How to iron without an iron: 8 step-by-step solutions

It’s a crisis, your iron has just given up on you in the middle of an intense ironing session. 

Or maybe you’re like me and never iron a piece of clothing, but a wedding is coming up and you’ve decided it’s time to learn.

Problem: you don’t have an iron and need someone to save the day… and that’s exactly what we’re here for.

If you need a step-by-step guide to ironing a wrinkled shirt, you’re in the right place.

If you’ve got a deep crease right in the middle of your trousers, you’re in the right place.

If you’ve never touched an iron in your life, you’re in the right place.

I've asked the most skilled housekeepers available at Yoojo to give me their best tips. 

8 quick tips for ironing without an iron

Here we go, finally time to discover the best techniques for ironing without an iron.

There are plenty of options, and if you’re clever, you’ll probably find new ways to do it because ultimately, to get rid of wrinkles, you really only need two things:

• water

• heat

Grandma’s trick: iron with a boiling water saucepan

So, what is an iron, really?

It’s a large, flat metal surface that heats up to smooth out fabrics. A saucepan isn’t much different.

This is hands down the best technique if you don’t have an iron, but you still need to take precautions:

• Never use this technique with a dirty saucepan. It’s obvious, but make sure to clean the surface that will come into contact with your clothes… even several times if necessary.

• You’ll be dealing with boiling water, so spills can be disastrous. Remember to seal your saucepan (we’ll explain how below) and keep away from any electrical outlets.

Steps to follow: 

1. Start by thoroughly cleaning your saucepan.

2. Heat some water in a kettle or on your hob.

3. While waiting, lay your garment on a heat-resistant flat surface, like a table or countertop.

4. Once the water is hot, cover the saucepan with a lid to retain the heat.

5. Wrap plastic film tightly around the lid to waterproof the saucepan and prevent water from spilling everywhere.

6. You can start ironing by placing the saucepan on the fabric and slowly moving it across the wrinkled areas.

7. After a while, the water will cool… so you’ll need to reheat it.

8. Repeat the process until you’re satisfied with the result.

It takes a little longer, but the result will be flawless. Who needs an iron, anyway?

Use a hair straightener

I get it—if you don’t have an iron at home, the chances of owning a hair straightener are slim… but you never know!

In the end, a hair straightener works like a mini sandwich press for your clothes.

If the first pass doesn’t give the result you want, increase the temperature slightly and try again on a less visible part of the fabric.

This technique isn’t great for large areas, but it’s perfect for shirt collars or ironing a sock!

3 tips for ironing with steam

As you can guess, heat is an excellent way to iron clothes. But the second key element you can use is water, and steam is just hot water—what could be better?

Here are some ideas for using steam to iron your clothes… there’s bound to be one that works for you:

Use steam from the shower

If you enjoy hot showers and have a small bathroom, this is for you.

How to do it:

1. Close the door and turn on the hot water.

2. Dampen the garment (even better right after it’s been washed).

3. Hang your clothing on a hanger.

4. Try to place the hanger close to the showerhead, without soaking your fabric.

5. Enjoy your hot shower and relax.

6. Finish your shower and turn off the water.

7. Dry off and remember to close the shower door as you leave to trap the steam in the bathroom.

8. After 30 minutes, retrieve your garment.

This technique works especially well for soft, lightweight clothes like shirts.

Don’t overdo it with the hot water, as it’s not the most eco-friendly technique.

Use your steam cleaner

Do you have a steam cleaner, carpet cleaner, or any other device that generates steam? Use it to smooth out your clothes!

Be careful, if it’s a device that also creates smells, either skip it or be ready to live with it.

In any case, make sure to clean your device well before use as the steam must be clean and odourless.

Boil water beneath your garment

This is also not the most eco-friendly strategy, but it works better than the shower and uses less water.

How to do it:

1. Hang the garment on a hanger.

2. Dampen it with a spray bottle filled with water.

3. Place the hanger above your stovetop (use tape if needed).

4. Fill a saucepan with hot water and boil it underneath your garment.

5. You’re done once everything is smooth.

Iron with a hairdryer (and water)

As you’ve probably gathered by now, every technique for smoothing clothes involves heat and water. The hairdryer method is no different.

How to do it:

1. Hang your garment on a hanger.

2. If there are deep creases, don’t hesitate to lightly dampen the fabric.

3. Turn on the hairdryer at a medium heat setting.

4. Go over the creased areas from about 5cm away.

5. If this doesn’t work, increase the heat setting.

6. Never get the hairdryer too close to the fabric or you risk burning it.

The damp cloth and board technique

If you don’t have any equipment at home, you at least have a wooden board and a few towels!

Lay damp towels on a flat surface and place your wrinkled clothes on top of them.

Place more damp towels on top, followed by the board and some weight. 

Let it sit for 30 minutes, and your clothes should be smooth. Hang them to dry on a hanger to prevent wrinkles.

Use your washing machine to avoid creasing clothes

Let’s be honest, the reason your clothes are wrinkled is because you're using your washing machine incorrectly.

In particular, it’s the spin cycle that damages your clothes, so it's a good idea to reduce the spin speed to 600 revolutions per minute. Yes, it will take a little longer to dry, but imagine all the time you’ll save by not having to iron… genius, right?

Also, avoid cramming everything into the machine in a bundle, as it will make creases worse. Take a moment to fold the laundry a bit, and you’ll see that in the end, it's worth it.

If you have a tumble dryer, you can also try the ice cube trick: throw a few ice cubes in with your clothes in the dryer to create a bit of steam that will smooth everything out… guaranteed results!

The best tip: hire someone to iron your clothes

Let’s be real, if you don’t have an iron at home, it’s probably because ironing isn’t your thing.

That’s exactly why we created Yoojo: to save you the hassle of everyday chores.

Plus, our posting system is made for people like you:

• You post a free ironing request.

• You receive responses within minutes.

• You choose the service provider you like.

And on Yoojo, you only pay when the service is completed… didn't find your dream provider? No worries, you can post another request for free!

How much does it cost? 

Special case: how to iron a shirt without an iron?

Chances are you've landed on this page because you have a shirt you want to de-wrinkle. Looking sharp comes at a price!

Because your shirt is a delicate garment, it’s best to proceed gently and do it step by step.

1/ Always start with the steam technique. Place your shirt under a steam source (see the techniques above in this article), and hopefully, that will be enough.

2/ If you have stubborn creases, take a spray bottle filled with water and mist your shirt. Use a hairdryer to smooth it out further.

3/ For the sleeves and cuffs, you can run a hair straightener over them, but always at a low temperature.

Ironing the collar of your shirt without hassle

If ironing a shirt is such a pain, it's because it consists of so many different parts: sleeves, collars, cuffs, pockets, yokes!

The collar is probably the hardest part to iron because it never lies completely flat. 

Are your clothes still wrinkled?

Don’t panic, we’re here to help.

Because Yoojo is not just about tips to help you every day; we also have providers ready to tackle all those tasks you don't want to do.

Feel free to check-out the best housekeepers in your area by simple visiting this page... there is certainly someone that can help you out.