an ironing technique that would make Martha Stewart proud.

Check the blazer for any dirt, spots or sweat stains. Just in case you -- or your mini me -- spilled something on it and you didn’t realize, it’s best to give the jacket a once over. Pressed heat turns a coffee spot into a coffee stain.

Add water to the iron if you have a steam setting. A little water mist is a simple solution for stubborn wrinkles. A spray bottle also works.

Turn on the iron and turn the dial to the correct setting. Use a cool setting for synthetic fibers, such as acrylic, acetate, nylon and silk polyester. If your blazer is a polyester blend or wool, you want the cool-warm setting. For linen, cotton or denim, turn the temperature up to hot.

Test the iron on the ironing board to ensure it’s gunk-free. If you’re using a steam setting, test that, too. If you notice any white deposits on the ironing board, stop! That means your iron likely has calcium build up and needs to be cleaned with equal parts white vinegar and water.

Choose your side. If your blazer is made from a delicate fabric or has embroidery or other embellishments on it, flip it inside out to iron. For other fabrics, right-side up is best.

Start with the shoulders, unless the blazer sports shoulder pads. Ironing over shoulder pads is a laundering "don’t"; the outline of the shoulder pads will be pressed into the jacket.

Drape the shoulder area of the blazer over the pointed end of the ironing board. Place a clean cloth over the blazer to protect the fabric from shine that can come from ironing the fabric directly. Spritz with water.

Run the iron back and forth over the shoulders in a smooth motion.

Lay one sleeve out on the ironing board, lining up any seams. Move the iron from shoulder to cuff. Flip the sleeve over and iron. Repeat on the other sleeve.

Spread the body of the jacket across the board. Pull out any pockets. Begin ironing on the inner left side of the jacket, near the lapels. Continue ironing out to the back of the jacket and around to the right side, pulling the fabric away from your body as you go.

Flip the collar up and iron from the left edge up to the middle of the collar and back down to the right edge. Run the iron gently over any lapels.