10 Genius Ironing Hacks That’ll Guarantee Perfectly Pressed Clothes

Ironing--it's a necessary evil to make linens, button-up shirts, and dress pants look their best. However, you don't need to be a slave to the laundry room to get rid of those lines and creases. Here are our top hacks to make this chore move a little faster.

1. Grab your flat iron

In a rush and need to get rid of pesky creases? Your hair straightener can be to used for a quick press of your shirt collar or to touch up small wrinkles in a blouse. Be careful with the heat settings. You want to use low heat on delicate fabrics like silk, whereas natural fabrics can withstand a higher temperature.

2. Blow dry your dress

Another hair care tool to the rescue! Shots of hot air from your blow dryer can release wrinkles from your clothing. Move the dryer quickly, holding it a few inches away from the fabric.

3. Don't overload the wash

When you're doing laundry, don't stuff the washer. Washing your clothes in smaller loads can make them come out less wrinkled, so that you have less to iron.

4. Master the 90-second dress shirt iron

The key is a bottle of water and a super hot iron. Soak the fabric with the water bottle and then press in sections, using the highest setting on the iron. Concentrate on the collar, cuffs, and front of the shirt, pulling the fabric taut as you go. Less than two minutes, and you're done!

5. Keep your clothes fresh

Once you've ironed your clothes, wait five minutes before putting on your outfit. This simple tactic will keep your clothes wrinkle-free throughout the day.

6. Get a head start at the dry cleaners

When you're dropping dirty clothes off at the cleaners, ask for a press with heavy starch. The starch will help the shirts repel wrinkles longer, even after several washes

If ironing is just not going to happen, have no fear; there are still ways to get wrinkles out in a snap.

1. No-iron method: shower steam

Set the shower to high and let the water run at the highest setting. Hang your clothes on a hanger from the shower rod for ten minutes with the water running. Shut the bathroom door and let the magic of steam naturally de-wrinkle your outfit.

2. No-iron method: heat from your dryer

Wet a towel so its medium damp, but not sopping. Set the dryer to medium. Place the damp towel and your wrinkled clothes in. Run dryer for 20 minutes. Voila--wrinkles gone!

3. No-iron method: spray bottle and sun

If the weather's nice, take the wrinkle removal outside. You'll need a spray bottle filled with water. Lightly spray your clothing, and then hang outside for an hour. The outside air and sun will dry the garment, and as it dries, the wrinkles will naturally release.

4. No-iron method: commercial spray

There are several commercial sprays on the market, which can release wrinkles from clothing. For first-time usage, be sure to test the spray on a small patch before applying it to the entire garment.

The next time you're faced with the morning dilemma of staring down a laundry basket full of wrinkled clothes, try one of our hacks to make your ironing job easier. In just a few minutes, you can be wrinkle-free and out the door.