Typically, we use a steam iron and ironing board to get our washed clothes looking and feeling smooth again. However, you may not always have access to an ironing board while away from home for work or pleasure, or have inadequate storage in a small flat.
Ironing without an ironing board sounds unusual at first. However, if you want to iron something quickly but don’t have an ironing board at hand, there are alternative methods. In this article, we will show you creative ways to get wrinkle-free clothes without an ironing board, and some of these tricks don’t even require an iron.
1. Find A Flat Surface
Look around you – a desk, dining table, laminate floor, chair, kitchen worktop, and chest of drawers, are all flat hard surfaces that can be used to iron on, provided you take some steps to protect the surface.
Even when folded, ironing boards are cumbersome and take up a lot of room in the house. That’s why some people choose not to have one, and instead just iron on a table. Use a thick towel or blanket to shield the table’s surface from damage. This should be done no matter what surface you iron on, as the heat and steam could damage the surface.
Remember, ironing boards, are designed to handle heat and steam. A hard surface like a table or floor will trap the heat and steam, which could damage the surface. Using a table or other hard surface is just a “quick fix” method and should never be used for ironing full loads of laundry, as you’ll end up with a puddle of water, soaked garments, and potential damage to the surface.
When ironing, the iron shouldn’t become sunk in the fabric, so don’t use a duvet or anything too thick as a shield, a bathroom towel or dishtowel will do. But like I said, this method should be done with caution, and never use a steam generator iron for this, as steam generators need an ironing board because of the massive volume of intense steam they produce.
Using a steam iron can ruin the veneer of the table, desk, worktop, or floor, and can cause the towels to soak up the moisture, thus it should be avoided on high heat and only use as an emergency method.
If you’d like to adopt this method over owning and storing an ironing board, then buy an ironing pad – they’re cheap and will do a much better job of protecting the hard surface from heat and moisture.
2. Tumble Dryer Ironing
Yes, you can use a tumble dryer to iron out creases from clothes. In fact, some tumble dryers today have an “Easy Iron” function for exactly this. Crinkled clothing can be quickly revived by spraying water on the wrinkles and then being dried in a tumble dryer. In a few minutes, your garments will be warm and wrinkle-free.
Of course, you want to avoid shrinking clothes, so use this method with care. Keep the heat low, only run them in the dryer for a few minutes while closely monitoring progress, and use the “Iron Dry” or “Easy Iron” function if your tumble dryer has one. It’s a quick and easy way to get the creases out of clothes without setting up an ironing board and steam iron.
3. Shower Steam
The bathroom is the perfect place to hang your clean, dry garments.
A suit, a nice shirt, and a tie are common pieces of clothing for business travellers. Most of these garments are composed of cotton or viscose, which causes them to quickly wrinkle in compressed luggage.
A simple hack can be utilised to smooth out the garment in the absence of an ironing board or iron. All that’s required is a steamy shower and a place to hang your clothes in the bathroom.
To avoid further wrinkles, hang the item in the bathroom while you shower. Launch steam by activating the hot water tap. Wait approximately 10 to 15 minutes after closing the bathroom door. Once you’re done, the water supply can be shut off again. Wrinkles are naturally diminished by the vapour of water and gravity pulling at the fabric.
Related: Best Lightweight Steam Irons Under 2kg
4. Use Hair Straingteners
A hair straightener is essentially an iron for your hair. Combining heat and pressure is an effective method for eliminating wrinkles – in fabric and hair. Make clothing look as good as new by hanging it up and giving the creases a light press with a hair straightener. If you can help it, try to avoid being in one place for too long and avoid melting any plastic or ink transfers.
You shouldn’t use the straightening iron on the entire garment unless there are deep creases, as this can be a very time-consuming process. The most effective options are ruffles, collars, and cuffs.
Without a straightening iron, a hair dryer can do the trick in a pinch. Wet the fabric with some spraying water, then blow dry with a hair dryer while gently pulling on the fabric and stretching out the wrinkles.
5. Try a Steam Cleaner or Garment Steamer
A steam cleaner’s main benefit is that in addition to heat, it can also be used with blast steam. The garments can be ironed with ease in this fashion. The garment steamer is ideal for vacations because it can be easily packed away in (nearly) any luggage.
A garment steamer is a smart investment even if you don’t plan on ironing every article of clothes you own at home. Due to the high temperature of the steam, this method is ideal for iron-sensitive fabrics.
Put water in the tank and connect the power line to an electrical socket. In just a few seconds, the device will reach the desired temperature, allowing for instantaneous use. You may even tailor the temperature of some devices to the fabric being treated. Do not rush; instead, go gently and carefully along the fabric.
This same technique can be used with a steam cleaner nozzle, simply hang your clothes and give the creases a blast with the hot steam from the cleaner, but be sure to keep some distance, as being too close to the hot steam could damage the fabric.
6. Automatic Ironing Dummy
Particularly in households with many members, ironing can be a time-consuming chore. You can also get an ironing dummy if ironing is too much of a chore for you. You may wear this with any bottoms or tops. The fact that this doll also dries the clothing after they’ve been ironed is an added bonus.
To dress the doll, one must first slip on the selected item. This is then secured to the doll in some fashion, such as by buttoning it. The timer and fan can then be activated at the specified time.
You can start inflating the bag with hot air at the touch of a button. Then, the air is forced up through the garments. These separate pieces can be dried softly and pressed at the same time with this method.
The inflatable bag can be altered to the shape of the garment of your choice.
These alternatives to using a traditional ironing board are a mix of quick fixes for on-the-go, and some permanent ways to tackle wrinkles without the burden of having a bulky ironing board at home.
