How to Iron Dry-Clean-Only Garments

men's crisp button-up shirt and wooden hanger
  • 1 hours
  • Beginner
  • 5
What You'll Need
Dry-clean-only garment
Iron
Ironing board
Clean, cotton sheet
Hanger
What You'll Need
Dry-clean-only garment
Iron
Ironing board
Clean, cotton sheet
Hanger

You’ve bought a new shirt that you’re about to throw in the washing machine, when you read the heart-breaking words on the tag: dry-clean only. Luckily, it’s easy to delicately hand wash clothing. After the clothing is hung dry, use this guide to iron your dry-clean-only garments, so that they look crisp and fresh.

Step 1 – Preheat the Iron

First, plug your iron in and turn it on to the appropriate setting. Make sure you’ve turned off the steam function on your iron, as steam can damage your dry-clean-only clothing.

Step 2 – Cover and Iron

Do not use your iron directly on the garment, or it will make the material look shiny. Instead, use a barrier, such as a cotton sheet, to diffuse some of the heat from the iron. Cover the garment with the sheet, and iron it as you normally would. Do not press down hard. Instead, allow the natural weight of the iron to smooth the clothing free of wrinkles.

Step 3 – Hang the Garment

Unless you're immediately putting the clothing on, hang it up to prevent it from getting any more wrinkles.