How to iron things without an iron: TOP-15 life hacks

In the life of each of us there were situations when it was necessary to iron something, and the iron broke or it was simply not at hand. This is especially relevant for those who temporarily stayed in a hotel, and the set of services does not include the availability of an iron. To look neat, it is not necessary to use household appliances. Tips and tricks tested by many housewives will help smooth clothes. Let’s consider the top ways to iron things without an iron.

It is quite easy to find an alternative to an iron. It is enough to look at the state of affairs in a different way and find the right option. At the same time, you can use a lot of improvised means.

Steam ironing

With the help of steam treatment, you can easily smooth various materials. You can get steam for ironing in several ways, depending on what you have at hand.

• From a teapot. This treatment is suitable for small items or not very crumpled clothes. Just heat up an electric or classic kettle and smooth out the crumpled areas with the steam coming out of the spout.
• Steam room in the bathhouse. You can combine two useful activities: strengthen the body and iron things with the help of a bath. Just take the clothes with you to the steam room and hold them over the steam.
• Hot bath. Such a procedure will take an order of magnitude more time, so it is better to iron clothes in this way in advance. Fill the bath with hot water and hang the thing on the shoulders above the steam. Leave it in this position for 30 minutes, and then wait until the thing is completely dry.

Wet ironing

• A wet towel. The method is suitable exclusively for knitted items. Immediately after washing, spread the item on a thick terry towel and leave to dry. Such drying will take a relatively long time, but after drying, all irregularities and folds will disappear.
• A special solution. To prepare the solution, you will need: water, vinegar, fabric softener. Mix the ingredients in equal proportions and pour into a container with a sprayer. Spray the product on the surface and wait until it dries. After processing, the fabric will become smoother.
• Sprayer with water. If there are no auxiliary means at hand, try to iron the fabric with plain water. To do this, fill a container with a spray bottle and spray it on the surface of the product. Wetted areas should become even after complete drying.
• With a wet palm. You can iron small folds on your clothes yourself without using additional tools. To do this, wet your hand with water and run it over the fabric several times.

Pressure and heat

• A hot iron cup. You can make a similar iron from a steel or enameled mug. Make sure that the outside of the container is clean. Fill the container with boiling water, wait for the metal to heat up and iron the folds with the bottom.
• Rolling pin for dough. The method is suitable for ironing T-shirts, trousers or small wardrobe items. Lightly moisten the products and place between two towels. Wind them on a rolling pin and spin them with force on a flat, hard surface. Repeat the procedure several times.
• Under the mattress. If you have time to spare, try to “iron” the thing under the mattress. To do this, while sleeping, carefully straighten the thing and put it under the mattress for the night. In the morning, you will get completely uniform clothes.
• A red-hot lamp. An ordinary light bulb from a lamp will be a great alternative to an iron. Before the procedure, wipe the surface of the lamp with a clean cloth. Turn on the light and wait for the lamp to heat up. After 10-15 minutes, turn off the electricity supply to the lamp and carefully, so as not to burn yourself, unscrew the bulb. Place the product on a horizontal surface and move the round side of the lamp over the crumpled areas.
• By stretching. To flatten a thing in a similar way, you will need any heavy flat object. Wet the product slightly, spread it on a horizontal surface and stretch it a little. Press with a load and leave until completely dry.
• Hair clippers. A hair iron will help to cope with badly creased small areas. Gently run the tweezers over the fabric until you get the desired result. Before the procedure, make sure that no hair or traces of varnish remain on the heating elements of the iron.
• A hot can. In a similar way, you can iron small items, for example, a small T-shirt or a tie. Fill a glass jar with hot water and run the bottom over the crumpled areas.
• Hair dryer. You can iron clothes quickly with the help of a hair dryer. To do this, pre-moisten the product slightly using a sprayer. Turn on the hair dryer at medium power and blow a hot stream of air over bumps and folds at a short distance.
• Load. The procedure will help not only to level the material, but also to slightly stretch the product lengthwise. Lightly moisten the clothes and hang them on the shoulders. Attach small weights to the bottom edges and sleeves and leave to dry.

By type of clothing

To facilitate the ironing procedure without an iron, consider the style and size of the products.

A shirt or blouse. You can iron a shirt or blouse in almost any way, for example, with a hair dryer, steam, a hot iron or a glass container. Proper drying of the product will help ensure easier ironing. To do this, immediately after washing, shake the shirt and hang it on the shoulders to dry. Do the treatment before the shirt or blouse is completely dry.

Iron small details, such as the collar or cuffs, with a hair iron or heat lamp.

Dress. You can iron the dress in any of the suggested ways, taking into account the type of material from which it is sewn. To completely iron the product, perform the processing technique correctly:

1. prepare the dress: remove the belt, straighten the lining and pockets, unbutton the cuffs and collar if available;
2. if there are folds on things, fasten them;
3. process the product from the wrong side;
4. start ironing from the bottom of the sleeves and hem;
5. process each part of the dress separately;
6. after ironing, hang the dress on the shoulders.

