Luckily, you don’t really need an iron to get wrinkles out of clothes. In fact, many clothing care hacks require far less effort and time. It won’t even need a trip to the dry cleaner or for you to spend much, if any, money. However, the easiest way to get rid of wrinkles is to prevent them in the first place. After all, clothing doesn’t just wrinkle on its own. Leaving your hot clothing in the dryer longer than necessary and letting it cool in a pile guarantees a wrinkled mess. So be sure to remove clothing from the dryer when it’s still warm, then fold or properly store items on a hanger as soon as possible to avoid wrinkles. Keep in mind: You should exercise all of these hacks with caution and read the label on your garment first. Place the garment in the dryer, preferably with a damp, but not soaking wet, towel. This will create steam and release the wrinkles. A washcloth can also work, especially if you are trying to remove wrinkles from just one small item. Put the dryer on a high setting for five to 10 minutes. Remove the item as soon as the cycle is finished, or it will wrinkle again. Then either wear it or put it on a hanger. RELATED: How to Remove Every Type of Stain, in One Simple Chart Turn on the hair dryer and focus the heat on the most wrinkled sections of the garment. You can also hand smooth, if needed. Just make sure that you don’t hold the dryer too close to your clothing and risk burning the fabric. Before turning the flat iron on, it’s important to make sure the plates are clean and free of any product that can stain your clothing. Even if the plates don’t appear dirty, clean them off with rubbing alcohol before doing anything else. Then make sure you are using the proper settings: For delicates and silk, use a low temperature; for sweaters and thicker fabrics, a warmer temperature will work best. RELATED: The Best Mini Stain Removers to Tuck into Your Purse or Carry-On Bag If water spots on the fabric are a real concern, you can always keep the hanger on a towel rack or hook outside of the shower. If this is the case, turn up your shower all the way and let the room get steamy. Then leave the water on for approximately 10 minutes, and when you come back, the outfit will be ready to wear. Keep in mind that this isn’t the most environmentally friendly method of steaming out your clothing, so try not to keep the hot water running for too long. And don’t forget to shut the door and windows. RELATED: 5 Laundry Products That Help You Save Money—and the Planet If you don’t have fabric softener on hand but have a little extra time for the garment to dry, you can use one part white vinegar to three parts water. Combine in a spray bottle, apply it to your clothing, and then let it dry. The wrinkles should disappear. If you don’t want to smell like vinegar, add a drop of your favorite essential oil (citrus scents are ideal) to cut the odor. But don’t add too much oil because it can cause staining.
