How to Steam a Shirt

Steaming shirts helps ease out wrinkles and refreshes fabric.

Ironing and steaming shirts takes patience and careful attention to detail. Steaming a shirt is a fantastic way to remove wrinkles, refresh fabric and create an even, smooth finish to the garment. The moisture from the iron helps remove set-in wrinkles, which can be difficult to remove from linen and cotton shirts. Steam also helps create even creases and finishing touches to a shirt.

Things You'll Need

• Ironing board
• Iron with steam function
• Towel

Instructions

1. Spritz the shirt with water to moisten the whole garment. Roll the shirt up and wrap in a towel. Let the shirt sit in the towel for about 10 minutes. This step is only necessary if the shirt is made of linen or has deep-set wrinkles in the fabric.

2. Fill the iron with distilled water, to avoid calcium and mineral buildup. Turn the iron on to the setting which corresponds with the fabric, for example cotton or wool. Allow the iron to heat up and turn on the steam function.

3. Remove the shirt from the towel. Lay the shirt down on the ironing board with the front of the shirt facing up. Press and steam the inside of the collar where it will rest against your neck first. Turn the shirt over, with the back of the shirt now facing up and steam the outside of the collar.

4. Take one sleeve and lay it flat on the ironing board. Look for the crease that will hit the top of the shoulder and make sure to lay the sleeve down with the sleeve folded where the crease should hit the shoulder. Steam the sleeve carefully and slowly, making sure both layers of the sleeve fabric remain flat on the ironing board. Repeat with the other sleeve.

5. Steam the main body of the shirt. For a button-up shirt, take one side of the front and lay it on the ironing board with the rest of the body of the shirt draping over the side of the board. Steam the first side, going around the collar carefully to avoid adding a crease in that area. Repeat for the other breast of the shirt.

6. Steam the back of the shirt. Place the back of the shirt flat on the ironing board with the two front sections draping over the side of the board. Steam the back, once again ensuring the fabric remains flat on the ironing board.

Tips & Warnings

• Spritz the shirt with fabric starch before steaming to get a crisp look.

• Refrain from putting the iron on a setting too hot for the fabric, as this can burn the fabric.

References

• Garment Care: How to Iron a Shirt Like a Pro