You can process the main details of the dress with the help of a hair dryer or steam, and the small ones – with a hair iron or a heated light bulb.

Jacket. The material of jackets rarely wrinkle, so frequent ironing of such products is not required. If creases have appeared on the fabric after storage, they can only be smoothed out with steam using improvised means or a steam generator.

A jacket . Large clothing such as a jacket or coat can be placed under the mattress and ironed overnight. If there is absolutely no time for ironing, use the method of processing with a hot mug or hair dryer. When ironing a jacket, keep the following sequence of actions:

1. start with pockets;
2. go to the sleeves;
3. iron the shoulders;
4. at the main stage, iron the hem, shelves and back;
5. leave the gate and lapels for the last stage;
6. after processing, hang the jacket on the shoulders, allowing it to cool.

Please note, it is better to iron the jacket with the front side up, if the fabric allows it.

T-shirts . The easiest way to iron a T-shirt without an iron is to moisten the fabric a little and put it on until it is completely dry. If the product has a free cut, you can smooth it in any proven way.

Please note that white items should be processed from the wrong side, and colored items – from the front side.

Cardigans, sweaters . Ironing knitted items with an iron is not recommended at all. After washing, spread the product on a horizontal surface, placing a towel underneath. As it gets wet, replace the towel with a dry one. After such drying, there will be no creases on sweaters and sweaters.

If there are still creases on the surface, you can smooth them out with the help of steam.

Pants and jeans . You can iron jeans using steam, stretching or pressing. At the same time, process the jeans only from the inside out, starting with the pockets. After processing, lay the jeans on a flat surface, allowing the material to cool completely.

Ironing trousers with arrows with improvised means is a little more difficult. To smooth the arrows, use a hair iron, a hot mug or a hot lamp.

How to iron a large fabric

You can iron a large fabric, for example, a tablecloth or bed linen, by hanging the fabric over a tub of hot water. Vapors from water will perfectly smooth folds and creases. Similarly, you can use a steam generator if available.

Tulle and curtains. The easiest and least energy-consuming way to iron curtains, tulle or curtains is to hang them on the cornice immediately after washing, when the material is still wet. Under the effect of its own weight, the curtains will flatten.

In a similar way, you can iron the curtains even after drying, if you moisten their surface with water from a spray bottle. The presence of a steam generator will be a significant plus. With its help, it is also more convenient to finish with already hung curtains.

How to do without ironing

In order not to look for a suitable method of ironing without an iron, you can simply prevent things from creasing. This can be done in several ways.

• Choose material that does not require ironing.

The components of the material from which the product is sewn can significantly affect the degree of crumpling of the item. The more synthetic fibers the fabric contains, the less likely creases and folds will appear.

If you prefer clothes made of natural cotton materials, give preference to fabrics marked “Non Iron”. Such products are straightened under their own weight and do not require ironing.

• Set the correct washing and drying mode.

When washing and drying, observe the following rules:

• during automatic washing, choose the “easy ironing” or “no creases” mode;
• set the spin mode to the minimum number of revolutions;
• when washing by hand, do not wring out the laundry with your hands, but simply let the water drain;
• shake the product thoroughly before drying;
• try to dry clothes only on the shoulders, so you will avoid creases and marks from clothespins.

Store your clothes properly. Keep it only in a hanging state, and if it is impossible to hang it, fold it only along the seams or twist it with a roller.

• Using a vaporizer.

A steamer or a steam generator will be a technical replacement for an iron. Each modification has its own technical and operational features. Read about how to choose the right steam generator for your home here .

The steamer looks like a vacuum cleaner, has a boiler, a hose and a special tube for steam. Water is heated in the boiler and rises through a hose into a tube that releases steam under pressure. The steamer helps not only to smooth things, but also to clean clothes and various surfaces from dirt.

The steam generator consists of an iron to which a water boiler is attached by means of a tube. The liquid is heated and fed through the iron under high pressure. Such devices are widely used in the professional field of processing and tailoring, as they allow you to cope with even the most difficult irregularities and folds.

How things were ironed in the old days

The prototype of the modern iron appeared at the end of the 17th century. It was a box made of metal, inside which there was heat. Only wealthy men could afford to have such a device in their home. Ironing at that time was a very dangerous occupation, as there was a great risk of burning or burning the fabric.

The electric heating element in the iron was invented one century later. Before the appearance of the great-grandfather of the modern iron, people used heated stones or metal rods for ironing.

There are many ways to quickly iron out crumpled things without having an iron at hand. At the same time, you do not need to have expensive vaporizers or steam generators in your arsenal, but use handy items and tools.