How to iron dresses made from different types of materials: from silk to leatherette

Do you think that there can never be too many dresses in a real woman’s wardrobe? Then you probably have a whole collection that needs to be looked after. And each piece requires its own approach: washing and ironing a dress made of chiffon and, say, leatherette in the same way is simply unacceptable! Then how to iron items made from different types of fabrics? Don't worry: we'll tell you everything.

How to iron a wool dress

If you think that after washing and drying the risk of shrinkage of a woolen dress has disappeared and it will no longer be possible to ruin the clothes, then you are mistaken: by ironing a woolen product incorrectly, you can deform it, as well as completely deprive it of its presentation. What needs to be done to avoid all this?

• Iron the dress only through gauze or cotton fabric, and the fabric must be slightly moistened in advance.
• Iron only from the wrong side, which, by the way, is true for most fabrics.
• Do not stretch the product when ironing, as the wool knit will take the shape you give it, especially if it is loose.
• Start ironing wool from the 1st heating level of the iron, since at the 3rd and even 2nd you risk getting color deformation: natural light wool can turn yellow if overheated!
• Don’t be afraid to use a steamer, because the steam will not disturb the texture of the knitting and will not “tighten” the fibers, but will completely smooth out creases.

Advice

If you dry your dress correctly, preventing strong creases from forming, then ironing it will be much easier. Dry the dresses directly on hangers or by carefully straightening them on a line, but not by throwing them over it, but by securing them with clothespins at the seams near the collar.

How to iron a pleated dress

The joy of buying a pleated dress lasts until the first wash: forming and ironing each fold again, you can simply go crazy. That's why there are a couple of tricks.

How can you make your task easier?

• Before washing, secure the folds by stitching them around the circumference when folded. If the dress with pleats is long, then it is better to make several such lines. So, by placing the product on the ironing board, you can work with it in the same way as with a regular linen, and you will not have to iron out the folds.
• When washing such dresses, add conditioner to avoid unnecessary creases as much as possible.
• To ensure that the factory pleating lasts as long as possible, never wring out or machine dry such dresses, or dry them by throwing them over a clothesline.
• Such dresses are dried, again, immediately on a hanger or secured with clothespins at the seams near the neck.

Is it possible to use steaming with such dresses? Even necessary! This will make the folds look even more distinct.

How to iron a leather dress

But with leather, everything is a little different: this material is natural, and it “breathes,” which means you can try a few tricks with it to smooth out wrinkles without the help of an iron.

• The creases may go away on their own if you just let the dress hang out for a few days.
• If you don't have much time, try ironing the dress by hanging it in the bathroom after you take a hot shower. This steam is cooler and more harmless to the skin than that created by a steamer, and it straightens out creases no worse. In general, when wet, the skin straightens out, but it is important to wet it just a little, since excess moisture can lead to deformation.
• If the creases are strong, then you will have to either stroke the skin from the inside through gauze, or still steam it with a steam generator, holding it at a distance of 10-15 cm from the product.
• For very strong creases, you can also use a press: slightly heat the skin with an iron and place something flat and heavy on it, such as a stack of thick books.

Advice

Leather products are usually not washed in traditional ways, so creases on them can only form from improper storage. Do not fold leather dresses or store them near radiators or heaters, as heat dries out the leather, deforming the product.

How to iron a dress made of eco-leather

Faux leather looks almost like real leather, but ironing a dress made from this material is even more difficult! The thing is that a layer of polymer, similar to rubber or caoutchouc, is essentially applied to the textile lining, and it is much more difficult to remove creases on it.

• Try to prevent the formation of creases on eco-leather: such products should only be hand washed, dried in a fully extended position, and stored without folding.
• If a crease has formed, know: not a couple of days on a hanger, nor moisture, nor steam will be able to help you.
• There is only one way out - to heat it up. But here you need to act very carefully: the crease can be straightened only under the influence of temperature, but if you overdo it, the leatherette will begin to melt and the dress will be ruined. That is why it is recommended to iron only from the inside out and only at the minimum temperature.

As for steaming, it can help, but only due to the high temperature of the steam, so using ironing to remove creases will be safer and more accurate.

How to iron a leatherette dress?

In fact, eco-leather, faux leather, artificial leather and dermantin are essentially the same thing, therefore, no matter what the dress manufacturers call the material, the recommendations for ironing it will be the same.

How to iron a velvet dress

The easiest way is to let the velvet hang in a steam bath or steam it with a steam generator, but if you decide to iron, then consider the following points.

• You must place a soft lining under the corduroy, such as a terry towel, otherwise the fibers will be smoothed out and the fabric will lose its appearance.
• Iron velvet only from the inside out through a gauze pad at minimum temperatures.

By the way

When steaming velvet, do not bring the iron too close, especially if you are dealing with synthetics!

How to iron a silk dress

Silk seems to be a very delicate material, but in fact it is even easier to iron than synthetics. If, of course, you follow all the rules and recommendations.

• Iron silk items from the wrong side through a layer of gauze or cotton to protect the fabric.
• Do not use high temperatures when ironing silk: you can iron a dress efficiently at a minimum heat level.
• Silk will smooth out better if you start ironing it while still a little damp.
• You can also steam silk, but to prevent hot steam from damaging the dress, it is better to cover it with gauze, and do not bring the steamer itself closer than 7-8 cm.

What if the silk is still artificial? As with other synthetic duplicators of natural fabrics, there is one rule: minimum temperature, ironing from the inside out and certainly a gauze or cotton lining.

How to iron a satin dress?

For natural satin and its artificial counterpart, the ironing rules are the same as for silk, because these fabrics, whether natural or synthetic, have similar characteristics.

How to iron a chiffon dress

Chiffon is not difficult to iron unless you get the iron red-hot, but tricks to make it easier to iron out wrinkled chiffon begin at the washing stage.

• Do not wring out the chiffon dress in the machine so that it wrinkles as little as possible.
• When washing, add conditioner: this way, small folds and large creases practically do not form.
• Dry the chiffon item flat and store it the same way.

You can iron chiffon at minimum and medium temperatures - depending on the product - from the inside out through a gauze pad, especially if the chiffon is not natural.

Now your dresses are safe, because with our tips you will definitely not ruin them unknowingly while ironing!